In general, most horses should be fed a balanced ration at levels which produce moderate to fleshly body condition, thus avoiding extremely thin or obese condition. Because horses in similar production and weight classes will vary in their nutrient needs, routine assessment of body condition of each horse is necessary. While horses in similar production and weight classes are commonly grouped together, those individuals with abnormally high or low body condition may need separated further to meet individual needs. Assessing Energy Sources, Levels and Utilization in Feeds If allowed free access, most horses will consume enough grain to cause digestive upset. The most common problem with overeating is the consumption of too much starch in a single feeding.
Grains vary in the amount of starch, e.g. corn has more starch per pound than oats.
Knowing the energy concentration of the grain mix will assist in determining the amount of ration that is needed to supply energy needs. Generally, the higher the fiber content, the lower the digestible energy content, so crude fiber estimates on feed tags provide some information. Additionally, added-fat feeds will raise or maintain the energy level of feeds while reducing the amount of starch. The Need to Make Gradual Changes in Rations Changes in the intake level and the physical form of rations should be done gradually over several days to weeks. This practice allows the digestive tract time to adapt to different levels and physical forms of nutrients, and is especially important when feeding energy-dense rations.