How to Feed a Starving Horse
Identify if the horse is starving., Give the horse some water., Allow your horse a few hours to adjust to its surroundings before feeding it., Start feeding after the horse has begun drinking for a few hours., Feed the horse a quarter pound of grass...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Identify if the horse is starving.
It will have skin stretched tightly over its body.
It will also have a very bony, concave face.
Its neck will most likely be extremely thin.
Its back will be bony and its shoulders should show clearly through the pelt.
The ribs should be easily noticeable (note that healthy horses as well as recently foaled mares will often times have their ribs slightly showing through their hides).
Just behind their ribs around their gut, it should be stretched and concave.
The skin stretching from belly to thigh or over the stifle, should be stretched.
The hips should be extremely noticeable and pull out from beneath the skin.
They should point out around the croup of the horse.
The butt should be bony and concave.
There are always some variations to starvation in horses of course as sometimes they do not appear to be. -
Step 2: Give the horse some water.
If your horse has not had water in a while, give water to it slowly, about a 1/2 cup of water every 30 minutes until your horse is hydrated and doesn't drink immediately when you water it.
Do this for at least 3 days after adoption to ensure the horses safety.
Then you may fill up a water bucket, pan, or stall mate for your horse. , Begin by giving it light foods such as flakes or grass hay.
Grass pickings are also good to start with as they are light and lower in value. , Then, give a simple handful of grass, of maybe grass hay.
Give 2-4 handfuls of grass or grass hay every 30-40 minutes.
It may seem excruciatingly slow, but small, persistent feedings are best.
Do this for about five hours.
This will ease food into the system and allow the horse to start its digestive process.
Do this for just one day. , In the morning and at nights seem to work best.
If your horse is severely starved, you may want to feed this quarter pound by handfuls again.
You may also want to only give it a quarter of a pound twice.
Repeat again the next day. , You may also began feeding your horse a carrot or an apple for a snack to ensure some extra energy from its diet. , Add some alfalfa to the hay to give more nutrients and energy to the horse's diet—just a handful or so per feeding (once again thrice a day) to insure the horse's health. ,, This is to help out the horse by allowing it to eat freely as well as eat its hay.
Three feedings each day must be continued. , A short, few minute walk before feeding, or allowing free range for 30 minutes in a clean yard.
This is to help if the horse is not doing OK with its diet.
You may also give a couple handfuls of wheat to your horse a day to give it energy and fat gain.
Only do this 4-5 days a week. , Continue allowing your horse out for 30 minutes daily.
If there is no grass available simply add an extra 1/2 pound of grass hay to your horses diet.
Go for about
1.5 week. , of alfalfa twice a day.
Or, you can do 3 pounds of alfalfa and 2 pounds of grass hay for 3 times.
Let the horse out for 45-60 minutes and continue walking and/or lunging your horse.
0.6 ounces of oats can be added to the overall daily feed.
If you have a pony, you may continue with the above diet if not continue on.
Over the course of 2-3 weeks change your horse main diet from grass hay to alfalfa.
Switch it around slowly so your horse is eating 5-6 pounds of alfalfa twice a day and 2-3 pounds of grass hay once a day.
Encourage exercise and begin doing trotting exercises on the lunge.
You may begin giving short, light rides to your horse for about 20-30 minutes and only twice a week.
Also, allow your horse out to graze for an hour and a half.
Try to make these grazing sessions with other horses.
If you have a stallion, he will now be able to cover a mare although it is not desired.
This is for 2 weeks. , Grazing should be somewhere between 2-2½ hours a day.
You can ride twice a week for about 1 hour a day. 1-2½ ounces of oats may be give on days when you ride, and only once a day.
Do this for a week or just over. , Now the riding sessions can go up to 2 to 2 1/2 hours a day and only twice a week. 1-2½ ounces of oats can be given before each ride.
A mare may now be covered although it is not desired.
Minor training in dressage, reining, and/or trail riding may began.
Give carrots and/or apples before and after rides or training.
Do this for 3-4 weeks.
Graze for only 2-2½ hours.
Add one-half cup of molasses to the feed on riding days for energy, but only twice a week. , 2-4 pounds of grass hay.
Ride for anywhere from 1-4 hours a day and 2-3 times a week.
Begin cantering and more serious training.
Ranch work can also begin although for only 1-4 hours and 2-3 times a week as with the riding (training counts as riding).
Grazing can be anywhere from 2-4 hours a day.
A couple ounces of oats can be added to the daily feed on riding/training days.
Mountain riding can begin.
Do this for 2-3 weeks. , Do this forever. 3-4 pounds of grass hay will be good once a day.
Oats can be given (1-5 ounces a day) on working days.
The horse should be fit enough for jumping and galloping.
Begin training for rodeos, cross-country, and racing.
Grazing should go for about 1-5 hours a day and only 3-4 days a week.
Riding can be done 2-4 days a week.
The horse may also begin entering competitions and will be ready for almost anything.
Rides can be 1-5 hours long.
The horse should be almost fully back in shape.
Carriage work or hard farm work can also begin and be increased after 2-3 weeks. -
Step 3: Allow your horse a few hours to adjust to its surroundings before feeding it.
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Step 4: Start feeding after the horse has begun drinking for a few hours.
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Step 5: Feed the horse a quarter pound of grass hay three times on the next day.
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Step 6: After three days give up it to half a pound three times a day.
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Step 7: Do this for a few days and then go up to 1½ pounds of hay.
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Step 8: Continue this for 4-5 days and then the hay may be upped to as much as three pounds per feeding
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Step 9: gradually over a period of 2-3 days.
