Mash is more than a cosy treat
Short version: see the overview
What is mash?
Mash is not just a treat. It is a tool for giving your horse extra fibre, energy and fluid, and it is also the soft base that keeps feeding simple and easy to manage.
Two mashes, two jobs
| +Fiber Mash | +Energy Fiber Mash | |
|---|---|---|
| Calorie content | Low | Higher |
| Suitable for | Digestion, good doers and horses that need to lose weight | Horses in work and horses that need to build condition |
| Workload | Light and moderate work | Moderate and hard work |
| Soaking | 1 part to 5 parts water | 1 part to 4 parts water |
| Feeding chart | See the chart | See the chart |
Dosage
Mash is fed at 50 to 500 g per 100 kg of bodyweight per day, depending on your horse's needs. A 500 kg horse can therefore have between 250 g and 2.5 kg daily.
The low end is +Fiber Mash for a horse in light work. The high end is a horse with free faecal water, an overweight horse on a weight-loss plan or a thin horse that needs to build condition. The exact amounts for each weight are in the two feeding charts, and all figures are dry weight.
| Situation | Product | Per 100 kg of horse per day |
|---|---|---|
| Light work | +Fiber Mash | 50 g |
| Moderate work | +Fiber Mash | 150 g |
| Moderate work needing more energy | +Energy Fiber Mash | 100 g |
| Hard work | +Energy Fiber Mash | 300 g |
| Free faecal water or loose droppings | +Fiber Mash | 200-500 g |
| Overweight horse | +Fiber Mash | 200-500 g |
| Thin horse | +Energy Fiber Mash | 200-500 g |
How to use mash
- Mash can be fed dry or soaked
- Use cold or lukewarm water, for example lukewarm in winter
- You and your horse decide how much water to use. Some horses prefer it really runny, others thicker
- Leave the mash to soak for 10-20 minutes if you want to serve it soaked
- If you add vitamins, minerals, salt or oil, do not increase the amount of water
| Product | Mixing ratio | Example |
|---|---|---|
| +Fiber Mash | 1 part mash to 5 parts water | 250 g to 1.25 litres of water |
| +Energy Fiber Mash | 1 part mash to 4 parts water | 250 g to 1 litre of water |
Can mash be fed dry?
Yes. If your horse doesn't like wet feed, you can feed it dry, but we recommend soaking it. If your horse is prone to choke, we recommend always soaking the mash.
What can you mix into the mash?
Mash is ideal for mixing in salt, Every Day Happy, Peak Performance, Supreme Minerals and RC O3 Algeolie. Salt is fed at 10 g per 100 kg of horse per day for maintenance. For moderate work, give 15-17 g of salt and for demanding work 22-27 g per 100 kg on top of Every Day Happy or Peak Performance (with Supreme Minerals, 18-20 g and 25-30 g in total). Hot weather, pregnancy and lactation also increase the requirement. This applies on top of Every Day Happy or Peak Performance; with Supreme Minerals, give the full requirement of 13 g per 100 kg for maintenance and light work. The algae oil is absorbed best right here, together with Every Day Happy and +Fiber Mash.
Why soaking matters
Fibre mash soaked in water together with a vitamin and mineral supplement plus salt or electrolytes works as a reservoir that travels through your horse's gut. The transfer of nutrients from the gut to the bloodstream is optimised because your horse can absorb them at the pace it needs. Studies show that vitamins and minerals fed without fibre pass through the gut too quickly, so your horse doesn't get the full benefit of them.
Soaked feed also increases your horse's water intake and supports fluid balance. This reduces the risk of dehydration and electrolyte depletion, and so lifts both wellbeing and performance. This is especially worth knowing during hard training, fluid loss through sweating, long journeys and other stressful situations.
Very hungry horses and ponies settle better with mash, because the feed is filling and gives them longer slurping and eating time. The mash also keeps the dust down in the hard feed. Feel free to make it sloppy and runny with plenty of water. Many horses prefer mash when it is thin like soup rather than thick like porridge.
In short: the fibre supports digestion so the nutrients are used better, the water content contributes to fluid balance, and the mash works as a soft base that keeps feeding simple.
When mash can help
- Travel and competitions: your horse gets extra fluid and fibre while on the move
- Hot weather or after training: the mash helps your horse replace fluid and energy
- Sensitive digestion: gentle fibre that can support a stable gut
- Everyday wellbeing: many horses enjoy mash as a comfort meal that boosts wellbeing
Mash can therefore be used both as daily support and as a practical tool in particular situations where fluid, fibre and nutrition matter even more.
How to work out the workload
The choice between the two mashes and the amount follow your horse's total workload. The minutes below are per session.
| Workload | What a session looks like | Total |
|---|---|---|
| Light work and turnout | 20 minutes walk, 10 minutes trot and 10 minutes canter | 40 minutes, 1-6 times a week |
| Moderate work | 30 minutes walk, 20 minutes trot and 35 minutes canter | 1 hour and 15 minutes, 4-6 times a week |
| Hard work | 40 minutes walk, 35 minutes trot, 50 minutes canter and 15 minutes gallop | 2 hours and 30 minutes, 2-3 times a week |
If rider and tack weigh more than 20% of your horse's weight, your horse's needs increase. The optimal rider-to-horse ratio is 1:5.
Don't know your horse's weight?
You can work it out with a girth measurement. Take the measurement in metres, multiply it by itself twice, then multiply by 80. A girth of 1.7 metres gives 1.7 times 1.7 times 1.7 times 80, so roughly 392 kg.
- You should be able to feel the ribs but not see them. If you have to press hard to feel them, your horse is carrying too much condition. If you can see them, it is underweight
- Always feed according to your horse's current weight, not its ideal weight
- Check the weight at least once a month, and weekly if your horse is changing
More about feeding
Questions about dry weight, soaking and the feed terms forage, roughage, hard feed, concentrates, complete feed and supplementary feed are gathered in one place: Feeding FAQ.
