An Ultimate Guide to Complete Horse Feeds

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Introduction:

If you are a horse owner, ensuring your horse is well-groomed and healthy should be your priority. And one thing that determines the health of your horse is the food you feed her. You wouldn’t want your horse to collapse amid your ride.

Do you know that hay alone is not enough? You will need complete horse feeds. Selecting the best feed can be daunting and confusing, especially if you do not fully understand what complete feed for horses are and when you should get some.

This article got you covered. It explains what complete feed is, some of the reasons why complete feeds are preferred, and some of the best products to choose from.

Complete Horse Feeds:

Complete feeds are a mix of fortified grain or forage formulated with high-quality sources of fiber that are easily digestible.

Generally, complete feeds contain both forage and concentrate portions in one bag, and thus, supplying all the required nutrients in horses. There are plenty of reasons why you should go for complete feed for your horse. They include:

• If your horse has no teeth or has weak teeth. Just as with humans, lack of teeth doesn’t mean the end of the feeding. If your animal has poor or no teeth as a result of old age or is too young, it will be improper for you to feed it with hay. Instead, complete feed is your best option.

• Finding hay of good quality is difficult, especially during drought seasons or wet conditions. In such seasons, hay gets very expensive, and complete feed is much economical as well as nutritional.

• Transporting and handling hay is also difficult, especially when feeding the animals in round bales resulting in wastage.

Top five best complete horse feeds:

There are numerous complete feeds available in the market place today. Therefore, getting the best can be a bit confusing. Here is a list of the top five products you can choose from and be sure your horse gets the necessary nutrients.

1. Manna Pro Senior Weight Accelerator

If you have a senior horse and are looking for the best feed for it, then Manna Pro is what you require. The supplement contains a high level of fats and calories to maintain good body condition and weight gain. Also, it contains numerous minerals and vitamins that give extra benefits to the body.

Manna Pro is made from flaxseed that has Omega 3 acids good for giving your horse healthy skin and coat. With this feed, you are sure that your horse will not suffer any skin problems and will have a nice coat. The product also has probiotics that are necessary for hooves development and proper digestion.

2. The Missing Link 5-Pound Equine Plus Formula with Joint Support for Horses

If you are looking for a supplement that is perfect for joint support for your horse, this is the best product for you. It contains fiber, omega fatty acids, phytonutrients, and glucosamine that enhances good general health.

The formula also has nutrients that are not present in hay or grain to improve joint health.

Additionally, the formula supports the absorption of fats in the animal’s tissues to boost energy levels. Generally, the formula has ingredients to assist the strong growth of your horse.

3. Start to Finish Cool Calories 100

If you want to see great performance on your horse, this is the best feed to buy. It appropriate for all kinds of the horse due to its 100% dry vegetable fat.

The supplement is energy concentrated to provide calories for horses that are underweight and to give a good overall condition. The supplement contains fatty acids that give your four-legged friend a glossy and full coat.

The main reason why it is considered the best horse feed for excellent performance is the fact that it has high in fat. Mix the supplement at a rate of two to four ounces daily for each horse.

4. Manna Pro Calf-Manna Supplement

Looking for a feed that will be suitable for horses of all stages, Manna Pro Calf-Manna supplement is your best solution. You can give this supplement to your mare right from the beginning of the development stage.

It is appropriate to feed her even after birth while you combine it with milk or other feeds. It is also good for energy production as well as immune health.

This is because the feed has oats, high proteins, and amino acids. Additionally, the feed has digestible carbohydrates and enhances more energy gain in the animal.

5. Horse Guard Super Weight Gain Equine

Want a feed that will see your four-legged buddy healthily gain weight? Horse Guard Super Weight Gain Equine is all you need. This supplement has no starches and sugars and is exceptionally appropriate for sternly underweight equines.

It provides not only the essential quantity of fiber and fat but also vitamins and minerals. The yeast and bacterial inoculants present in the feed is crucial in enhancing their digestive system is functioning well.

