Grain and Concentrates for Horses has gotten complicated with all the grain feeding opinions flying around. As someone who has navigated the confusing world of commercial feeds and concentrate rations for horses at every activity level, I learned everything there is to know about grain and concentrates for horses. Today, I will share it all with you.
What Are Concentrates?
Concentrates are feeds that pack more energy (calories) into less volume compared to forage. They include:
- Cereal grains: Oats, corn, barley, wheat
- Commercial feeds: Pelleted or textured feeds with multiple ingredients
- Fat sources: Rice bran, vegetable oils
- Protein supplements: Soybean meal, alfalfa pellets
- Complete feeds: Designed to replace or supplement forage
The key characteristic of concentrates is caloric density—they provide more energy per pound than hay or pasture.
The Forage-First Principle
Before discussing when your horse needs grain, understand that forage (hay and pasture) should form the foundation of every horse’s diet. The Kentucky Equine Research recommends that horses consume at least 1-1.5% of their body weight in forage daily—minimum.
Concentrates are supplements to forage, not replacements for it. A horse fed grain without adequate forage will develop digestive problems, regardless of how much concentrate they receive.
Probably should have led with this section, honestly.
When Your Horse Probably DOESN’T Need Grain
Many horse owners feed grain out of habit or because it seems like the right thing to do. But a significant percentage of horses do perfectly well without concentrates.
Horses that often don’t need grain:
- Easy keepers maintaining good body condition on forage alone
- Horses in light work (occasional riding, light trail work)
- Mature horses with access to quality pasture or hay
- Horses on pasture 24/7 with adequate grass
- Overweight horses (adding grain worsens the problem)
For these horses, a ration balancer (small pellet providing vitamins, minerals, and protein without excess calories) often meets needs better than traditional grain.
When Your Horse DOES Need Grain
Concentrates become necessary when forage alone cannot meet your horse’s nutritional demands.
Performance Horses
Horses in moderate to heavy work have increased caloric needs that quality forage alone cannot provide.
According to the American Association of Equine Practitioners, energy requirements increase substantially with work:
- Light work: 20% increase over maintenance
- Moderate work: 40% increase
- Heavy work: 60-90% increase
- Very heavy work (racing, elite competition): 90%+ increase
Trying to meet these demands with forage alone would require impractical hay consumption and may still fall short.
Hard Keepers
Some horses simply burn calories faster than others. Hard keepers—horses that struggle to maintain weight despite adequate forage—benefit from concentrated calories.
Signs your horse may be a hard keeper:
- Visible ribs despite free-choice hay access
- Poor topline despite adequate protein
- Losing weight during normal seasonal changes
- Requires significantly more hay than similar horses
Growing Horses
Foals, weanlings, and yearlings have high protein and energy demands for proper development. Quality concentrates designed for growth support skeletal development, muscle building, and overall health.
However, overfeeding young horses is as dangerous as underfeeding. Excessive calories and improper mineral ratios contribute to developmental orthopedic disease (DOD).
Pregnant and Lactating Mares
Late pregnancy and lactation dramatically increase nutritional demands. A lactating mare may need 50-70% more calories than her maintenance requirement, plus increased protein, calcium, and phosphorus.
Senior Horses with Special Needs
Older horses with dental problems, reduced digestive efficiency, or difficulty maintaining weight often benefit from easily digestible senior concentrates.
Types of Concentrates: Making Smart Choices
Traditional Grains
Oats: Safest grain due to high fiber content. Moderate energy, easy to digest. Good choice for horses needing modest calorie increases.
Corn: High energy, low fiber. Feeds “hot”—provides quick energy that some horses handle poorly. Use cautiously.
Barley: Between oats and corn in energy density. Should be processed (rolled or cracked) for better digestion.
Commercial Feeds
Most modern horse owners use commercial feeds rather than straight grains. Benefits include balanced nutrition, consistency, and convenience.
Types of commercial feeds:
- Textured (sweet) feeds: Mix of grains with molasses coating. Palatable but often higher in sugar.
- Pelleted feeds: Ground and compressed ingredients. Consistent nutrition, less sorting.
- Extruded feeds: Cooked under pressure for maximum digestibility. Good for horses with digestive issues.
Ration Balancers
Ration balancers are concentrated vitamin/mineral/protein supplements fed in small amounts (usually 1-2 pounds daily). They’re ideal for horses that don’t need grain calories but do need nutritional support beyond hay.
How to Feed Concentrates Safely
Rule 1: Never exceed 0.5% of body weight per meal
For a 1,000-pound horse, that’s 5 pounds maximum per feeding. Larger meals overwhelm the stomach and increase colic and digestive upset risk.
Rule 2: Split concentrates into multiple meals
If your horse needs more than 5 pounds daily, split it into 2-3 feedings.
Rule 3: Feed hay before grain
Hay in the stomach slows grain passage and improves digestion. Feeding grain to an empty stomach allows rapid passage and reduces nutrient absorption.
Rule 4: Change feeds gradually
Any feed change should occur over 7-14 days, mixing increasing amounts of new feed with decreasing amounts of old feed.
Rule 5: Follow manufacturer feeding rates
Commercial feeds are formulated to provide complete nutrition at specific feeding rates. Feeding less may leave nutritional gaps.
Reading Feed Tags
Understanding feed tags helps you choose appropriately.
Key numbers to examine:
- Crude Protein: 10-12% for maintenance, 12-14% for performance, 14-16% for growth
- Fat: Higher fat (6-10%+) provides calories without sugar spikes
- Fiber: Higher fiber is generally safer for digestion
- NSC (Non-Structural Carbohydrates): Combined starch and sugar; lower is safer for metabolic horses
Common Concentrate Feeding Mistakes
Feeding grain as the primary feed source: Concentrates supplement forage; they don’t replace it.
Underfeeding commercial feeds: Giving 2 pounds of a feed designed to be fed at 6 pounds leaves nutritional gaps. Either feed at the recommended rate or use a ration balancer.
Feeding for activity level that doesn’t exist: A horse worked twice weekly doesn’t need performance feed levels.
Assuming all horses need grain: Many horses thrive on forage plus a ration balancer.
Choosing feed by price alone: The cheapest feed often provides the least appropriate nutrition.
Alternatives to Traditional Grain
If your horse needs calories but you want to avoid high-starch grains:
- Beet pulp: Highly digestible fiber, moderate calories, low sugar when rinsed
- Rice bran: High fat for concentrated calories
- Hay cubes/pellets: More forage in easier-to-eat form
- Fat supplements: Oil or high-fat feeds for calories without starch
Making Your Decision
Ask yourself these questions:
- Is my horse maintaining appropriate body condition on current forage?
- What is my horse’s actual work level?
- Does my horse have special needs (age, health conditions, growth)?
- Is my forage quality adequate?
If forage alone isn’t meeting needs, concentrate thoughtfully. If your horse is thriving on forage, a ration balancer may be all you need. The goal is meeting nutritional requirements—not feeding grain because that’s what horse owners do.
Sources: Kentucky Equine Research, American Association of Equine Practitioners, The Horse Magazine
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