I probably going to be getting a horse, but I don't know much about horses yet, so im trying to learn more. And I was wondering if horses can just live on grass and hay??? The place I ride at says they only give a horse grain if they need it. What causes a horse to need grain. Don't worry, I won't be getting a horse until know a LOT more about them !!!

Yes horses can and do live on grass and/or hay with out any extra grain. I would not worry about supplements till you actually get a horse. Too many times new owners read all about supplements for this and that and want to give their horse everything on the market. No two horses are alike in feeding requirements so it is hard to say what your future horse may need. Usually if a horse is living out on pasture the winter time is when grain or extra feed is added accordingly to his daily feedings.

Many horses are fine on pasture with supplemental hay, weather providing. However, there are many different types and qualities of hay that need to be taken into consideration.

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Not all horses need grain. Usually what causes a horse to need grain is a certain level of performance, where feeding them hay alone just doesn't cut it calorie wise. However, it is always important to remember that grains are much more concentrated than roughage like hay, and that not all grains are equal or even safe for YOUR horse to eat. Sweet feed isn't always the best-It's actually terrible for many horses, such as horses that are already hot or are prone to laminitis.

yep horses can live fine without grain! ohh some things a horse may need grain for is hard keeper (hard to keep weight on) winters are cold So the grain gives them some extra fat ..

27 yrs around horses

horses can leave on hay and grass if it carry the right nutrition.

You seem like you ' re on the right track, you need to learn all you can. You'll never stop if you're a good horse person. I have been around them for almost 25 years and I still learn something everyday. My uncle has been around them for more than twice that and he says the same. pets question and answers,www.5d2d.com

Feeding can get as complicated as you want. There is a certain level where you'll just be too bored by the material to learn anymore about horse nutrition. The way we feed most of our horses is like the pinch and dash method of cooking. We just give them a half scoop of grain twice a day in the winter and a slice of hay a piece. We had seven horses when we were feeding last year and we were just throwing a bale out twice a day. A bale has roughly 8 slices. Bales will be bigger or smaller depending on how much grass the baler picked up and how tightly it packed them. That's why a lot of people are going to a better way that is more trouble and likely more costly, but is better for the horse. That is feeding them based on body weight. You can figure your horses weight a couple of ways. The easiest and most inaccurate is to use a weight tape . They can be off by several hundred pounds, but if you use them the same way every time, then you can measure whether they are gaining or loosing weight. A more accurate way to measure is getting a cloth measuring tape like a seamstress might use . Here is a link on how to calculate your horses weight. http://www.ehow.com/how_4711309_calculat ... Honestly, I've heard many different ways to measure the heart girth. I've heard from the highest point of the withers straight down and the method described at this web site. You can also use the calculator at the site in the source. The formula is actually "weight=heart girth x heart girth x length". You divide that number by 330 for an adult horse, 301 for a yearling, and 280 for a weanling.

Nutrena recommends that your horse be fed 2% of his body weight in hay every day and .5 -. 75% of his body weight in grain every day. You split these into as many meals as you want. The more the better, but two meals at least. Body condition score is something esle to consider. It's a scale the goes from 1-9. 1 is emacciated and 9 is obese. Honestly, most horses I know are way over weight . Certain breeds will look fat, but are supposed to look a certain way. On a horse that doesn't have a cresty neck, then you look for excessive fat along the top of the neck, the withers, along the sides, along the back and at the base of the tail. If they are too fat, then they neck top will start flopping to the side when they are very obese, there will be a crease along their back from fat deposits where water could collect, it's hard to feel their ribs, that kind of thing. The reverse is true for a too skinny horse. It will have a bony neck and you can easily see it's ribs. If you can see the hip bones prominently then it's emacciated. You want your horse to be a 5 or 6. This will be nicely padded and you can feel the ribs with light to medium pressure, but can't see them. If your horse is above a 6 then you cut his hay or grass intake back. If he's below a 5, then you should increase his hay. Hay is how you increase a horses weight. You should increase their hay or forage by 25% of what you're already giving them. You give them that till they reach the desired weight and then cut back to normal. This is the safest way. Now all the estimates I've given you are for a horses complete diet. If they are getting supplemented by forage, like grazing in the pasture, then they won't need as much. We don't feed our normal horses during the summer at all. They have good grass and dont 'need feed. We only feed one who is a hard keeper and my baby who need the extra nutrients and protein. Having said all that, it's hard to actually weight each piece for each horse for most people. You'd have to get a scale and seperate them. They do sale scoops that way your food as you scoop it. It's built into the handle.