Feeding a horse well does not have to be complicated, but it is easy to overthink, and just as easy to get wrong. Walk into any feed store in South Africa and you will find bales of teff, eragrostis and lucerne alongside shelves of cubes, mueslis, supplements and balancers.
The key to a healthy diet is simple: build it around good-quality forage, then add only what your horse genuinely needs.
This guide covers the basics of feeding a horse in South Africa. Every horse is different, so speak to your vet or an equine nutritionist about your horse's specific needs, particularly if it is old, young, pregnant, in hard work or has a medical condition.
Forage Comes First
Horses are designed to eat fibrous plant material for much of the day. In natural conditions, they spend many hours grazing, eating small amounts almost continuously.
Their digestive systems work best when forage, in the form of grazing or hay, makes up most of the diet. Long periods without forage are linked to digestive problems, including gastric ulcers and colic, as well as boredom and stable vices.
For most horses, the foundation of a healthy diet is:
- Plenty of good-quality grazing or hay
- Constant access to clean, fresh water
- Access to salt
- Vitamins and minerals, if the forage alone does not provide enough
Concentrates, such as cubes and mueslis, should be added only if the horse needs more energy or nutrients than forage can supply.
How Much Should a Horse Eat?
A commonly used rule of thumb is that a horse eats around 2% of its body weight in feed each day, measured as dry matter. Most of this should be forage, with a minimum of about 1.5% of body weight per day.
For a 500 kg horse, that means roughly 10 kg of feed per day in total, including at least 7.5 kg of forage.
Some practical tips:
- Weigh your feed. The weight of a bale or a scoop of feed varies widely, so use a scale rather than guessing.
- Estimate your horse's weight. A weight tape is a simple, affordable way to monitor changes over time.
- Adjust for condition. Good doers may need less, while hard-working horses and poor doers may need more.
Teff, Eragrostis, Lucerne and Oat Hay Compared
South African horse owners have several types of hay to choose from. Each has its place, and many horses are fed a combination.
| Forage | Type | Key features | Often suits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Teff | Grass hay | Fine, palatable and moderate in energy and protein | Most horses as a base forage |
| Eragrostis | Grass hay | Coarser, higher in fibre and generally lower in energy | Good doers and horses in light work |
| Lucerne | Legume hay | High in protein, calcium and energy | Working horses, growing horses and poor doers, alongside grass hay |
| Oat hay | Cereal hay | Palatable, but can be higher in sugar | Horses that are not prone to laminitis or weight gain |
The nutritional value of hay varies considerably depending on the growing conditions, when it was cut and how it was stored. Two bales of teff from different suppliers can be quite different. If you need precise figures, ask your supplier whether the hay has been analysed.
Is lucerne bad for horses?
No, but it is rich. Lucerne is very useful for horses that need extra protein or energy, but it is generally fed as part of the diet rather than as the only forage. Too much lucerne can provide more protein and energy than a leisure horse needs.
What About Grazing?
Good grazing can provide much of a horse's diet, but its quality changes dramatically with the seasons.
In summer-rainfall areas, such as the Highveld, grazing is often plentiful in summer but dry and low in nutrients through winter. Most horses on the Highveld need additional hay in the dry months. In the Western Cape, the pattern is largely reversed, with winter rains bringing grass growth.
Sudden access to lush, fast-growing grass can trigger laminitis in some horses and ponies, particularly good doers. Introduce horses to rich grazing gradually and restrict access where necessary.
Do You Need Concentrates?
Many leisure horses on good forage do not need much, if any, concentrate feed. They may simply need a vitamin and mineral supplement or a balancer to fill the gaps in their forage.
Concentrates can be useful for:
- Horses in hard or regular work
- Poor doers that struggle to hold weight
- Older horses with reduced ability to chew or digest forage
- Growing youngsters, and pregnant or lactating mares
Common types include cubes and pellets, mueslis, extruded feeds and balancers. Choose a feed designed for your horse's workload and needs, and follow the manufacturer's feeding guidelines based on your horse's weight.
If your horse needs a large amount of concentrate, split it into two or more smaller meals rather than feeding it all at once.
The Golden Rules of Feeding
- Feed plenty of forage. Make it the foundation of the diet.
- Provide clean, fresh water at all times. A horse can drink 25–50 litres or more per day, and considerably more in hot weather or hard work.
- Make changes gradually. Introduce any new feed or hay over at least one to two weeks.
- Feed little and often. Several small meals are better than one large one.
- Feed by weight, not volume. A scoop of one feed can weigh very differently from a scoop of another.
- Feed according to work and condition. Adjust the diet when your horse's workload or body condition changes.
- Keep to a routine. Horses benefit from regular feeding times.
- Do not work hard straight after a large meal. Allow time for digestion before strenuous exercise.
- Check teeth regularly. Dental problems can affect how well a horse chews and uses its feed.
- Never feed mouldy or dusty hay. It can cause respiratory and digestive problems.
How to Tell If Your Horse Is the Right Weight
Learning to assess your horse's body condition is one of the most useful feeding skills you can develop.
As a general guide, you should be able to feel your horse's ribs with light pressure, but not see them clearly. The neck, shoulders and hindquarters should be well covered without fatty deposits, such as a hard, crested neck or fat pads around the tail head.
Check your horse's condition regularly, and use photographs or a weight tape to track changes. Your vet can show you how to body condition score your horse.
Choosing and Storing Hay
Good hay should:
- Smell fresh and sweet, not musty
- Be free of mould, dust and excessive weeds
- Be leafy rather than mostly coarse stems
- Have no signs of damp or heating inside the bale
Store hay in a dry, well-ventilated place off the ground, protected from rain. Hay prices vary by season and region, so buying in larger quantities when prices are lower can help, provided you have suitable storage.
Common Feeding Mistakes
- Feeding too many concentrates to a horse in light work
- Not providing enough forage
- Leaving long gaps between meals with no hay
- Changing feed or hay suddenly
- Turning a horse out on lush grazing without a gradual introduction
- Feeding by habit instead of adjusting for workload and condition
- Adding several supplements that overlap without checking the overall diet
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is better for horses, teff or eragrostis?
Neither is better for every horse. Teff is usually finer and more palatable, with moderate energy. Eragrostis is coarser and lower in energy, which can make it a useful choice for good doers. Many owners choose based on availability, quality and their horse's condition.
Can a horse live on grass alone?
Some horses can, when grazing is plentiful and of good quality, but they may still need vitamins, minerals and salt. During dry seasons or when grazing is poor, most horses need additional hay.
How much hay does a horse need per day?
As a rough guide, a horse needs at least 1.5% of its body weight in forage per day. For a 500 kg horse, that is at least 7.5 kg, and more if it has little or no grazing.
Should I feed my horse supplements?
Only if they address a real need. Many horses benefit from a vitamin and mineral supplement or balancer, but adding multiple supplements without understanding the whole diet can be wasteful. Ask your vet or an equine nutritionist for advice.
Find Feeding Equipment on Trot
A good feeding plan starts with forage, clean water and regular routines, then adds only what your horse needs. Monitoring your horse's condition is the best way to know if the diet is working.
Browse feeding and stable equipment on Trot, from hay nets and feeders to buckets and troughs. To budget for feed and other running costs, see our guide to the cost of owning a horse in South Africa.