An outstanding thing about this feed is that it contains organic Selenium and vitamin E that are responsible for preventing stress in horses. If your horse has some health problems, this feed is excellent in restoring perfect health as it works effectively and quickly.

Things to consider when getting your complete feed for horses:

There is plenty of complete horse feeds in today’s market. And getting the best can be tough. For you to choose the best feed for your horse, there are several things to put into consideration. Here are some of the factors to consider.

• The age of your horse

Just like in any other animal, the age of your horse is a key determinant of the nutrients it will require. For instance, a senior horse will require different nutrients from a young horse.

Generally, the nutritional requirements are determined by growth. For a young horse, it will require vitamins, minerals, and proteins to enhance its growth. Young equines will need about 14% to 16% of proteins to boost development.

You will find that most senior horses have weak or no teeth, and therefore, will need a special diet. Their diet mostly should entail vitamins and minerals that are readily available.

These feeds should be easily digestible and easy to chew. Hence, you should select an appropriate feed for your horse, depending on whether it is old or young.

• The use or physiological stage of the horse

Horses in different stages will feed differently and will need different nutrients in the body. For example, pregnant equines will feed differently from breastfeeding equines, which will also feed differently from non-breeding equines.

Of course, a breastfeeding horse will require more nutrients to regain what it lost during pregnancy and to have enough to supply to the calf.

The usage also influences the nutrients the animal will need. Some horses will be used for heavy exercises, and others for light duties.

For instance, a horse being ridden for three days a week for about one hour daily will require more nutrients than a horse being ridden twice a week for thirty minutes daily.

If you underestimate or overestimate the activity of your horse, it could result in extremely thin or fat horses. Therefore, it is essential to know the accurate activity of your horse and get the appropriate feed.

• Medical condition of your horse

There are various medical issues in horses such as allergies, gastric ulcers, obesity, insulin resistance, laminitis, kidney problems, and many more. For you to get the collect diagnosis, it is good to consult an expert.

Once you determine the medical condition of your animal, get the right feed. For example, if your horse has ulcers, consider getting feeds that have low acid levels.

• The horse’s body condition and weight

Many people conduct estimations of their animal’s weight rather than using livestock scales to get the accurate weight. Whereas many ignore this factor, weight is a critical issue when looking for the best complete feed for horses. The heavier the animal is, the higher the quantity of the feed.

The body condition is also an important aspect of determining the proper feed for your animal. It is what will determine if your horse needs feed that will cause it to gain more weight or feed that will not cause much weight gain.

• Your budget

Different feeds have different prices that range from cheap to costly. Though sometimes low-cost feeds tend to be of low quality, it is not always the case.

You should always consider buying complete horse feeds that match your pocket. You wouldn’t want to buy horse feed, and you go hungry yourself due to budget strains. Selecting what you can afford is a wise decision.

FAQs

Q: What do you mean by complete feeds for horses?

Answer:

These are horse feeds that are a mixture of forage and fortified grains, all in one bag. These feeds have all the nutrients that cannot be found in hay alone.

Q: What is the proper time to feed the horse?

Answer:

Feeding time varies from horses depending on the condition of your horse. If the horse has ulcers, then you should feed them right before beginning the competition. This will prevent the horse’s stomach from having excess acid.

Q: What quantity should I use to feed a mare nursing a foal?

Answer:

During the breastfeeding period, mares require about 44% of energy. In the first three months of nursing, it loses a body weight of about 3%.

For instance, a mare of 1100 pounds loses about 24 pounds daily. So, you will have to feed them with about 20pounds of horse feed every day.

Conclusion:

Conclusively, complete feeds for horses are in plenty and play a crucial role in the growth and development as well as the general health of your animal.

It is, therefore, your responsibility as a horse owner to take care of your four-legged friend. And I believe with the guidelines from this article, getting the proper feed for your horse will not be a struggle.