Horse feed calculator
Is hay enough, or does your horse need more? Enter weight, workload and hay – we calculate the daily energy need and what your hay covers.
We don’t calculate protein, minerals or vitamins. Hay varies a lot – only a hay analysis tells you exactly.
The short answer
An adult horse needs about 0.0333 Mcal of digestible energy (DE) per kg of body weight a day at rest; light work adds 20%, moderate 40%, heavy 60% (NRC 2007, via the Merck Veterinary Manual). A 1,100 lb horse needs about 16.6 Mcal a day at rest and 19.9 Mcal in light work. With a hay analysis you can see how much of that your hay covers.
Daily energy need by weight and workload
| Weight | No work | Light | Moderate | Heavy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 400 lb | 6.0 | 7.3 | 8.5 | 9.7 |
| 600 lb | 9.1 | 10.9 | 12.7 | 14.5 |
| 800 lb | 12.1 | 14.5 | 16.9 | 19.3 |
| 1,000 lb | 15.1 | 18.1 | 21.1 | 24.2 |
| 1,100 lb | 16.6 | 19.9 | 23.3 | 26.6 |
| 1,200 lb | 18.1 | 21.8 | 25.4 | 29.0 |
| 1,400 lb | 21.1 | 25.4 | 29.6 | 33.8 |
Mcal digestible energy (DE) per day, NRC 2007 via the Merck Veterinary Manual.
Questions
How many calories does a horse need a day?
At rest about 0.0333 Mcal of digestible energy per kg of body weight: about 16.6 Mcal for a 1,100 lb horse. Light work adds 20%, moderate 40%, heavy 60% (NRC 2007, via Merck).
Is hay enough for my horse?
Often, for horses at rest. To know for sure, enter the energy from your hay analysis – the calculator then shows what your hay covers and what’s missing.
How much grain fills a gap?
Check the digestible energy on your feed’s label – we don’t guess grain energy. Feed at most about 0.3 lb of oats per 100 lb body weight per meal and at most 1 lb of grain per 100 lb a day (LfL Bavaria).
What counts as light, moderate and heavy work?
Light: 1–3 hours of riding a week. Moderate: 3–5 hours. Heavy: 4–5 hours with more trot and canter (Merck).
What about protein and minerals?
We don’t calculate those. Feed a mineral supplement as the label says, or ask an equine nutritionist for a full ration.
Why do I need a hay analysis?
Hay varies a lot by cutting, weather and field. We don’t guess its energy – a hay analysis gives you the real number.
Related
- Horse hay calculatorHow much hay does your horse need? Enter its weight – we calculate the daily minimum, the usual range and how many bales you need a year.
- Horse weight calculatorNo livestock scale nearby? Measure heart girth and body length with a tape – we estimate how much your horse weighs.
- Horse weight loss calculatorHow much hay, how fast, how long? Enter your horse’s weight and goal – we calculate a careful plan with a lower limit.