What Do Horses Eat? A Practical Feeding Guide
By Dr. Zubair Khalid, DVM, MS, PhD ·
Most healthy horses eat forage first. That means hay, pasture grass, or both, available through most of the day, with free access to fresh water and salt [1]. Grain and other concentrates are a supplement for specific horses, not the base of the diet. This article is educational and is not a substitute for veterinary diagnosis or treatment.
Quick Answer
- Offer free-choice hay, pasture, or both to most healthy adult horses, plus salt and clean water at all times [1].
- Many horses on good-quality forage need little or no grain at all [1].
- Horses that work hard, nurse foals, are pregnant, or struggle to hold weight may need extra calories and a ration balancer [1].
- Safe treats include small amounts of carrot, apple, or molasses-flavored feed, but keep them occasional [2].
- Never feed moldy hay, spoiled grain, or anything containing xylitol, and keep onions and garlic out of the bucket.
What Do Horses Usually Eat?
Horses are grazing animals built to eat small amounts of fibrous plants all day. Their stomach is small and their hindgut is large, so the diet that suits them best is low in starch and high in fiber [3]. In practice, that means long-stem forage such as grass hay, legume hay like alfalfa, or pasture grass.
Most healthy horses should have free access to hay, pasture, or both, with salt and fresh water always available [1]. When the forage is good quality, many horses need little to no concentrate supplementation [1]. This surprises owners who assume every horse needs a scoop of grain. Often it does not.
The exceptions matter. Horses that have trouble keeping weight on forage alone, hardworking and hard-exercising horses, pregnant or lactating mares, and horses with limited access to good-quality forage usually need more [1]. A ration balancer, which has a low feeding rate, can fill nutrient gaps for horses on forage-only or low-concentrate diets [1].
Forage quality varies a lot, and that variation affects how much you should feed. Testing your hay tells you its actual nutritive value so you can avoid underfeeding or overfeeding your horse [4]. If you want a deeper look at matching forage to your horse's needs, see Equine Nutrition: Feeding Timothy Hay and Forage Selection.
How Do Horses Eat?
Horses eat almost continuously when they can. They graze in small bites, chew thoroughly, and swallow in a steady trickle that keeps the stomach and hindgut working. Slow feeders and hay nets are designed to mimic that natural grazing pattern by stretching out how long forage intake takes [5].
In one review of 26 studies, feeding time was extended by up to 40% depending on mesh size, multi-layered nets, and forage type, and ponies generally saw greater extension than horses [5]. Slow feeders also cut forage wastage from 57% down to as low as 6% [5]. Behavioral benefits included fewer cribbing and weaving behaviors, though overly restrictive designs can work against you [5].
The practical lesson is simple. Horses are meant to eat slowly and often. If your horse bolts its hay in an hour and then stands around, a slow feeder can help. If your horse is losing weight or is stressed by a restrictive net, loosen it up or feed loose hay.
What Do Horses Mainly Eat?
Forage is the main food, full stop. Grass hay, legume hay, and pasture make up the bulk of calories and nutrients for most horses [1]. Concentrates such as oats, commercial pellets, and sweet feed are add-ons.
That said, the hindgut is a fermentation chamber, and what you put in changes what happens inside. Horses fed pasture around the clock, hay only, or hay plus oats at different starch levels show different microbial metabolite profiles along the gastrointestinal tract [6]. Starch from oats is partly digested in the stomach, and the amount that escapes depends on how much you feed per meal [7]. This is why large grain meals are risky and small, frequent meals are safer.
If you are sorting out how much grain your horse actually needs, Feeding Horses: Forage, Grain, and Body Condition walks through the numbers.
What Do Horses Like to Eat?
Horses have clear preferences, and they show them when they are sick or stressed. Many horses will eat fresh green grass even when they refuse other feeds [2]. Alfalfa hay is more palatable than grass hays, though it is not appropriate for every horse [2]. Sweet feed mixtures of grains and molasses are usually the most appetizing concentrates, but they should be used sparingly in most cases [2].
When a horse is off its feed, offering small amounts of novel, appropriate feeds and letting the horse choose can show you what it finds most palatable [2]. Adding molasses, applesauce, carrots, or flavors such as peppermint may increase acceptance of feed in horses that are not eating [2]. Bran mashes are usually palatable, but the calcium and phosphorus intake should be balanced [2].
