Horses are non-ruminant herbivores with digestive tracts that function best when fed diets based on good-quality forages. Feeding programs relying heavily on cereal grains with limited forage often result in health and performance problems. A horse’s stomach makes up only a small portion of its entire digestive tract. The small stomach is designed to continuously process small amounts of forage and feed, which is in contrast to many feeding programs that rely on twice-a-day feeding of a high-starch diet.

When the availability of forage or forage quality is poor, you can supplement your horse’s forage with high-quality forage products. Processed forage products are also excellent for horses with dental challenges or respiratory problems. You can even take forage cubes or pellets on the road in place of hay. Complete horse feeds, such as Patriot^® Feed Easy^® Complete and Patriot^® Senior Complete, which include grain and forage are handy all-in-one products to use when forage supply is low or of inferior feeding value. And, who doesn’t like to give their horse an occasional forage-based, healthy treat? Our Forage First^® Horse Rewards are a perfect occasional treat for your horse.

Vitamins and minerals are required for proper digestion and utilization of forages and feed and for most metabolic processes. Unfortunately, even the best forages are deficient in some minerals and vitamins, so it’s essential your horse feeding program provides an adequate supply. ADM Animal Nutrition’s GROSTRONG^® Vitamin and Mineral products are ideally formulated for horses and supply 28 minerals, vitamins, and electrolytes (including salt) in the correct proportions to complement forages and other feedstuffs used to fortify horse diets.

ADM Animal Nutrition’s Fortified Feeds are concentrate feeds based on higher energy, limited starch formulations that utilize highly digestible, fermentable fiber sources and vegetable fats. High-quality proteins and GROSTRONG^® Vitamin-Mineral fortification is also included. Typical feeding rate is 5-6 pounds per day which avoids overloading the equine digestive tract.

Premium Blends are premium, low-starch feeds for specialized situations and combine stabilized rice bran with other energy and protein sources along with GROSTRONG^® Vitamin-Mineral fortification to produce unique products that are more concentrated, thus lowering the feeding rate in comparison to traditional feeds and supplements.

To help reduce your horse’s risks of metabolic and digestive disorders replace high-starch cereal grains with Premium Hi-Fat Supplements which provide “cool” calories to achieve the look and energy level you want without the attitude. These supplements utilize stabilize rice bran and Omega Flax™ ground flaxseed to support energy needs.