Forage-first feeding basics

Horses evolved as grazing animals, and their digestive systems still expect a near-constant supply of forage. Almost every feeding mistake — from ulcers to colic to "hot" behavior blamed on the wrong cause — traces back to getting the forage foundation wrong.

The 1.5–2% rule

University extension guidelines are consistent on this:

Minimum: 1% of body weight in forage per day (dry-matter basis). Below this, colic and ulcer risk climbs.
Ideal: 1.5–2% of body weight daily. A 1,000 lb horse needs roughly 15–20 lbs of hay per day.
Total intake (forage + any concentrate) typically runs 1.5–2.5% of body weight.

This is what our feed calculator uses — and it shows its work on every result.

Grain is a supplement, not a foundation

Concentrates exist for one job: supplying energy the forage can't. Many idle and lightly worked horses need no grain at all on decent hay. When grain is needed — hard keepers, horses in real work, seniors with poor teeth — add the minimum that holds condition, and split it into multiple small meals. Large single grain meals are a classic colic trigger.

Weigh your hay

Flakes are not a unit of measurement. Flake weight varies wildly between bales, and bale weights themselves range from 40–75 lbs for small squares to 1,000+ lbs for rounds. A $15 hanging scale is the cheapest feeding upgrade there is.

Change feeds gradually

Utah State Extension recommends transitioning between forages over 7–10 days, mixing old and new in shifting proportions. The hindgut microbes need time to adapt; abrupt switches are a leading cause of digestive upset.

Know what you're feeding

Hay quality varies enormously by species, cutting, maturity, and region — greenness and smell are hints, not data. A laboratory hay analysis (typically $20–$40) tells you exactly what you're feeding and is the only reliable basis for a real ration. If your horse has metabolic issues, is an easy keeper, or just isn't thriving, an analysis plus a call with an equine nutritionist beats any calculator — including ours.

Please read: this is general educational information from published extension guidelines, not advice for your horse. Feeding decisions should be confirmed with your veterinarian or an equine nutritionist, especially for seniors, easy keepers, and horses with metabolic conditions.

Sources

UGA Cooperative Extension — How to Feed a Horse: Understanding the Basic Principles of Horse Nutrition (accessed 2026-09-26): min 1% BW forage, ideal 1.5–2%.
Utah State University Extension — Equine Nutrition: Forages (peer-reviewed fact sheet, accessed 2026-09-26): 1.0–2.0% BW in forage; 7–10 day feed transitions.
UNL Extension — Feeding Horses (G1781) (accessed 2026-09-26): total intake 1.5–2.5% BW.