Feeding adjustments for sudden stable rest

When there is sudden, day-long torrential rain, or any other reason why you decide to keep your horse or pony inside for a day or two when he would normally be turned out for an hour or more, what should you change feed-wise?

It is essential to replace at least some of the grass he would have eaten. This is because the microflora in his hindgut need a consistent feed supply to avoid a microbial imbalance (fluctuations in the populations of bacteria present depending on what is supplied to them to eat). Such microbial imbalances can cause a wide variety of issues including colic, tying-up and fizzy behaviour.

So it is vitally important to cut some long grass (minimum of 1kg per two hours your pony would normally graze. Minimum 2kg/2hrs grazing for horses). Divide this into two ‘feeds’ at least 6 hours apart. By doing this you will ensure a consistency of food supply for the hindgut bacteria and you will also keep a little wet feed going into your horse compared to dry hay or fairly dry haylage.

Neither hay or haylage are good complete substitutes for grazing in short-term situations like this unless they were a) made from the field your horse was grazing and b) in the case of hay, it would also help to soak it for 30 minutes.

If you do not have access to long grass to cut, the closest substitute would be to keep a sack of high-temperature dried grass handy to feed during a day kept inside. This should be made up more wet than damp.

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