What Do Horses Love to Eat?
Most horses love the same short list. Fresh grass, alfalfa, carrots, apples, and anything with molasses. These are fine as occasional treats. They are not fine as a large share of the diet, because the sugar and starch add up fast.
Safe and Unsafe Feeds at a Glance
| Form | Safe? | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Grass hay or pasture | Yes | Base of the diet for most horses, free access when possible [1] |
| Alfalfa hay | Yes, with limits | More palatable than grass hay, but contraindicated in some cases [2] |
| Oats or commercial concentrate | Yes, in measured meals | Needed by hard workers, growing, pregnant, or lactating horses [1] |
| Ration balancer | Yes | Low feeding rate, fills nutrient gaps on forage-based diets [1] |
| Carrots, apples, applesauce | Yes, small amounts | Useful for tempting a picky horse to eat [2] |
| Molasses or sweet feed | Yes, sparingly | Appetizing but should be limited in most cases [2] |
| Bran mash | Yes, with balance | Palatable, but calcium and phosphorus must be balanced [2] |
| Moldy hay or spoiled grain | No | Can cause serious illness |
| Onions and garlic | No | Can damage red blood cells in horses |
| Anything with xylitol | No | Dangerous sweetener for horses |
| Lawn clippings | No | Risk of choke, colic, and fermentation |
Risks of Feeding Horses the Wrong Way
Choking is a real concern with horses. It happens when food lodges in the esophagus, not the airway, and it usually involves dry, coarse, or quickly eaten feed. Soaking feed and slowing intake help. Slow feeders reduce wastage and stretch out eating time, but a design that is too restrictive can frustrate your horse [5].
Gastrointestinal upset is the bigger picture risk. Diet is a known risk factor for colic, and what you feed changes fecal characteristics and fiber digestibility [8]. High-starch meals shift the microbial environment in the gut, and the site and intensity of microbial metabolite production change with diet [6]. Feeding a high-starch, grain-heavy diet to a horse evolved to eat grass is common in performance barns, but it is not what the digestive tract was built for [9].
Toxicity and additive risks deserve their own list. Moldy hay and spoiled grain can cause severe illness. Onions and garlic can damage equine red blood cells. Xylitol, a sweetener found in some human foods, is dangerous for horses. Excess salt is a problem if a horse has no free water. Never assume a food is safe for a horse because it is safe for you.
How to Offer Food Safely
Make changes slowly. A sudden switch in hay, grain, or pasture can upset the hindgut. When you introduce a new feed, do it over days, not hours.
Feed by weight, not by volume. A scoop of one feed weighs very differently from a scoop of another. Weighing your hay and concentrate is the only way to know what your horse is actually getting.
Keep meals small. The stomach is small, so large grain meals overwhelm it and push undigested starch into the hindgut [7]. Split concentrate into two or more feedings per day.
Provide salt and water without restriction. Most healthy horses should have free access to forage with salt and fresh water available at all times [1]. A horse that cannot drink is a horse in trouble.
Match the diet to the workload and life stage. A retired pasture pet, a weekend trail horse, and a racehorse have very different needs. So do foals, weanlings, pregnant mares, and seniors. Weaned foals face a real transition when they start relying on forage, and pasture management during that period matters [10]. For older horses, Senior Horse Feeding and Nutrition covers the adjustments that help.
Avoid these preparations and parts. Never feed lawn clippings, moldy or dusty hay, spoiled or fermented grain, or anything with xylitol. Skip onions and garlic. Do not feed large amounts of bran without balancing calcium and phosphorus [2]. Do not let a horse gorge on rich spring pasture after being dry-lotted all winter.
What to Do If Your Horse Ate Too Much or the Wrong Thing
Act quickly and call your veterinarian. If your horse broke into the grain bin, ate moldy hay, or got into a sweetener like xylitol, treat it as an emergency. Do not wait to see if symptoms appear.
If your horse is choking, it may stretch its neck, drool, cough, or have feed and saliva coming from the nose. Remove any remaining feed and call your veterinarian right away. Do not try to reach into the mouth or force water.
If your horse is showing colic signs such as pawing, rolling, looking at its flank, or refusing feed, call your veterinarian immediately. Diet is a known risk factor for colic [8], and early treatment matters.