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Step 10: Add about ½-¾ pound of alfalfa to the diet daily
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Step 11: and began letting your horse out to graze in clean
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Step 12: mowed grass for about 30 minutes a day.
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Step 13: Begin exercising your horse lightly.
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Step 14: Do the previous step for about a week or just over and then begin again with 4 pounds of grass hay and about a pound of alfalfa.
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Step 15: Feed your horse 5.5 pounds of grass hay and about 1.5 lbs.
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Step 16: Go up to 7 pounds of alfalfa twice a day and 4 pounds of grass hay only once a day.
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Step 17: Keep 7 pounds of hay twice a day
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Step 18: and same with the 4 pounds of grass hay once.
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Step 19: Go from 7 to 8-9 pounds twice a day.
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Step 20: Continue with 7-10 pounds of alfalfa twice a day.
Detailed Guide
It will have skin stretched tightly over its body.
It will also have a very bony, concave face.
Its neck will most likely be extremely thin.
Its back will be bony and its shoulders should show clearly through the pelt.
The ribs should be easily noticeable (note that healthy horses as well as recently foaled mares will often times have their ribs slightly showing through their hides).
Just behind their ribs around their gut, it should be stretched and concave.
The skin stretching from belly to thigh or over the stifle, should be stretched.
The hips should be extremely noticeable and pull out from beneath the skin.
They should point out around the croup of the horse.
The butt should be bony and concave.
There are always some variations to starvation in horses of course as sometimes they do not appear to be.
If your horse has not had water in a while, give water to it slowly, about a 1/2 cup of water every 30 minutes until your horse is hydrated and doesn't drink immediately when you water it.
Do this for at least 3 days after adoption to ensure the horses safety.
Then you may fill up a water bucket, pan, or stall mate for your horse. , Begin by giving it light foods such as flakes or grass hay.
Grass pickings are also good to start with as they are light and lower in value. , Then, give a simple handful of grass, of maybe grass hay.
Give 2-4 handfuls of grass or grass hay every 30-40 minutes.
It may seem excruciatingly slow, but small, persistent feedings are best.
Do this for about five hours.
This will ease food into the system and allow the horse to start its digestive process.
Do this for just one day. , In the morning and at nights seem to work best.
If your horse is severely starved, you may want to feed this quarter pound by handfuls again.
You may also want to only give it a quarter of a pound twice.
Repeat again the next day. , You may also began feeding your horse a carrot or an apple for a snack to ensure some extra energy from its diet. , Add some alfalfa to the hay to give more nutrients and energy to the horse's diet—just a handful or so per feeding (once again thrice a day) to insure the horse's health. ,, This is to help out the horse by allowing it to eat freely as well as eat its hay.
Three feedings each day must be continued. , A short, few minute walk before feeding, or allowing free range for 30 minutes in a clean yard.
This is to help if the horse is not doing OK with its diet.
You may also give a couple handfuls of wheat to your horse a day to give it energy and fat gain.
Only do this 4-5 days a week. , Continue allowing your horse out for 30 minutes daily.
If there is no grass available simply add an extra 1/2 pound of grass hay to your horses diet.
Go for about
1.5 week. , of alfalfa twice a day.
Or, you can do 3 pounds of alfalfa and 2 pounds of grass hay for 3 times.
Let the horse out for 45-60 minutes and continue walking and/or lunging your horse.
0.6 ounces of oats can be added to the overall daily feed.
If you have a pony, you may continue with the above diet if not continue on.
Over the course of 2-3 weeks change your horse main diet from grass hay to alfalfa.
Switch it around slowly so your horse is eating 5-6 pounds of alfalfa twice a day and 2-3 pounds of grass hay once a day.
Encourage exercise and begin doing trotting exercises on the lunge.
You may begin giving short, light rides to your horse for about 20-30 minutes and only twice a week.
Also, allow your horse out to graze for an hour and a half.
Try to make these grazing sessions with other horses.
If you have a stallion, he will now be able to cover a mare although it is not desired.
This is for 2 weeks. , Grazing should be somewhere between 2-2½ hours a day.
You can ride twice a week for about 1 hour a day. 1-2½ ounces of oats may be give on days when you ride, and only once a day.
Do this for a week or just over. , Now the riding sessions can go up to 2 to 2 1/2 hours a day and only twice a week. 1-2½ ounces of oats can be given before each ride.
A mare may now be covered although it is not desired.
Minor training in dressage, reining, and/or trail riding may began.
Give carrots and/or apples before and after rides or training.
Do this for 3-4 weeks.
Graze for only 2-2½ hours.
Add one-half cup of molasses to the feed on riding days for energy, but only twice a week. , 2-4 pounds of grass hay.
Ride for anywhere from 1-4 hours a day and 2-3 times a week.
Begin cantering and more serious training.
Ranch work can also begin although for only 1-4 hours and 2-3 times a week as with the riding (training counts as riding).
Grazing can be anywhere from 2-4 hours a day.
A couple ounces of oats can be added to the daily feed on riding/training days.
Mountain riding can begin.
Do this for 2-3 weeks. , Do this forever. 3-4 pounds of grass hay will be good once a day.
Oats can be given (1-5 ounces a day) on working days.
The horse should be fit enough for jumping and galloping.
Begin training for rodeos, cross-country, and racing.
Grazing should go for about 1-5 hours a day and only 3-4 days a week.
Riding can be done 2-4 days a week.
The horse may also begin entering competitions and will be ready for almost anything.
Rides can be 1-5 hours long.
The horse should be almost fully back in shape.
Carriage work or hard farm work can also begin and be increased after 2-3 weeks.
About the Author
Shirley Howard
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