The Importance of Nutrition

We all know that feeding our horses is important, but why is the correct nutrition so vital?

Through domestication of the horse, we have drastically changed their feeding habits from how it would be in the wild, where they would spend approximately 70% of their day eating or foraging. Their natural foraging instinct has many psychological and physiological benefits, such as the reduction in stereotypical behaviours and continual chewing increasing saliva production which promotes a ‘healthy and hospitable’ gut environment.

However, the requirements we have of our horses today has changed the way we need to feed them, due to increased energy demands, stable management and to a certain extent the availability of turnout/forage. The key is trying to find a diet that is the best of both worlds, meeting the energy demands while also being sympathetic to the horse’s natural eating habits. 

Having a correctly balanced diet will maximise optimum health and support daily physiological functions, from immune system effectiveness through to your horsecoats having a healthy coat shine. There are also many other benefits, including reducing psychological stress, aiding performance and recovery, and reducing risk of injury.