Article: A weight bridge is far more accurate and should be used instead of a tape if available. Condition scoring is the best form of recording weight changes. Weigh your horse every 2 weeks and plot the changes on a graph. The requirement is between 1.5 to 3% of its body weight, averaging at 2.5%. Use the following equation to determine how much you should feed your horse each day: BodyWeight/100x2.5=Total Daily Ration Do you want to keep your horse at the level it is already at (maintenance diet)? Do you want to reduce the horse’s weight because of health issues (reduction diet)? Or, do you want to increase your horse’s body weight due to a past illness or because your horse is underweight?  The best strategy to use when developing a feeding plan for your horse is to feed based on the desired weight, rather than the current weight. e.g. A horse is underweight and weighs 300kg. If the horse’s ideal weight is 400kg, don't feed 2.5% of 300kg. Feed 2.5% of 400kg. Use the same strategy for an overweight horse. Feed based on the desired weight, and not current, meaning you will actually be feeding less that the overweight amount, meaning, a reduction of waistline for your horse. Different forage have different amounts of DE (digestible energy) this depends on the type of forage (grass, haylage, hay, oat straw) and the type of grass (rye, timothy, cocksfoot or orchard grass). For grazing the time of year also affect the DE. Spring grass has a high level while winter grazing is very poor. For preserved grass the “cut” affects the DE. Early cut grass is higher in DE than late cut grass. Oat Straw is very low in DE. The best way to find out the nutritious in your forage is to have it analyzed. Some horses are prone to heating up (becoming over excited and spooky). Feeding these horses slow-release energy (fiber and oil) will help, this is the safest form of energy and causes the least amount of health problems. Other horses are lazy and lack “sparkle”. Feeding fast-release energy (starch found in cereals/grains like oats and barley) can help. Starch has been connected with a number of health problems and must be restricted for some horses. If you are not sure how much you should be feeding your horse, talk to your horse’s veterinarian. Some feed manufacturers also have help lines that you can use to get feeding advice for your horse.

What is a summary?
Weigh your horse by using a weight tape or weight bridge (equine scales). Calculate the total daily requirements (forage and concentrate). Determine what type of weight gain you want for your horse. Control the energy level in forage by feeding different types or a mix of types. Choose a type of energy to suit your horse. Check it with a professional if you are unsure about how much to feed your horse.