How to feed your Icelandic horse correctly

The Icelandic horse is known for its frugality – but also for being an active riding horse, often used for long trips, tölt and passes.
The combination of low energy requirements and active use requires special attention to the sugar content of the roughage and to providing energy that does not make the horse "hot-headed" or stiff in the body due to the feeding.

This means that they:

• need fewer calories

• very easy to gain weight

• can survive even on small amounts of feed

👉 The biggest challenge is sugar in the roughage – that is, sugar from grass, hay and wrap.
Too much sugar in practice means that your Icelandic horse:

• quickly becomes too thick

• have a much higher risk of insulin resistance

• can develop leprosy – a painful and life-threatening disease

👉 And remember: although Icelandic horses have a lower energy requirement, they have the same need for protein, vitamins and minerals and Omega-3 per 100 kg body weight as large horses. The need depends on the horse's weight, age and work level - not on whether it is a frugal breed.

Roughage – the cornerstone of feeding

Your Icelandic horse needs good roughage (grass, hay or wrap) – regardless of whether it is too thick or too thin.

• Minimum 1.5 kg roughage per 100 kg body weight per day

  • Can be a combination of hay/wrap and good straw

• Minimum 8 hours of eating time per day (preferably ad libitum)

• The horse must never go more than 5 hours without feed.

• The sugar content in the roughage should be low: below 5%.
  
  

👉 If the horse gets too fat:

• Choose roughage with low energy content (0.4–0.5 FE per kg dry matter)

• Replace up to 25% of the hay/wrap with straw

• Use slow feeders to extend eating time

💡 Low sugar in roughage is the key to avoiding obesity, insulin resistance and lameness.

Vitamins, minerals and protein are always necessary

Although many Icelandic horses can survive on roughage alone, it does not cover the need for:

• Vitamins and minerals

• Protein

• Salt and electrolytes

👉 That's why you should always supplement - otherwise the horse will end up in a deficit, which in the long run will cause health problems.

Protein – often the forgotten factor

Icelandic horses need approximately 1.5 g of crude protein per kg of body weight per day .

👉 If the roughage is low in protein (e.g. late-harvested wrap), it is necessary to supplement.

If the horse lacks protein, it can manifest as:

• poor or missing muscle tone

• dull coat and bad hooves

• reduced performance and recovery ability

Examples of protein content in roughage and feed materials

👉 That's why it's important to have your roughage analyzed. If you have wrap or hay from unfertilized fields, it's almost always necessary to supplement with a protein source.

Different needs require different solutions

Normal or overweight Icelandic horses

• Feed with Every Day Happy and salt and +Fiber Mash (low calorie)

• Give vitamins and minerals according to actual weight – not desired weight

• Adjust down as the horse loses weight.

• Exercise at least 30 minutes daily – it improves insulin sensitivity

Icelandic horses in demanding work or for thin horses

• Need extra energy for weight and performance

• Use +Energy Fiber Mash – blood sugar neutral energy without the horse getting “hot”

• Combine with salt and Every Day Happy or Peak Performance

• Choose Peak Performance if your horse needs extra support for:

  • joints, tendons, muscles and bones

  • injury management and stress

  • better learning

How to find the weight of your Icelandic horse

If you don't have a scale, you can use a tape measure and a calculator.

1. Measure the circumference of the girth bed (in meters).

2. Use the formula: girth measurement³ x 80 = body weight in kg

Example:

• Waist measurement = 170 cm (1.7 m)

• 1.7 × 1.7 × 1.7 = 4.9

• 4.9 × 80 = 392 kg
  
  Or buy a weight measuring tape so you don't have to convert.

Does your horse have special needs?

Then you can book a telephone consultation

Brief summary

1️⃣ The biggest challenge for Icelandic horses is sugar in the roughage (grass, hay and wrap).
2️⃣ Too much sugar = overweight, insulin problems and risk of dementia.
3️⃣ Minimum 1.5 kg of roughage per 100 kg body weight (hay/wrap and straw in combination).
4️⃣ The roughage must contain less than 5% sugar .
5️⃣ The protein requirement is 1.5 g of crude protein per kg of body weight .
6️⃣ Icelandic horses have the same need for vitamins and minerals per 100 kg as large horses - regardless of age and work.