Feeding Your Wild Horse

Your wild horse needs you to reproduce his natural diet.  Avoid any feed or forage which contains starch.  Initially feed only hay.   There is absolutely never a need for a 'sweet' feed. Their digestive systems have never seen sugar.  Even in harsh winter conditions your wild horse does not need bagged feed.      

 Natural Diet Composition of Wild horses consist of:

  • High-fiber, low-starch grasses (such as bunchgrasses, blue grama, and buffalo grass)

  • Leafy shrubs (like sagebrush and saltbush)

  • Browse (twigs, leaves, and buds from trees and shrubs)

Their diet typically contains very minimal starch, which is a key factor in maintaining their overall health.

Wild horses should have grass, poor grass, good dry hay, and supplements.   Wild horses are adapted to thrive on grasses, shrubs, and other vegetation found in their native habitats.

 During that initial bonding time with your new wild horse, you can get them interested in commercially available ‘Timothy’ hay.  Typically sold as a compressed bale (Standlee is a good supplier).  To many this is a wonderful treat and they eat it heartily.

 

Supplementing forage for avoiding weight loss.

The only bagged feed a wild horse needs would be a 'balancer' which is nutrition without starch.  

A great alternative is Beet Pulp.  Often sold as shreds or pellets this must be soaked because it contains a good percentage of ‘sugar’ as starch.  The sugar in Beet Pulp is water soluble.  Soaking removes the sugar if accomplish shed properly.

 

Choke from eating too fast is heightened with insufficiently soaked Beet Pulp.

Soaking Beet Pulp requires about 45 minutes to thoroughly unbind the pelleted material.   The final step is to rinse away the initial water with an equal amount of fresh water.  The rinse water will be quite brown.  That is literally the starch coming off the product.  The brown water should not be fed to the horse.

 Treats - avoid sugar and starch

Timothy pellets or Teff pellets are excellent treats. Most horses enjoy peppermint, however avoid sugar and starch. Buckeye Peppermint Bits are sugar free.

Reproducing the Natural Diet

When feeding wild horses who are not free-roaming, you can replicate their natural diet by providing:

  • High-quality, low-starch hay (such as timothy hay or orchard grass hay)

  • Limited amounts of grains, focusing on low-starch options like oats or beet pulp

  • Access to salt and minerals specifically formulated for horses

  • Fresh water at all times

 Tips for Feeding

1.    Avoid over-supplementation: Wild horses are adapted to survive on limited resources. Avoid overfeeding, as this can lead to obesity and other health issues.

2.    Choose low-starch grains: Limit grain intake and opt for low-starch options to mimic the natural diet.

3.    Provide adequate fiber: Ensure access to high-quality hay and consider adding fiber supplements like psyllium or beet pulp.

4.    Monitor and adjust: Regularly assess the horses' body condition and adjust feeding accordingly.

 For success with feeding, it's crucial to:

1.    Gradually introduce new foods: Introduce new hay and grains gradually to prevent digestive upset.

2.    Mimic natural grazing patterns: Offer hay and grains in a way that mimics natural grazing patterns, such as using slow-feeder hay nets or dividing grain into multiple small meals.

3.    Consult with equine professionals: Work with experienced equine veterinarians, nutritionists, or equine behaviorists to develop a customized feeding plan.