horses eat hay, right?

Question

is that all they eat? and if so, what kind of nutrients do they get from it? they are solid muscle. don't they eat any protein?

Answer 1

Horses will eat much more than hay. I had a source of stale hogie buns from a resort. I dried them bone dry to preserve them, and would toss about a dozen per day into the pasture for two horses. It was like candy to a baby.
Wild horses get along just fine on grass and a bit of grain they get from weed seed. In order to get the protein needed they have to eat gobs and gobs of grass ( or its dry form, hay ).That's why they're eating and pooping all day long. The protein is there in the hay, but it takes an awfully lot of it to keep a body as big as a house's satisfied.

Answer 2

They eat hay, but domestically kept horses also eat a large amount of sweet feeds, oats, and other grains like that.

In the wild though, they are mainly surviving on grasses.

Some Indian tribes would also give their horses the bark from a cottonwood tree when there was not alot of grass around, and it kept them healthy.

Edit: They also looooooove beer!

Answer 3

Horses can't typically survive on only hay.

Most domestic horses are fed grain in addition to having hay in their diet. Grain usually consists of various nutrients and minerals from copper to zinc. Protien in grain is usually 10% to 12% depending upon the brand/type of feed. What % you feed to your horse depends on the activity level demanded from the horse. Top performers that are ridden/trained every day with hard work are usually fed the 12% protien.

Answer 4

Feed only quality feeds.
Feed balanced rations.
Feed half the weight of the ration as quality hay.
Feed higher protein and mineral rations to growing horses and lactating mares.
Feed legume hay to young, growing horses, lactating mares and out-of-condition horses.
Use non-legume hays for adult horses.
Regulate hay-to-grain ratio to control condition in adult horses.
Feed salt separately, free-choice.
Feed calcium and phosphorus free-choice.
Keep teeth functional. Horses 5 years old and older should be checked annually by a veterinarian to see if their teeth need floating (filing).
See that stabled horses get exercise. Horses will eat better, digest food better and be less likely to colic.
Feed according to the individuality of horse. Some horses are hard keepers and need more feed per-unit of body weight.
Feed by weight, not volume. A gallon of different grains may vary 100 percent in nutrient yield.
Minimize fines in a prepared ration. If a ration is ground fine, horses will be reluctant to eat it and the chances of colic will increase.
Offer plenty of good water, no colder than 45 degrees F. Free-choice water is best. Horses should be watered at least twice daily.
Change feeds gradually. When changing from a low-density (low-grain), high-fiber ration to one of increased density, change gradually over a period of a week or more.
Start on feed slowly. Horses on pasture should be started on dry feed gradually. Start this on pasture if practical and gradually increase the feed to the desired amount in a week to 10 days.
Do not feed grain until tired or hot horses have cooled and rested, preferably one or two hours. Instead, feed hay while they rest in their blankets or are out of drafts.
Feed before work. Hungry horses should finish eating at least an hour before hard work.
Feed all confined horses at least twice daily. If horses are working hard and consuming a lot of grain, three times is mandatory.
When feeding hay, give half the hay allowance at night, while horses have more time to eat and digest it.

Answer 5

Horses will eat about anything, however good quality clean hay and good nutrena grain is best. I think sweet feeds are a waste.

Answer 6

I will not go into the long or short of it .. Yes Horses eat hay .. But you cab only feed them certain quality's of hay because of bugs in the hay........ that is the short of it.

Answer 7

Hay is the last preference. Horses like wet or cooked grains, pulses,legumes and green grass.

Answer 8

ok look i have been raised with horses i had 3 but now one 3 is tooo many. they are intense veggies they like any thing but you must have a balanced diet of grains ans pellets and sweet feed. they have alot of formulas out there even some for pregnant horses and a different one for nurseing horses it can get complicated but it is worth it to now you horse is getting the best care. i like to give them a salt block and keep them eating their treats apples any garden veggie and i give them special treats rarely fruits and human food but my lil' bit loves pumpkin pie not to be giving regularly or as a meal

Answer 9

horses eat hay, but also oats sweetfeed fruits and vegitables pellets leaves alfalfa some like to test taste everything they can find, my ony tyred to eat my leather belt once.

Answer 10

They dont only eat hay. They usually are fed grains, hay, and sometimes apples.