Walk into ten different yards and you’ll probably find ten completely different feeding routines.
Some horses receive huge bucket feeds twice a day. Others are fed multiple mixes, cereals, oils and supplements in the hope of covering every possible nutritional need.
At NEIGHKED, we believe feeding doesn’t have to be complicated. Our feeding philosophy is really a simple guide to feeding horses the way nature intended – by working with the horse’s digestive system, rather than against it. In fact, the healthiest diets are often the simplest.
Every horse is an individual, but the principles remain the same.
1. Forage Comes First
Everything starts with forage.
Before thinking about hard feed or supplements, ask one question:
Is my horse getting enough fibre?
Horses evolved to spend much of their day grazing and foraging. Their digestive system is designed for a continual trickle of fibre moving through the gut, rather than long periods without food followed by large meals.
Good-quality forage should therefore form the foundation of the diet.
Depending on the individual horse and its management, this might include:
• Grass
• Hay
• Haylage, where appropriate
The amount and type will vary according to bodyweight, condition, workload, health and management, but the principle remains the same:
Forage first. Everything else comes afterwards.
Adequate fibre intake helps support normal digestive function, chewing and saliva production, the hindgut microbial population and natural foraging behaviour.
2. Hard Feed Should Support the Forage – Not Replace It
Once the forage is right, think about what needs to go in the bucket.
Many horses don't need large quantities of hard feed. Instead, they may simply need an appropriate fibre-based meal that complements their forage and acts as a carrier for any additional nutrients or supplements they require.
Depending on the individual horse, examples might include:
• Chopped fibre or chaff
• Unmolassed sugar beet
• Fibre compound mixes
• Fibre cubes
The aim isn't to make the bucket look impressive. It's to provide what that individual horse actually needs.
Unmolassed sugar beet can be particularly useful as a highly digestible source of fibre. Rather than providing cereal-based starch, its fibre is fermented by microbes in the hindgut. Always choose an appropriate product and soak and feed it according to the manufacturer's instructions.
3. Feed Little and Often
The horse's digestive system is adapted to frequent intake rather than occasional very large meals.
Whenever possible, hard feed should therefore be divided into smaller meals rather than providing a large quantity in one sitting.
This is another reason why we prefer to keep the bucket simple and make forage the starting point of the diet.
4. More Feed Doesn't Always Mean Better Nutrition
If a horse needs more condition, muscle or support for its workload, it's tempting to simply increase the size of the bucket.
But more feed doesn't necessarily mean better-targeted nutrition.
Instead, consider what the horse actually needs.
Does it require additional calories? Is the diet providing appropriate quality protein and amino acids? Does its workload mean that joint or recovery support is worth considering? Is its forage appropriate? Are there changes in condition that need investigating?
Identifying the actual requirement allows the diet to be adjusted more logically than simply adding more and more feed.
5. Supplements Should Have a Purpose
At NEIGHKED, we don't believe in adding supplements simply for the sake of it.
A supplement should have a clear nutritional purpose or be chosen to support a particular aspect of the horse's diet.
Depending on the individual horse, this could include nutritional support for:
• Muscle development and maintenance
• Joints
• Normal skin and coat condition
• Older horses
• Normal hoof condition
• Periods of increased demand
• Performance and recovery
Rather than unnecessarily complicating the whole ration, we prefer to start with a simple feeding foundation and add targeted nutritional support where appropriate.
6. Feed the Horse in Front of You
There is no single perfect feeding plan.
A retired pony, a five-star event horse, a young horse and a good-doing native can all have very different requirements.
That's why our feeding philosophy isn't about prescribing one bucket for every horse.
It's about following the same basic principles and adapting them to the individual:
Forage first.
Keep the bucket simple.
Feed the horse that's in front of you.
Use targeted nutritional support where it's genuinely needed.
In the rest of our feeding series, we'll look at how these principles can be applied to different types of horses – from happy hackers and good doers to horses needing condition, performance horses and seniors.
Explore Our Equine Nutrition Guides
📖 What to Feed a Horse in Light Work or a Happy Hacker →
📖 What to Feed a Good Doer Horse →
📖 What to Feed a Poor Doer or a Horse That Needs to Gain Weight →
A Note Before You Change Your Horse's Diet
The information in this article is intended as a general guide only and should not replace individual veterinary or professional nutritional advice. Every horse is different, and feed type and quantities should be adjusted according to bodyweight, body condition, workload, forage, age, health, metabolism and individual requirements.
Always follow the feeding and preparation instructions supplied by feed manufacturers and introduce dietary changes gradually. If your horse has a medical condition, specific dietary requirements, dental problems, unexplained weight loss or gain, or you are unsure whether its diet is appropriate, speak to your vet or a suitably qualified equine nutritionist.