Hay & Feed Ration Calculator
Enter horse weight and workload to find daily forage and concentrate needs.
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Feeding Guidelines by Activity
| Activity | Forage (% BW) | Concentrate (% BW) | Total DM (% BW) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maintenance | 1.5–2.0% | 0–0.5% | 1.5–2.0% |
| Moderate work | 1.5% | 0.5–1.0% | 2.0–2.5% |
| Heavy work | 1.0–1.5% | 1.0–1.5% | 2.0–2.5% |
| Lactating mare | 1.5–2.0% | 0.5–1.5% | 2.5–3.0% |
How Much Hay Does a Horse Need?
The foundation of equine nutrition is forage (hay and/or pasture). A horse should consume at least 1–1.5% of its body weight in forage daily to maintain gut health and prevent ulcers and colic.
Concentrate (grain) supplements forage for working horses or those with higher energy needs. Most idle or lightly worked horses thrive on hay alone with a vitamin-mineral supplement.
Horses require 1.5–3% of body weight in dry matter (DM) forage per day. A 1,200 lb horse needs 18–36 lbs of hay DM daily. Typical grass hay is 90–93% DM; legume hay (alfalfa) is 88–92% DM. Feeding 20 lbs of 90% DM hay delivers 18 lbs of DM — at the lower end of maintenance for a 1,200 lb horse.
Activity level adjustments: maintenance (pasture, light trail): 1.5–2% body weight DM. Moderate work (regular riding, arena work): 2–2.5%. Heavy work (competition, training, breeding): 2.5–3%+. Lactating mares need 2.5–3.5% DM and higher calorie-dense feed. Growing foals need approximately 2.5% of their mature body weight in DM.
Concentrates: only add grain/concentrate if forage alone cannot meet caloric demands. Calculate forage calories first: average grass hay provides approximately 1,000–1,100 kcal/lb DM; alfalfa provides 1,200–1,300 kcal/lb DM. A 1,200 lb maintenance horse needs approximately 16,200 kcal/day. 18 lbs of grass hay DM × 1,050 kcal = 18,900 kcal — sufficient for maintenance without grain.
Free-choice hay: in cold weather or for horses in light work on adequate body condition, free-choice hay can be offered 24 hours. Most horses naturally regulate intake to 1.5–2.5% body weight, and ad libitum hay reduces stable vices and gastric ulcer risk compared to meal feeding with long gaps between hay access.
Consult a veterinarian or equine nutritionist for horses with metabolic conditions (EMS, Cushing's, laminitis) where standard forage guidelines may not apply.
See also: Weight Estimator · Pasture Acreage Calculator