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"Feeding horses is simple and needs to be kept that way. Don’t ever 
supplement unless it is with the advice of a nutritionist or veterinarian," 
cautions Dr. R.D. Scoggins, equine extension veterinarian at the University 
of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine at Urbana.

Horses require grain less often than owners think. Hard-working horses, 
such as race horses or eventing horses that train every day, may need grain 
to maintain their body condition. Nursing mares may also need grain to help 
them maintain body condition.

"Other horses only need what grain it takes to catch them," quips Dr. Scoggins.

Hard-working horses have a higher energy demand than others, especially if 
they start in poor body condition. These animals may benefit from the extra 
energy that corn adds to the diet.

Proper mineral balance is also very important in the horse’s diet at all stages 
of life. To give the foal a good start before it hits the ground, the mare needs 
the right amount and correct balance of minerals, especially copper, zinc, 
and selenium (if you live in a selenium-deficient area). Once the foal is 
growing, properly balanced minerals in its diet will help prevent joint diseases.

Horses are nibblers. They have a relatively small stomach and need frequent 
smaller meals to avoid problems like colic. If grain is necessary, provide a 
maximum of one-half pound of grain per 100 pounds of body weight at a time. 
Good quality hay should be available free choice.

When temperatures dip and horses are outside, give the animals more forage. 
"The heat of fermentation will keep the horse warm. corn gives energy, not 
extra heat, to a horse," he notes.

Over-conditioning (fat) is hard on your horse. The extra body weight can lead 
to lameness and make subtle lameness worse. Extra fat may increase the 
incidence of fatty lipomas in the intestines. It also adds to the general wear 
and tear on the horse’s body.

Dr. Scoggins warns, "Never feed ‘screenings’ or ‘fines’ to a horse," Corn 
screenings have a higher mold content than whole corn and are often related 
to moldy corn poisoning in horses.

Other tips Dr. Scoggins gives for horse owners:
1) Don’t store greater than a two-week supply of processed grain. 
2) Clean out the inside of storage bins,  especially in summer when mildew 
builds up. 
3) Keep the food supply covered  to avoid contamination with rodent feces. 
Diseases such as leptospirosis,  salmonella, and equine protozoal myelitis 
can be transmitted through feed contamination. 
4) Wrap round bales and store inside if possible. This will decrease the 
amount of mold and dust and help control COPD (congestive  obstructive 
pulmonary disease). 
5) Feed only an amount of hay the horses can clean up. this will decrease 
the amount of mice and vermin in the hay, therefore decreasing the likelihood 
of botulism. 
6) Maintain an adequate water supply for the horses, keeping it clean, ice-free, 
and of a drinkable temperature in the winter. This will also help prevent colic and
impaction of the intestine. 
7) Don’t grain a horse within one hour of hard work (either before or after working). 
8) When trailering, give the horse good quality grass hay and no grain. Also, make 
sure it has plenty of water on the trip.

If you have questions about feeding your horse to avoid problems, call your 
equine veterinarian.

This information was supplied by Linda March, the Information Specialist at the
University of Illinois, College of Veterinary Medicine.