Roughage as a foundation

Forage is what horses are made to live on, and the quality of your hay, haylage or grass determines everything else in the feeding plan. Get the foundation in place first, and the rest becomes simple.

Your horse needs at least 1.5 kg dry matter per 100 kg of horse per day. For a 500 kg horse, that is e.g. 11‑15 kg of haylage.

Sugar: below 5‑7%. Protein: approx. 10%. If you don't know the figures, feed supplements on Ekstra level and get a forage analysis done.

How much per 100 kg of horse

ForageAmount per day
Hþ1,8‑1,9 kg
Haylage2.1‑3.0 kg
Grass3.8‑7.5 kg
Straw (supplement only)1.8‑1.9 kg

Check your forage

  • Smells fresh and green
  • No dust, mustiness or mould
  • Ideally a mix of several grass species
Enter your analysis in the calculator

No analysis? Here's what to do

  • Feed your vitamin and mineral supplement on Ekstra level: most Danish analyses show too few trace minerals, so it's the safe choice
  • If your horse is a good doer or on the round side: assume the sugar is too high. Mix in straw, limit grazing in spring and autumn
  • Watch for protein deficiency: flat muscles and a dull coat despite training → supplement with e.g. soya bean meal
How to get an analysis (the permanent solution)

Easiest: buy hay/haylage from a supplier who has already analysed the batch. Alternatively: send a sample to a laboratory yourself (e.g. Optilab, Eurofins or SEGES). New analysis for every new batch: the figures only apply to the load you have in store.

Signs of too much sugar in the meantime: cresty neck, fat pads, sore hooves. Signs of too little protein: dull coat, brittle hooves, muscle that won't build despite work.

Want to know more?

What is dry matter, and why do we measure in it?

Forage consists of water and dry matter. It's the dry matter your horse gets energy, protein, fibre and minerals from. Fresh grass is mostly water; hay and straw are almost dry. That's why a kilo of forage isn't always the same.

If protein is too low

Requirement: approx. 150 g crude protein per 100 kg of horse per day. For forage to be fed on its own, it needs approx. 10 % crude protein in dry matter. Example: at 6 % protein, a horse needs approx. 125‑130 g soya bean meal per 100 kg per day. Too much sugar can't be corrected; protein can always be added.

Mineral values that allow Normal dosing

Copper 4‑5 mg/kg · Zinc 20‑22 mg/kg · Manganese 40‑50 mg/kg · Iron 100‑110 mg/kg (only 10‑15% of iron is absorbed). If your analysis is at that level, you can use the Normal dose; otherwise Ekstra.

3 selected articles from the knowledge base

Guide to reading a forage analysis · Straw as forage: 30 or 50 %? · NDF and ADF: how coarse is your forage?