Grain-free feeding – can sport horses do without grain?

Straw is the foundation of a horse's digestion and protects against ailments such as colic and ulcers. Yet concentrates have often taken center stage – especially in sport horses, where many riders associate grain with energy and performance.

New research from Professor Anna Jansson and Jan Erik Lindberg (SLU, Sweden) in collaboration with Hólar University in Iceland shows that sport horses may be able to do without grain altogether – without losing performance.

Benefits of straw feed

• Supports the horse's natural digestion

• Reduces the risk of stomach ulcers and colic

• Contributes energy via fermentable fiber and short-chain fatty acids

• Can replace part of the energy traditionally expected from grains

Yet, straw feed has long had a secondary role in the feeding of sport horses, with concentrate feed dominating the picture.

The racehorse experiment

The study involved six Thoroughbred geldings in training. The horses were fed two different diets for 29 days each:

Feeding plan #1 – straw feed only

• Grass silage with high energy content

• Vitamin and mineral supplements

Feeding plan #2 – straw feed + concentrate feed

• 50% grass silage with high energy content

• 50% oats, soy meal and wheat bran

• Vitamin and mineral supplements

Calorie and protein levels were similar in both plans.

The results

• Better performance in horses on a pure straw diet

• Higher blood pH , which may mean less lactic acid buildup during hard exercise

• Lower glycogen content in the muscles of the straw-fed group, but without any deterioration in performance

The researchers conclude that an energy-rich feeding plan based solely on straw alters the metabolic response to exercise and may have more benefits than disadvantages.

What does this mean in practice?

Yes, it is possible to feed sport horses grain-free – but there are caveats:

• The horse must have enough time and peace to eat large amounts of straw feed.

• During competitive periods, it may be necessary to supplement with high energy density fibers so that eating time does not become too long.

• Vitamins and minerals should always be supplemented – sports horses in hard work often need more than the usual recommendations.

Conclusion

Straw can be more than just “filler.” For some sport horses, a grain-free diet based on energy-rich straw and sufficient fiber can be a healthy and effective alternative – perhaps even with benefits for performance and recovery.

Source:
Jansson, A. & Lindberg, JE “A forage-only diet alters the metabolic response of horses in training” , SLU & Hólar University.