How much hay does a horse need every day?
from Kerstin Wackermann 
How much hay does a horse need to be healthy and happy? It depends ... Photo: Jacques Toffi Hay is the most important source of crude fiber and influences digestion, metabolism and well-being. Too little roughage increases the risk of stomach ulcers, colic or undesirable behavior. Too much can promote obesity or metabolic disorders in certain horses. The trick is to balance the requirements and energy content of the feed.
Calculate hay quantity: Body weight as a basis
As a rule of thumb, a horse should receive 1.5 to 2 kilograms of hay per 100 kilograms of body weight per day. This refers to air-dry hay, as is common in practice – i.e. with around 85 to 88 percent dry matter.
Examples:
- a 500 kg horse needs about 7.5 to 10 kg of hay per day
- a 600 kg horse 9 to 12 kg
- a 300 kg pony 4.5 to 6 kg.
The information is based on the recommendations of the Society for Nutritional Physiology (GfE 2014) and the guidelines of the German Equestrian Federation (FN). Both state similar guideline values and emphasize that roughage should cover the maintenance requirement for energy alone if possible.
Important: The values given are guidelines. The actual requirement depends on several factors, such as feed quality, body condition, state of health, type of husbandry and workload. Both the GfE and the FN recommend that the ration is regularly checked and individually adjusted so that energy and nutrient intake remain in balance.
How hay requirements change with the workload
With increasing work, the energy requirement increases, but the minimum amount of hay remains equally important. The decisive factor is whether the horse is on a maintenance diet, is regularly trained or is used for sport.
GfE distinguishes between several work stages:
- Light work: leisure horses, light riding lessons or cross-country – energy requirement approx. 20 % above maintenance.
- Medium work: daily training with longer trot and canter units, small jumps – about 40% over maintenance.
- Heavy work: Endurance riding, competition or eventing – 60-100% over maintenance.
These values serve as a guide. In everyday life, this means: maintain the amount of hay, supplement energy only with concentrated feed. For horses that gain weight quickly, part of the ration can consist of straw rich in crude fiber to prolong the chewing activity without increasing the energy intake too much.
How much hay to feed with EMS or Cushing/PPID
Horses with equine metabolic syndrome (EMS) or Cushing’s syndrome (PPID) require adapted feeding. They also need at least 1.5% of their body weight in hay to keep their intestinal function stable. The quality is crucial here: hay should be low in sugar and starch.
Orientation values according to the Landesbetrieb Landwirtschaft Hessen (LLH):
- Sugar content < 10 % of the dry matter
- Fruit content < 5 % of the dry matter
Such hay is often referred to as “low in NSC” (non-structural carbohydrates). If the values are higher than this, soaking for 30 to 60 minutes can reduce the proportion of soluble sugars by around 20 to 30 %. Minerals are also lost during soaking, so the mineral feed should be adjusted accordingly.
Example: Ration calculation for a 600 kg warmblood
A warmblood with a body weight of 600 kg requires:
- Maintenance requirement: around 9 kg hay (1.5% bw)
- Light work: 10-11 kg hay plus some concentrated feed, adapted to energy requirements
- Average work: 11-12 kg hay, supplemented with 2-3 kg manger feed
- Heavy work: 12-13 kg hay, plus individually calculated amount of concentrated feed
These figures are guidelines for a horse’s roughage requirements. In practice, the composition depends on hay quality, training, temperament and husbandry conditions. The DLG and LUFA recommend that ration planning should always be based on a feed analysis in order to adjust the energy and protein content precisely.
Weigh hay correctly
As structure, density and cut vary greatly, weighing the ration is essential. A close-meshed hay net with a suitcase scale or a simple hanging scale provide reliable values. In this way, fluctuations due to differently compressed bales can be avoided.
Accuracy is crucial, especially for horses with a sensitive metabolism or under athletic stress. Feeding can only be stable, healthy and individually controlled through regular weighing and analysis.
Hay ad libitum – advantages and limits
Some horse owners feed hay ad libitum, i.e. freely available. This method can support natural feeding habits, avoid stress and prevent stomach ulcers. Studies show that horses with unlimited access to structured, energy-reducing hay often eat more evenly and chew less continuously than expected.
However, there is a risk of energy oversupply and weight gain in light-fed horses. The quality of the hay is therefore crucial: late-cut hay that is high in crude fiber and low in sugar is better suited for ad libitum feeding than high-energy early-cut hay. In group housing, there should also be sufficient feeding space to avoid food envy and stress.
