Feeding the Barefoot Horse
The advice and guidelines given in these pages are generally accepted as safe practice for feeding a horse that is barefoot, or has metabolic or laminitis issues and does not represent my own pet theories - many of the barefoot community feed the diet described in these pages succesfully, with additions of their own as they find their horses need. Manufacturers can offer feed advice that can be helpful, but the feed advice given by the UKNHCP is supported by an independent nutritionist who is unbiased and has nothing to sell.
The success and health of a barefoot horse will be determined by getting the correct diet and by allowing adequate movement on stimulating supportive surfaces.
The trim, while important, can really achieve very little for the horse if the diet is of the "McDonalds" standard and the ability of the horse to move and exercise is not adressed.
Feeding can be a real minefield, with different feed companies positioning their products as the best for this or that condition, and a bewildering array of supplements on the market. Owners enjoy feeding their horses, and the appreciation the horses show, and want to give feeds that look attractive. It is also hard for owners to be objective about your horse's weight.
Some supplements have been well researched; others have been tested on a surprisingly small number of horses
It is unsurprising that the question of “what to feed” is tough to answer! Correct feeding doesn't have to be expensive and it more than pays for itself in having a healthier and happier horse.
The "Feed Recommendations" table lists feeds which have been tried and tested by natural hoof care professionals on many horses working in a wide range of disciplines, from endurance to hunting and eventing. They are listed here because they generally will not cause sore footedness or hoof problems, and can be given to hard-working barefoot horses very safety. Minerals are particularly important in improving hoof quality, and horses that have been mineral deficient will often grow much better hooves over a period of a few months when the correct supplementation is supplied.
Listen to the Horse and Keep Feeding Simple!
Listen to the horse - if the horse is not improving, or if a previously sound horse becomes footy then assess the diet first, as the diet is one of the most common causes of foot problems.
In a horse that is not improving on a good diet, blood tests for insulin resistance, liver and kidney function and levels of some minerals (copper, zinc, selenium, B Vitamins etc...) can be useful. Speak to your vet.
Remember – there are no real “rules”, only guidelines. What is right for one horse may not be right for another. Just as peanuts are a perfectly good high protein snack for one person but can cause potentially fatal anaphylactic shock in another, some horses may be more sensitive to certain feed ingredients than others. For some horses there is simply no tollerance level, even a small amount of a feed may cause a reaction.
Variety - of feed, grasses and plants and supplementals is important. We would never eat precisely the same meal, three times a day, 365 days a year. However, the number of horses with access to a variety of different plants and grasses to eat is relatively low. Many horses eat precisely the same feedand hay for months, and even years, on end. Variety balances out the imbalances and is also interesting for the horse.
I have a number of simple rules that I tend to stick to for my own horses:
I don't feed anything with grain or grain derivatives
I don't feed anything with mollasses or sugars
I don't feed it if there is not a full ingredients list or if the ingredients list seems "misleading"
I feed the freshest and best I can find - sometimes that does not mean the most expensive - for example the Charnwood linseed meal is around half the cost of a competitor's offering, but is always fresher and sweeter smelling.
Stay away from expensive packaging - often much better quality and fresher ingredients can be obtained locally from normal agricultural suppliers.
Treat all marketing information with the scepticism that it deserves!