ABSTRACT
Nutrition as a science is comparatively new. Research is revealing that horses can and should be fed according to their nutrient needs, rather than according to fables and trade secrets. Values for nutrient requirements, growth rates, and feed intake may be low for larger, more rapidly growing horses, and may be high for smaller, slower developing horses. Nutrient requirements are generally determined based on the following categories: maintenance, gestation, lactation, growth, and work. The horse is fed to meet the sum total of these requirements. Horse rations are balanced to meet the protein and energy needs of horses. These are the most costly nutrients and are of major concern. Vitamins and minerals are also important but are generally supplemented to the ration as needed after protein and energy needs are met. Most mature horses can be maintained on pasture alone if the pasture is of good quality and the horses have an available mineral supplement.
