Results of the American Horse Publications Survey 2012 indicate the concern horse owners have for providing the best nutrition possible for their horses. A great deal of thought goes into decision making when it comes to their horse's nutrional needs.
Feeding decisions by horse owners
Veterinarians are identified as having the most influence on feed buying decisions made by horse owners, followed by a nutritionist or consultant.
According to responses to the set of questions focused on equine nutrition, and specifically related to feed and supplements, 81% of the respondents indicate that they make their horses’ feed buying decisions themselves, with the barn manager/owner coming in a distant second at about 8%.
Veterinarians are identified as having the most influence on feed buying decisions, followed by a nutritionist or consultant. On the other hand, celebrity endorsements are rated as having the least influence.
Survey participants were asked what brands of feed they use and how long they have used them. Response rates were low (< 50%) for any given brand. However, the greatest number of respondents responded to Purina, and of those, nearly 50% said they had used a Purina-brand feed for more than 5 years. Just under 10% indicated they had never used a Purina-brand feed.
Nutrena attracted the second greatest number of respondents. Among those, almost 28% said they had used a Nutrena-brand feed for more than 5 years, and just over 21% indicated that they have never used a Nutrena-brand feed. The full set of responses for all brands of feed is available in the Excel file.
The most commonly used feed form was pelleted (less than ½” diameter), which is always used by over 56% percent of respondents. The least commonly used feed forms are cubed and extruded (greater than ½” diameter) which have never been used by about 70% of respondents.
The majority of respondents (over 75%) purchase their feed at a locally-owned feed store, with chain stores representing the second most common site for purchasing feed (over 25%).
Respondents were also asked to rank factors in choosing a feed supplier. According to the rating averages, when choosing a feed supplier, respondents value product availability most highly, followed by convenience, relationship, and one-stop shopping. Being able to have feed delivered is rated as the least important quality.
Supplements for horses
Over 75% of respondents indicate that they use nutritional supplements. As with feed buying decisions, veterinarians are rated as having the most influence on supplement buying decisions, followed by nutritionists/consultants; again, celebrity endorsements are rated as having the least influence.
The most common use of a nutritional supplement is for joint support (62.4%), followed by hoof health (48.8%), trace mineral supplementation (39.9%), coat condition (36.8%), and digestive tract support (31.3%). All other uses were identified by less than 30% of respondents.
Respondents are equally likely to purchase nutritional supplements from locally-owned feed and tack stores and from online sources (about 50% each). Catalogs and chain stores are also common sources for nutritional supplements (about 25% each).
Finally, survey participants were asked to rank the reasons why they use the nutritional supplements they currently give their horses. According to the rating averages, when choosing which supplements to purchase, the most important reason for purchasing any supplement is because the respondent thinks the horse needs it, followed by veterinary advice and trust of the supplier. The least important reasons are trainer recommendation or recommendation from some other person.
Horse Nutrition Information and Concerns
Respondents were asked questions relating to where they receive their horse nutrition information and how they prefer to receive it. Nearly 67% of respondents get nutrition information from their veterinarian, followed by websites (56.1%) and friends or other horse owners (43.8%).
Horse owners and managers prefer to receive their equine nutrition information through face-to-face interaction (53.9%), which is closely followed by reading short articles online (52.5%). Respondents also frequently read research reports online (45.2%) as well as short articles in print (42.4%). The least preferred form of obtaining information is watching long videos (4.4%).
Finally, respondents were asked to identify any and all equine nutrition issues that concerned them. Joint longevity received the most votes (65.4%). Hoof condition (57.1%), care of the senior horse (53.6%), colic (40.3%), and digestive efficiency (40.0%) were the next most frequently identified.