According to SmartPak's latest information, 7 out of 10 horses are not getting enough vitamins and minerals from their hay and grain according to a recent survey.
Meeting the nutritional needs of horses
According to a recent survey by SmartPak, 7 out of 10 horses are not getting enough vitamins and minerals from their hay and grain alone.
"The inside scoop: Is my horse’s grain enough?" gives horse owners a way to figure out if their horse is getting what it needs from its grain by following three easy steps!
1. Weigh In
If you already know how many pounds of grain your horse eats per day, kudos! You can skip to Step 2. If you’re not sure, it’s time to weigh in. Grain rations are always based on weight (as in pounds), not volume (as in quarts).
If you’re feeding by quarts or “scoops,” put your horse’s normal daily ration into a light plastic bag and weigh it (shipping scales work great). If you don’t have a scale, we recommend the SureScoop.
2. Check the Label
Most feeds will list how many pounds of grain should be fed per 100 pounds of your horse’s body weight, depending on his workload. Start by dividing your horse’s weight by 100, then multiply that number by the serving recommended for your horse’s age and workload.
The resulting range is the amount of grain that would be required per day to meet all of your horse’s nutrient requirements.
3. Measuring Up
If your horse’s normal daily ration falls within the range you calculated, you’re good to go! His daily diet is already meeting his nutritional needs. If, however, your horse’s daily grain is coming up short, that doesn’t mean you need to up his grain.
If your horse is maintaining his weight and his energy level is good, instead of increasing his grain, consider adding a multi-vitamin or ration balancer. These supplements can “fill the gap,” providing the additional nutrients he needs, without the extra calories and energy he doesn’t!
3 reasons your horse might not be getting a full serving of fortified grain
- He is overweight or gains weight easily
- He gets more than one type of grain or a “mixed ration”
- He is high energy or “hot”
About SmartPak Equine
SmartPak Equine was founded by riders and horse owners for riders and horse owners. We ride and show Dressage, Hunter/Jumper, Polo, Equitation, Eventing, and Reining. We’ve logged many miles trail riding through New England’s rolling hills and the tough shrubs of Chaparral country.
Our extended families include Hanoverians, Oldenburgs, Quarter Horses, Selle Français, Thoroughbreds, Lipizzans, Trakehners, Arabs, Morgans and Appaloosas. Horses, horse care and horsemanship are our passion. We got our start in 1999, with the purpose of simplifying the administration of nutritional supplements and medications to horses.
Our patented SmartPak™ supplement feeding system has been adopted by thousands of barns and horse owners across the country, who value knowing that their supplements will be fed correctly. The SmartPak system has been embraced by riders from all disciplines and all levels, including many Olympic medalists. In addition to the SmartPak supplement system, we offer a broad line of horse health, show apparel, tack, dog supplies, and equine and canine pharmacy items sold through our catalogs and here on our website.
By SmartPak