What Horses Need To Survive And What You Can Do To Help Them Thrive.

There are 5 basic needs that every horse no matter the breed or size depends on to survive.

These needs are as follows:

• Food 
• Water 
• Shelter/Space
• Company
• Healthcare

Also, the water sources should be relatively clean. This does not mean sparkling clean though. As funny as it may sound, horses actually prefer water sources that have a slightly greenish color to them. This is from algae that naturally grows in the water and is something that horses in the wild are accustomed to. Now, I’m not saying never clean out your water trough, but dump it every three days (obviously topping it off daily) and scrub it once a week. This will keep the water clean and without mosquitoes.

Creeks can be a good option too but you want to make sure it is a running creek and nothing stagnant.

This is a lengthy topic with numerous variables and I would have to type out a literal book to explain all the different aspects of horse nutrition. So I will provide a general overview here, and in future posts, I will delve into specific areas more deeply.

With that being said,

Horses eat grass…. There. BOOM! Simple right?

If it was that easy we would all have lawn ornaments in our yards mowing the grass for us. 

Some people have naturally perfect grass with no buttercups, milkweed, and everything is perfect. Or you can have land like I do and it is considered the clover capital of the world. AKA the slobbery horse capital of the world.

(If you have plenty of water the horses around clover will be fine. Clover makes horses drool and if they don’t have sufficient water they can get dehydrated)

As a general rule, horses typically consume about 1.5% to 2.5% of their body weight in forage (hay and/or pasture) per day.

An example of this would be a 1000 lb horse needing to eat about 15 to 25 lbs of grass and/or hay a day. (1000 x 1.5% = 15 lbs or 1000 x 2.5% = 25 lbs) This amount is going to vary based on the quality of forage, activity level, and metabolism of the horse.

Sometimes forage isn’t enough to maintain a healthy body weight and supplemental grain is needed. (cough cough thoroughbreds cough cough) This grain is a concentrated feed that provides additional calories, protein, vitamins, and minerals to support a horse’s health, growth, or increased energy demands. There are also feed balancers that provide essential nutrients and ensure a balanced diet when fed in smaller quantities.

Agan, I will be diving into different types of supplements and feed balancers more deeply in later posts.

You need to have extra land for rotation. That is moving your animals into another paddock so your poor grass can have a chance to grow else where. Horses can be little a**holes and stick to one area in your field, graze just there, and quickly kill the grass in that spot. If you rotate them between fields, this can lessen the damage. I’d even recommend roping off the old spot that they liked to decimate and make them find a new favorite spot in the paddock.

If you have too little of a grazing area and no way to rotate them off the grass, you will end up with a dry lot. When this happens, there is no longer any grass left, and you will have to replace what was lost with more hay and grain. So you can see it’s a fine balancing act, but it’s so worth it. I always feel a little heartbroken seeing horses on dry lots. Sure, they are getting the extra feed they’ll require in other ways, but it seems more natural seeing them on grass.

My personal opinion on the number of acres per horse is 4-5 acres per horse. Then you are well covered when it comes to the amount of grass, and you can make multiple paddocks for rotation.

Be warned, too much grass can be just as much of an issue as too little grass. Especially if it’s fresh, green spring grass. This can lead to weight gain, obesity, colic, and laminitis, to name a few issues. This is why having a barn or shelter to give your horses breaks from the fields is a good idea.

The main two types of shelter for horses are going to be some type of barn/stable and some kind of field shelter.

This can be extremely useful if you are trying to cure an injury and want to keep your horse confined and safe. It’s also a nice way to keep your horses in the shade during the summer and keep their hair from bleaching out. (Horses’ hair will bleach just like ours does in the sun.)

Now don’t get me wrong, barns are nice but they are extremely expensive to build and not necessary to have horses. You can get away with just having a run-in shed. Run-in sheds, also known as loafing sheds or shelters, are three-sided structures that allow horses to seek shelter while still having the freedom to move in and out as they please. These sheds provide shade and protection from the elements, and are particularly useful in areas where horses are turned out in groups or have continuous access to pasture.

Let’s face it, if you were left in a field alone for days you’d start to go a little crazy too.

Unless there’s an unusual circumstance, such as your horse hating everyone in the world but you, your buddy needs their own buddy. The general rule is that you will never have one horse, you’ll have two. Or at least some other type of grazing animal to keep your horse company. That buddy could be a donkey, mule, mini horse, cow, and pretty much any grazing animal. Heck, I met a woman who had a goat for her horses’ companion animal. And he seemed pretty jazzed about it.

Horses need to be dewormed or they’ll drop weight like a lead balloon. They need their feet worked on, whether that’s getting them shod or just a basic pasture trim. There is blood work ran and documentation printed to be able to travel legally with your horse. When has your horse had his teeth filed last? (Yes, horses literally get their teeth file down to remove sharp burs and keep them from cutting up their mouth while chewing)

Having a good vet and farrier in your pocket is a good idea because you’re going to need them frequently.

Not everyone’s horse will require the same amount of care as others. You will meet horses that are super stars and can be left in a field and do fine. Or, you can meet ones that if looked at wrong immediately colic. That’s the fun of having a horse though. They are ticking time bombs and needy as hell, but they can be the closest friend you will ever have. That is what makes dealing with the crazy food structures, expensive vet bills, and dream barn builds worth it in the end. And if you still want 1 horse and can’t afford to do all the rest, well that’s where boarding comes into play. 

With boarding, the facility will take care of all the daily needs your horse will require. They will have eyes on your horse daily and will be able to catch problems you didn’t even know existed. Every facility is different so doing your research is imperative but, depending on their services it is well worth the money.

Hope this was helpful and that you have a wonderful ride soon

-Christina