If your horse simply ate more grain than usual but seems normal, call your veterinarian anyway. They can tell you whether to monitor at home or bring the horse in. The dose and treatment plan depend on your horse's weight, the amount eaten, and the specific feed, so your veterinarian calculates that from the case in front of them.
Safer Alternatives
If you want to reward your horse, keep it small and simple. A handful of carrots, a few apple slices, or a small amount of molasses-flavored feed works for most horses [2]. If your horse needs more calories, add a measured concentrate or a ration balancer instead of piling on treats [1]. If your horse needs more chew time, use a slow feeder with an appropriate mesh size [5]. If your horse is picky, try offering small amounts of different appropriate feeds and see what it chooses [2].
Limitations and When to Contact a Veterinarian
This guide covers general feeding principles. Every horse is an individual, and individual cases need a veterinarian who can examine the horse, review the diet, and account for its weight, health conditions, and workload.
Call your veterinarian the same day if your horse:
- Ate a larger than usual amount of grain or concentrate
- Got into moldy hay, spoiled feed, or a food containing xylitol
- Is drooling, stretching its neck, or showing signs of choke
- Has loose manure, mild colic signs, or has gone off feed
- Is a pregnant or lactating mare with a sudden diet change
Call immediately, as an emergency, if your horse:
- Is rolling, sweating, or unable to stand comfortably
- Has feed or saliva coming from both nostrils
- Has not passed manure for many hours
- Is breathing hard or showing severe distress
Schedule a routine visit if your horse:
- Is losing or gaining weight on its current diet
- Has a dull coat, poor hoof quality, or low energy
- Needs a diet plan for a new workload, pregnancy, or senior status
If you are unsure whether a food is safe, do not feed it. Call your veterinarian first. For a broader review of common feeding errors, see Common Horse Feeding Mistakes to Avoid.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can horses eat grass clippings?
No. Lawn clippings ferment quickly, can cause choke, and are linked to digestive upset. Offer fresh pasture or hay instead.
Is alfalfa hay better than grass hay?
Alfalfa is more palatable than grass hay, but it is not right for every horse and can be contraindicated in some cases [2]. Grass hay is the safer default for most healthy adult horses.
How much hay should I feed my horse?
Feed by weight, not by eye. Most healthy horses do well with free access to forage, and many need little or no concentrate on good-quality hay [1]. Your veterinarian or an equine nutritionist can set a target based on your horse's body condition and workload.
Can horses eat apples and carrots every day?
Small amounts are fine and can even help tempt a picky horse to eat [2]. Keep treats a small fraction of total calories, since sugar adds up.
Do horses need grain?
Not always. Many horses on good-quality forage require little to no concentrate supplementation [1]. Hardworking horses, pregnant or lactating mares, and hard keepers are the ones most likely to need it.
Related Articles
- Feeding Horses: Forage, Grain, and Body Condition
- Senior Horse Feeding and Nutrition
- Snake Diet and Feeding: What Do Snakes Eat in the Wild and in Captivity?
- Common Horse Feeding Mistakes to Avoid
- Equine Nutrition: Feeding Timothy Hay and Forage Selection
- What Do Rabbits Need In Their Diet
References
- Feeding Practices in Horses and Other Equids - Management and Nutrition. Merck Veterinary Manual.
- Feeding the Sick Horse and Other Equids - Management and Nutrition. Merck Veterinary Manual.
- Nutritional Requirements of Horses and Other Equids - Management and Nutrition. Merck Veterinary Manual.
- Forage nutritive analysis in practical equine feeding: challenges and opportunities. Journal of equine veterinary science, 2026.
- The use of hay nets and slow feeders as feeding methods in horse management: A semi-systematic review. Journal of equine veterinary science, 2026.
- Characterisation of microbial metabolite profiles across the gastrointestinal tract of horses fed on pasture, hay or oat-supplemented rations. PloS one, 2026.
- Carbohydrate digestion in the stomach of horses grazed on pasture, fed hay or hay and oats. Journal of equine veterinary science, 2024.
- The effects of diet on the physical characteristics of feces and fiber digestibility in healthy horses. Journal of animal science, 2026.
- The metabolomic profile of a high starch versus no starch diet in athletic horses. Scientific reports, 2025.
- Fecal microbiota of weaned equine and mule foals grazing bermudagrass pastures. Journal of equine veterinary science, 2026.