Feeding Horses Grain

Grain: A grain mix of oats and corn should only be added to the diet when you increase your horse's training, work, or activity. Younger and older horses may also need grain.
Horses have small stomachs and short intestines; therefore, they cannot handle large amounts of grain fed to them at one time. When providing grain to horses, it should be done in small
amounts (3+ times daily). Be careful not to overuse the grain supplement. It is not healthy for a horse to consume large amounts of concentrated grain and if overused, can cause colic,
ulcers, and high insulin levels. A minimum of 1.0 percent body weight of roughage (pasture, hay, or other forage) should be offered daily to ensure adequate intake and digestive
health.

For a 1,000 lb. average horse

No work ~ No grain
Light work (1-2 hours per day) ~ 1-1.5 lbs. grain per hour of work
Medium work (2-4 hours per day) ~ 1.5-2 lbs. grain per hour of work
Heavy work (4 or more hours per day) ~ 1.5-2.5 lbs. grain per hour work

Salt should always be available to your horse - either add approximately one to two ounces to your horse's feed or make available a free-choice salt block.

Tip: Does your horse greedily gulp down its grain? Try this:

Put a few large rounded rocks in the bucket (large enough that they can't be eaten or swallowed). The horse will have to nose around and push the rocks aside to get to the grain. This will help to slow down eating so it is not so hurried.

More easy and practical horse care tips...

Saddling Your Horse

Are you a new horse owner needing some assistance on how to saddle your horse?

"Instructions on how to saddle your horse."

Maybe you're an owner after a long absence and need a refresher on saddling a horse.


Unless you're prone to riding bareback, you will need to properly saddle your horse for your ride. To begin, you need to first groom your horse. For the horse's comfort you want to make sure the coat is free of any mud, dirt or hair clumps that can become irritating under the saddle when being ridden.

Check to make sure there are no sores on your horse's back or cinch area. If there are saddle sores present, use extra padding or a girth pad. Though you may want to consider letting the sores heal before riding again.

Make sure the saddle blanket is also clean and free of debris and is dry. Place the saddle blanket well forward and pull it back toward the rear of the horse so the front of the pad rests just in front of the withers. Always slide the blanket with the horse's hair and not against it to prevent any hair from getting clumped under the blanket. Be sure to use a large enough blanket so it shows all the way around the outside of the saddle. Using too small of a blanket will not adequately protect your horse from the saddle and make it very uncomfortable.

More on saddling your horse...

Horse Theme Bookmarks

Horse Bookmarks

Bookmarks from Acreage Equines. Original art combined with inspirational quotations make these bookmarks unique.

Visit Front Range Frenzy to learn more about horses and to download your free horse theme bookmarks.