The intent of this article is not to bash particular name brand feeds or give you complete solutions but rather to provide information to promote awareness around what you feed your horse(s).
If you haven’t been concerned about how many horse feed recalls there have been in the last eight years, it may be time to think about it and choose your feed wisely. By wisely, I mean not just from a nutritional standpoint but also from a safety standpoint.
For example, you may be interested in an article that was published in the Horse Journal called Feed Recall. This is just one of many articles over the years informing us to be careful. Those conveniently, well-packaged and well-marketed horse feeds may not be what is best for your equine partner(s).
Another informative article from the June 2009 Horse Journal was titled “Grain Quality And Your Horse’s Feed”.
For those who haven’t read it, once you do, you may think twice before making that trip to the feed store.
This Article Is Intended to Get You…
- Thinking more about what you feed your horse
- To not just “trust” a name brand and assume it’s safe for your horse
- To use a “Back To Basics” approach
Let’s face it, it doesn’t matter what the subject is, there will be differing opinions… especially when it comes to feeding our equine companions. I have noticed over many years that even people whom I consider authorities on certain subjects don’t agree with each other.
There are also times I feel that certain experts get so bogged down in the research that they forget to bring “Mother Nature” and intuition into the equation, however, the logical mind wants “proof”. What is even more interesting is that most studies contradict each other or come to no logical conclusion… so who do you believe?
Well, I’m not going to tell you who to believe. However, I will share with you (through many articles) my own experiences and what I’ve learned from horses in my care. I will also share what I’ve learned from some of the so-called “authorities” on certain subjects. I have yet to agree with anyone’s complete approach but I’m willing to listen to what they have to say.
OK.. back to the commercial feeds. Since I have been a nutrition fanatic for the past 20 years, it has come in very handy when trying to understand what my horses need in their diets. Am I wrong sometimes… yes, but my horses let me know and I dig for more information.
Before I go much further, you’re probably wondering, “Does she think every commercial equine feed is bad?” The answer is no, but I have yet to find one I would feel comfortable feeding or recommending. There are some organic feeds on the market that may be pretty good, but I’ve only looked at a few and based on the ingredients, still decided not to use them.
Are You Looking for a Magic Bullet or Quick Fix?
It’s The American Way, Right?
Over many years I have noticed commercial feeds for horses almost mirroring the “fad” diets that have come along in humans (i.e. low fat diets, low carb diets, etc.). Now, due to the epidemic of insulin resistance (IR) in horses, the latest trend is the mass manufacturing of low carb feeds and supplements. They all claim to control IR in horses but it’s mostly just brilliant marketing and high prices. Who suffers? Our horses. I personally don’t believe the hype. In my humble opinion, there is no magic bullet that works as a complete whole-istic approach!
I’m Confused, How Do I Decide What To Do?
I intend to just plant a seed right now, since the complexity on the subject of nutrition is out of the scope of a simple article. What I will offer you are a few notes to consider.
- Avoid pelleted feeds.. yes, I know, pellets are popular, but do you really know what’s going into that pellet?
- In order to create a pelleted feed, high heat must be used, which will destroy food enzymes that help horses digest their food.
- Processed feeds will mold or spoil more quickly than a natural whole food grain.
- Most vitamins aren’t stable in feed mixes for very long.
- Chelated minerals that are used in most feeds may be a waste of money.
- You may say, “but I have an older horse who must have pellets“. Not true, there are ways around this if you’re willing.
- It’s very difficult to determine the quality of grains that have been processed or heated. With whole grains, you can check the color, size, and cleanliness easily.
- Do you remember all the pet food recalls? What about all the FDA feed recalls in the last eight years?
I could keep going on with this list but I hope I’ve given you enough information so you will at least give the subject of feeding commercial feeds some thought.
I’m sure you have come to the conclusion that I don’t feed commercially prepared feeds to my horses. It would take some hard convincing for me to ever do that again.
Lets talk briefly about the “Back to Basics” I mentioned in my opening paragraphs.
Back To Basics
In short, a naturally fed horse means providing your horse whole grains (if needed), plenty of forage, quality salt and minerals instead of heavily processed feeds. Think “whole food form” instead of processed. I liken it to choosing an apple over a Twinkie or donut.
The less something is processed and the fewer ingredients it contains, usually it’s the better choice. Remember.. minimal or no processing is ideal!
Which choice is more likely to provide you the nutrition your body needs for longevity and quality of life?
Don’t get me wrong, I believe that horse nutrition for the “domesticated horse” is an art and a science. Most of the time, if we stick to what we believe horses would seek out on their own in the wild, then our horses will be better off.
Non-traditionally yours,
Stephanie Krahl
For more details, see our Soulful Equine About Page.
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