🐴 Feeding Your Horse the Right Way in 2025: Why Weight Matters ⚖️🥄

By Dr Duncan Houston BVSc

Feeding a horse may seem simple—just scoop and go, right? But in 2025, equine nutrition has advanced far enough that guessing with “cans” and “scoops” is no longer acceptable. Accurate feeding is vital for maintaining health, avoiding colic, and tailoring weight management plans. Here’s how to do it right. 🧠🐎

🥄 "Two Scoops Twice a Day" Doesn’t Cut It

One of the most common responses I get during wellness visits is:

• "I feed one can" or "two scoops"—but this tells us nothing.

Every feed type has a different density. For example:

• 1 scoop of pelleted feed = 3 lbs
• 1 scoop of textured (sweet) feed = 2.5 lbs

So unless you weigh your scoop, you're likely underestimating—or overfeeding—your horse. 😬📏

⚖️ Why Weighing Feed is So Important

The health of your horse depends on what—and how much—they eat. Key reasons to weigh feed include:

• 💥 Preventing colic — never feed over 5 lbs of grain per meal
• ⚖️ Weight management — tailor calories to your horse's body condition
• 📦 Following feed instructions — all commercial feeds give amounts in pounds

Whether your horse is underweight, overweight, or just maintaining, your vet needs accurate weight-based data to help. 🔬🧮

🧮 How to Weigh Feed at Home

1. Grab a bathroom scale or a digital hanging scale.
2. Fill your usual scoop or can.
3. Place it on the scale and note the weight.
4. Repeat this for each type of feed (pellets, sweet feed, ration balancers, etc.)

Pro tip: Keep a chart at the feed room to track weights for each scoop and feed type. 🗒️🐴

📉 Feeding Too Little or Too Much?

Here’s what to consider based on your current portions:

• 🐎 If you're already feeding 5 lbs per meal and your horse is underweight ➜ increase fat content or meal frequency
• 🥄 If you're feeding only 2 lbs and your horse is thin ➜ you have room to safely increase portions

Either way, you won’t know unless you weigh. This is essential not just for grain, but also for hay portions. 🌾⚖️

🛑 Colic Risk from Overfeeding

Feeding over 5 lbs of grain at a time can increase the risk of:

• 🔥 Colic
• ⚠️ Laminitis
• 🚑 Sudden feed-induced GI upset

Dividing grain across multiple smaller meals is much safer and better mimics natural foraging behavior. 🧺⏱️

📱 Ask A Vet: Feeding Made Simple

Not sure how much your horse should eat per day? Visit AskAVet.com or download the Ask A Vet App for:

• 🔢 Feed weight calculators
• 📊 Body condition scoring tools
• 🥣 Safe feed increase plans

Dr Duncan Houston and the Ask A Vet team can help you feed with precision—avoiding guesswork and minimizing risk. 📲🐎

🏁 Final Thoughts

In 2025, feeding horses isn’t about tradition or convenience—it’s about accuracy and evidence-based decisions. Weighing feed is the simplest way to prevent overfeeding, manage weight, and lower colic risk. A bathroom scale is your best tool for better equine health. 🐴⚖️🥄

Need a printable feed weight chart for your scoop? Visit AskAVet.com to download yours now 📄📱