Just like you need to eat a balanced diet to stay in good health, your horse must eat the right foods to stay well. As the team at Bethel Feed & Supply Pet & Garden Center in Clermont County, OH explains, the right mix of horse feed and other essential food items can make all the difference for your horse’s well-being.

Regardless of whether a horse is used for farm work or kept as a pet, many of the basic nutritional guidelines remain the same. In general, horses should eat about 2% of their body weight each day in the form of pasture roughage (anything they would eat while grazing in a field) or hay. As such, a large horse will generally require more food. Those used for farm work will also typically require more feed than a leisure horse.

In their natural environment, horses graze throughout the day, so you should do your best to imitate this situation either by letting them graze in the pasture or by keeping the stable consistently stocked with hay. 

In addition to hay and pasture roughage, specialized horse feed can also play an important role in maintaining your animal’s health. The right grain feeds can improve their energy and appearance, though these should serve as a supplement—not a substitute—for your horse’s normal diet.

An adequate supply of water is also essential for keeping your horse healthy. Horses can drink 15 gallons of water in a single day. As such, you should make sure they always have a clean supply of drinking water available. Always let your animal drink its fill to avoid dehydration and other problems.

With everything from horse feed to garden supplies, the team at Bethel Feed & Supply Pet & Garden Center will help you keep your farm in top shape. To learn more about their selection of livestock supplies, visit them online or call (513) 734-2246.