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Me!: horse ??????????????????????????//?
i own a 14 yr old, 15.2 hh qh gellding named forest. He is in excelant health, and ridden every other day. I just started training him to jump. He is also currently out with 5 other horses in a 5 acre pasture with a run in.
Well winter is coming, and bye halloween he should have a stall. How much grain should I start giving him, because im pretty sure he will need some. So how much should I give him each day, like ex. 1 quart every day, for 2 weeks, progressing to 2 quarts, ending with 6 quarts per day…

how much should a full grown qh, that is worked moderatly have for grain per day. [ he will also be getting all the hay he can eat :)]
grass hay…

the grain is trotter/charger from blue seal.

I definatly dont want him colicing!

Answers and Views:

Answer by Owned by Maggie ♥
With that much hay, he will probably need about 4 quarts a day. That is a lot of hay and grain! 🙂

Answer by zipperdually
You should ask your horses veterinarian. Different horses need a different amount of feed, and your vet will know more about your horse than I, or anyone else on the internet.

However, I do suggest doing what you said, slowly giving him grain, but you should start now.

In the winter time, horses are better off eating more hay, because it has some nutrients that horses need in winter.

I do not suggest to give your horse “all the hay he can eat”. This is very bad for your horse, as your horse will just eat and eat until he colics. Work him into the hay- in the winter he should get approximately 6 flakes- three in the morning and three at night.

Answer by CrAzY hOrSeY mE!!
I agree w/ Maggie. That sounds good!

Answer by Rosi M
You didn’t tell us what type of hay he’ll be getting. IF you are feeding a grass hay, then about 3-6 LBS of grain per day depending upon if you are working him or he has a day off. If you’re feeding something like alfalfa hay, then cut it down to 1 1/2 when he doesn’t work and 3LBS when he does.

I feed rolled barley corn basically to maintain weight and to keep them civil. Oats is more for energy than weight and I like my horses sensible (Most of mine have been TBs or Running QH types.).

Answer by Michelle C
It really depends on the type of grain you choose to feed. If he is being stalled only at night with good hay, then you may only want him grained in the mornings when he is turned out. I always suggest only high fat feeds, especially during the colder months, as the fattier feeds send the energy and warmth to the muscles of the horse,not the head. High protein feeds tend to make a horse more hyper, and often thinner, because of the nervous energy they can bring about.

Every bag of grain should have a feeding guide on the back on how much you should feed daily, per horses pounds and work load. So go by their feeding guidelines, and re-adjust with more or less,if needed. I would go with little or no corn additives, as they can really make a horse hot. Even crimped oats with a1/2 cup of veggie oil would be better. Oats are a cold feed and corn is a hot feed. With oats you would want to add a daily mineral supplement to the oats.

Mine are easy keepers and get 2 lbs.Omelene twice per day. That is a high fat, complete feed. Only our foaling or lactating mares receive larger quantities.

the most important thing is to slowly wean him onto any new feeds. If you are worried about colicing, then add probiotics to his daily feed. It helps to regulate their gutts, and prevent colic.

Answer by galloppal
I weigh my feed, since no two are the same, so a scoop of one is not the same as a scoop of another. Buy a fish scale and weigh a scoop of it in a plastic bag so you know how many pounds are in your scoop. You may need to feed more than I do since my gelding isn’t ridden much over the winter. I feed my 15.3 hh Arab gelding 5 lb of Equine Senor feed, and free choice grass hay 24/7 over the winter. He is also given 2 cups of stabilized rice bran daily, since he is a hard one to keep weight on, so I feed it for the extra fat. It is divided into two feedings. Senor is a good choice for any horse, and limits the chances of colic. It is very easily digested, and a complete balanced feed. I highly recommend you switch to it. Purina makes the best…they have the best control over guaranteed content.
I recommend 2 cups a day in two feedings, and increasing by 1 cup a day until you reach the full amount.