Grain-free horse feed: good or bad idea?

It's no longer a secret: grain-free horse feeding has been a topic of debate for a long time. Many horse owners wonder if grain intake could be reduced, or even completely abandoned. Others, however, wouldn't even consider a grain-free horse diet for a single second. Elytholab, a laboratory specializing in horse care products, offers you an update on this feeding method.

The horse, this herbivore that ignores itself

This is something that we tend to ignore, as cereal intake has become so systematic in horses. And yet, it is important to know that originally, the horse is indeed a purebred herbivore . That is to say, in nature it only consumes plant foods, such as grass, and fodder plants or legumes.

Strictly speaking, the horse is not made to eat cereals. It is humans who, by domesticating them, led to the modification of their diet by introducing a cereal intake . Today, most horses consume cereals on a daily basis, at a rate of one or two rations per day.

But in recent years, this feeding method has been called into question. Many owners want to return to the true nature of horses, thus advocating a grain-free horse diet.

Why switch to grain-free horse feed?

As previously explained, the horse is a strictly herbivorous animal. Mustang horses have always lived alone in the wild, and were accustomed to traveling between 40 and 60 kilometers per day to find their food. However, this food consisted entirely of plants. No form of grain was found on the plains where wild horses lived. Therefore, the introduction of grain into the horse's diet is considered unnatural by some owners.

In addition, horses have a delicate digestive system. It is designed in such a way that the esophagus easily becomes blocked if food is not chewed properly. However, eating grain requires much less chewing than eating grass or hay, and less saliva is produced.

It is also important to know that in the absence of humidification, dry food facilitates obstruction of the esophagus. As a result, the horse is not physiologically designed to ingest, and especially to digest cereals. This is why Elytholab has designed Elytho Digest , a food supplement allowing you to improve the horse's digestion.

Added to this is the fact that horses do not naturally digest gluten, which is found in most cereals. This explains why the vast majority of cereal feeds must consist of barley, which does not contain gluten.

Another reason that often motivates owners to switch to grain-free feeding for their horses: respect for their independence. The fact is that today, horses are almost entirely dependent on humans, who domesticated them long ago. In the wild, a horse's lifespan is considerably shorter than that of a companion horse. The problem is that by constantly feeding horses grain, they become completely dependent on the hand that feeds them. This is an unnatural behavior, which many owners tend to want to free themselves from, in order to return to the fundamentals of horse care.

Grain-free horse feed: not for all horses

Due to their herbivorous nature, one might think that a grain-free diet is suitable for all horses. However, this is not entirely the case. In reality, many horses can no longer do without grain in their daily diet.

This is largely explained by domestication and the putting to work of most horses. Horses that are ridden regularly, and are therefore considered sport horses, must indeed be supplemented with grain. In this case, one or two daily rations will supplement hay and water at will.

A horse that is convalescing, or is losing weight abnormally, will also need to be fed grain to replenish its reserves. In this type of case, grass and hay at will are not enough to switch the horse to a grain-free diet .

On the other hand, older and/or retired horses can generally do without grain. This is due to their reduced activity or slowed transit. In the case of an older horse, the digestive system no longer works as well as before. Grain intake could then cause esophageal obstruction, which is particularly responsible for colic. As for retired horses, their activity no longer justifies supplementation. A grain-free horse diet is therefore entirely possible. A dietary supplement like ElythoImmune can help you improve your horse's immune defenses and thus avoid any risk of colic.

There are also horses that suffer from allergies to certain grains. Although rare, some may suffer from a barley allergy, making it mandatory to feed the horse grain-free. In this case, it will be advisable to replace the grain intake with another type of feed.

What can replace cereals in a horse's diet?

While feeding a horse grain-free diet is a dream come true for some, it's not easy to implement. You must regularly check that your horse isn't losing condition or suffering from a potential dietary imbalance.

For sport horses, or those with grain allergies, there are many types of grain-free mash. These feeds can replace the daily ration, fitting perfectly into a grain-free horse diet.

Fodder beet can also be included in a grain-free horse diet. In winter, it will prevent weakened horses from losing condition. Be careful with sugar beet, however. Sweeter, but also more difficult to incorporate into the diet, its use is questionable.

Of course, it's important to remember that all horses should be fed hay at will. Hay should even represent at least 50% of their daily intake. Ideally, a horse should also be left out in the field to enjoy fresh grass at all times.

Elytholab, a laboratory specializing in the creation and distribution of nutritional supplements for horse care, offers a wide range of products designed for the well-being of your horse. To discover them, visit our online store.