The Complete Guide to Horse Feeding in India

From body weight to activity level, learn exactly how to build a balanced, forage-first diet for your horse in the Indian climate — and why a good premix feed changes everything.

Feeding a horse well is the single biggest factor in its health, performance and longevity — yet it is where most Indian horse owners struggle. Between inconsistent forage quality, hot and humid summers, and a market flooded with generic feeds, building a balanced diet can feel overwhelming. This guide breaks it down into simple, science-backed principles you can apply today.

1. Start with the golden rule: forage first

A horse is a trickle-feeder designed to graze for 16–18 hours a day. Its entire digestive system — from a small stomach to a huge fermenting hindgut — depends on a steady flow of fibre. Forage (hay, grass and chaff) should always form the foundation of the diet, ideally 1.5–2% of body weight per day in dry matter.

For a 450 kg horse, that means roughly 7–9 kg of good-quality hay or its equivalent every day. Skimp on forage and you invite colic, gastric ulcers and stereotypic behaviours like cribbing.

2. Know your horse's body weight

You cannot feed accurately if you are guessing weight. Use a weigh-tape around the girth, or the heart-girth and body-length formula. Re-check monthly — horses gain and lose condition faster than owners expect, especially through the Indian summer.

• Light work: 1.5–2% of body weight in total feed
• Moderate work: 2–2.5%
• Hard work / lactating mares: 2.5–3%

3. Add concentrates only to fill the gap

Forage alone rarely meets the energy, protein, vitamin and mineral needs of a working or breeding horse. This is where a balanced premix (concentrate) feed comes in. The key word is balanced — a scoop of plain oats or gram (chana) provides calories but throws minerals dangerously out of ratio.

A scientifically formulated premix like EquiOne delivers quality protein, chelated minerals, full-spectrum vitamins and controlled starch in one bag, so you are not left guessing whether your horse is deficient.

“The most common mistake in India is feeding too much grain and too little forage. Flip that ratio and most digestive problems disappear.”

4. Split meals and never feed by the eye alone

The equine stomach is small. Feed concentrates in at least two, ideally three, small meals rather than one large one. Weigh feed with a scale — a 'scoop' varies wildly. Introduce any new feed gradually over 7–10 days to protect the hindgut microbiome.

5. Water and salt are non-negotiable

Clean, fresh water must be available at all times — a working horse in the Indian heat can drink 30–50 litres a day. Provide free-choice salt (a Himalayan rock salt block is ideal) and add electrolytes on hot, high-sweat days to replace what is lost.

6. Match the feed to the life stage

• Foals & growing horses: higher protein and balanced calcium:phosphorus for sound bone
• Performance horses: controlled starch plus oils and electrolytes for stamina
• Breeding mares & stallions: elevated energy, protein and trace minerals for fertility
• Seniors & easy keepers: highly digestible fibre with a low-starch balancer

Why EquiOne makes this simple

EquiOne premix feeds are formulated by equine nutritionists and veterinarians specifically for Indian conditions — 100% natural, preservative-free and steroid-free. Each life-stage formula removes the guesswork: feed forage plus the correct EquiOne premix as directed, add water and salt, and your horse's nutrition is complete.