Feed a day
15.4 to 25.67 to 11.6lbkg
- 10.2–20.54.6–9.3lb hay or pasturekg hay or pasture
- 5.1–10.22.3–4.6lb grainkg grain
- 5.12.3lb most grain a mealkg most grain a meal
- A 1,024 lb horse eats 15.4 to 25.6 lb of feed a day: 1.5% to 2.5% of its weight.
- Hay or pasture: 10.2 to 20.5 lb. Grain: 5.1 to 10.2 lb.
- Give no more than 5.1 lb of grain at one meal. For 10.2 lb a day, that is 2 meals or more.
- Give at least 10.2 lb of hay a day, Florida says: 1% of its weight. Penn State says about 2% (20.5 lb) is better.
- For 1 horse, 30 days of hay is 307 to 614 lb.
- Weigh the hay and grain. Flakes and scoops are not all the same weight, Penn State says. Too thin or too fat? Ask your vet.
Feed as a share of body weight
| Horse | Hay or pasture | Grain | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grown, not working | 1.5–2% | 0–0.5% | 1.5–2% |
| Light work (1 to 3 hours a day) | 1–2% | 0.5–1% | 1.5–2.5% |
| Moderate work (3 to 5 hours) | 1–2% | 0.75–1.5% | 1.75–2.5% |
| Hard work (over 5 hours) | 0.8–1.5% | 1–2% | 2–3% |
| Mare, last months of pregnancy | 1–1.5% | 0.5–1% | 1.5–2% |
| Mare, nursing (first 3 months) | 1–2% | 1–2% | 2–3% |
| Mare, nursing (after 3 months) | 1–2% | 0.5–1.5% | 2–2.5% |
| Weanling (6 months) | 0.5–1% | 1.5–3% | 2–3% |
| Yearling (12 months) | 1–1.5% | 1–2% | 1.8–3% |
| Long yearling (18 months) | 1–1.5% | 1–1.5% | 2–2.5% |
| Two-year-old (24 months) | 1–1.5% | 1–1.5% | 1.75–2.5% |
Percent of body weight a day, for air-dry feed. From Nebraska G1781, Table I. Hay and grain each have a range, so they do not always add up to the total.
How we work it out
- Feed a day = weight × the percent from the table.
- Most grain at one meal = weight × 0.5% (Nebraska and Florida).
- Least hay a day = weight × 1% (Florida).
Nebraska's example: a 1,024 lb horse in light work eats 1,024 × 1.5% = 15.36 lb, up to 1,024 × 2.5% = 25.6 lb a day.
Questions
How much hay does a horse eat a day?
A grown horse that is not working eats about 1.5% to 2% of its weight a day. For a 1,000 lb horse, that is 15 to 20 lb of hay.
How much hay does a horse need at least?
At least 1% of its weight, says Florida. Penn State says about 2% is better for its gut.
How much grain should I feed my horse?
Many grown horses that are not working need little or none. Horses in work, nursing mares and young horses need more. See the table below.
How much grain at one meal?
No more than 0.5% of its weight. That is 5 lb for a 1,000 lb horse. Split more than that into more meals.
How much hay for a horse for the winter?
At 2% of its weight, a 1,000 lb horse eats 20 lb a day, or 600 lb a month. Six months is about 1.8 tons. Plan for some waste, too.
Sources
- University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension G1781, Basics of Feeding Horses: Feeding ManagementNov 2007Hay, grain and total feed as a share of body weight, by work and stage of life
- University of Florida IFAS, Stretching Your Hay SupplyundatedAt least 1% of body weight as hay; grain meals of 0.5% at most
- Penn State Extension, The Importance of Weighing Horse FeedAug 2026About 2% of body weight as forage; weigh the hay and grain