You care deeply about your horse’s health and performance. Yet, with countless horse feed options and conflicting advice, choosing the right one can feel overwhelming.
Feeding your horse isn’t just about filling a bucket. It’s about providing the right balance of nutrients tailored to their age, activity level, and health status. A well-chosen feed supports:
- Digestive health
- Energy levels
- Muscle development
- Overall well-being
In this blog, you’ll discover how to select the best feed for your horse’s unique needs. Let’s simplify the process and ensure your horse thrives.
Choosing the Best Nutritional Content Depends on Your Horses
No two horses are the same when it comes to nutrition. What works for your neighbor’s gelding might not work for your hard-keeper in Johnston County pasture.
Know Your Horse’s Body Condition and Life Stage
Start by taking a hard look at your horse’s current body condition. Is your horse underweight, overweight, or right where it should be?
Horses in heavy work or recovering from health issues often need more calories, higher fat content, and protein sources like soybean meal or alfalfa cubes. Easy keepers or older horses with slower metabolisms may need ration balancers that supply nutrients without excess energy.
Age matters, too. Growing horses, senior horses, broodmares, and performance horses all have different calorie needs, nutrient requirements, and digestive efficiency.
Choose Calories Wisely Based on Workload
Working horses burn through calories fast, especially during long days in Carolina humidity. But not all calories come equal.
Focus on feeds that provide:
- Fatty acids from sources like ground flax or vegetable oil
- Highly digestible fiber from beet pulp and good-quality hay
- Proper protein sources like soybean meal or alfalfa
For horses needing to gain weight, calories from fat and fiber can be easier on the digestive tract than large amounts of corn or grain.
Balance the Forage First
Pasture and hay make up the majority of most horses’ diets in central North Carolina. If your horse has free access to good-quality grass or alfalfa, start there.
Use your hay or pasture as the foundation. Then, add feeds or supplements to correct deficiencies or support higher-calorie needs.
Look at things like:
- Protein and fiber content of your hay
- Calcium-to-phosphorus ratio
- Consistency and quality from bale to bale
If forage isn’t enough, especially for horses doing heavy work, you’ll need to build a feeding program that fills in the gaps.
Read Feed Tags Like a Pro
Don’t get caught up in horse feed brands or fancy bag design. What matters is what’s inside that feed bag.
Pay attention to:
- Calorie content per pound
- Crude protein, fiber, and fat percentages
- Ingredients that support fiber digestion and overall well being
Some textured horse feeds work well for horses that don’t chew thoroughly or for picky eaters. Others prefer pelleted options that limit waste and ensure each bite is balanced.
Ration balancers can also be a smart, cost-effective choice for horses that don’t need a full grain ration but still require vitamins and minerals like vitamin E.
Adjust Seasonally and Monitor Closely
Winter feed programs often include soaked beet pulp or warm water over grain to help hydration and digestion. Summer feeding may rely more on pasture and less grain if horses aren’t burning as many calories.
Always monitor changes in:
- Body weight
- Energy levels
- Feed intake
Talk with local equine nutritionists if your horse isn’t maintaining condition or showing signs of digestive discomfort. Your horse’s diet should support both daily function and long-term health.
Choosing the right amount of horse feed, type of nutrients, and frequency of feeding isn’t just about numbers. It’s about paying attention to how your horse looks, moves, and eats right here in the heat and humidity of the Southeast.
Mule City Specialty Feeds: Find the Blends You Need for Your Horses
If you’re serious about feeding your horses right, you need feed that works and people who care. That’s exactly what we’ve built our reputation on since 1956, right here in Benson, North Carolina.
Custom Blends Built Around Real-Life Needs
Your horse isn’t generic. Your horse feed shouldn’t be either.
We work directly with horse owners, trainers, and farm managers to fine-tune blends that meet:
- Specific performance goals
- Body condition challenges
- Digestive sensitivities
- Seasonal pasture variations
If your horse is a hard keeper or needs to gain weight, we can build a feeding program with the right calorie content, fat levels, and nutrient balance. If you’re managing horses on pasture and just want to supplement with vitamins and minerals, we’ll keep it simple and cost-effective.
Ionophore-Free, Non-GMO, and Science-Backed
We keep our mill ionophore-free, because your horses’ safety comes first. Every formula is backed by science, not guesswork.
You can choose:
- Non-GMO verified corn, soybean meal, and custom mixes
- High-fat options for energy and weight gain
- Balanced diets with fiber sources like alfalfa and beet pulp
- Targeted vitamin and mineral levels for working horses and easy keepers
We include ingredients that actually support digestive tract health and fiber digestion, not just filler.
Get Feed That Works From People Who Care
If you’re hauling from Wake County, heading out from Fayetteville, or just down the road from Four Oaks, you’re close to the source. We serve farms, feed stores, and barns all over North Carolina and the Southeast.
You won’t get stuck on hold or have to explain what a hard keeper is. We speak your language and get to work.
Need a custom feed or want to talk through options? Call us today at 919-894-3626. Let’s build something that works for your horses.
