Healthy Horse Food Signs

As a horse owner, you probably already know how important it is to pay attention to your horse's demeanor, eating, and elimination habits. Changes in any of these factors can mean that your horse is not well. For example, did you know that finding grain in a horse's feces can be a sign of tooth problems? When they were in the wild, horses evolved as free-grazing herbivores. That means they were eating most of the day.

Horses who live in stalls and pastures, however, are dependent on their owners for the majority of their food. Most owners feed twice a day. Because of that constraint, it's critically important to pay close attention to your horse's behavior and physical appearance. The average horse normally eats about 3% of its body weight each day and drinks between 5 and 12 gallons of water. This results in elimination several times a day. Fecal consistency and the absence of diarrhea are good signs of horse health.

Add Healthy Horse Food Supplements

In addition to grains, many veterinarians are recommending adding nutritional supplements to your horse's diet. One of the reasons for this is that some grains have fewer nutrients in them than they did a few decades ago, primarily due to changes in soil. A daily dose of flaxseed oil, for example, can cause a dramatic improvement in your horse's coat within a few weeks. Flax is also reported to result in larger offspring and improvements in cracked hooves.

Online today you will find healthy "treats" that will provide your horse with flaxseed, the fiber from apples, essential vitamins and minerals, and the fatty acids your horse needs for a glowing coat. You will have your choice of several websites and several manufacturers selling their products, most of which were developed by veterinarians and many of which were developed by holistic vets. The benefits to your horse can be impressive. The prices for healthy horse food supplements are reasonable enough to allow you to provide your horse with the health-enhancing nutrition he needs.