This article has not yet been professionally approved. The information is based on the sources listed below.
Grain-free horse feed: when it makes sense
What “grain-free” means for concentrates and mineral feed, why it does not automatically mean low in sugar and starch, and for which horses less starch really matters.
The short answer
Grain-free only means that no cereals are listed in the composition 1. Sugar and starch can still come from molasses, potato or peas 2. Less starch makes sense above all with insulin dysregulation, stomach problems or PSSM 34. Many horses do not need concentrates anyway; then the question of grain-free is quickly answered.
What “grain-free” means on the label
The labelling of a feed lists the feed materials in the composition, together with analytical constituents and additives 1. That is where you can see whether oats, barley, maize or wheat are included. The term “grain-free” only says what is missing, not what is in it instead.
Common substitutes are fibre sources such as lucerne (alfalfa), meadow grass, sugar beet pulp or linseed, but also peas, potato protein or molasses. Molasses is very high in sugar, with over 50% sugar. According to the Gruber Table, peas contain around 48% starch in the dry matter and steamed potatoes around 67% 2. So grain-free does not automatically mean low in starch or sugar.
Not all starch is the same
How well starch is digested in the small intestine depends on its source and processing. In digestion trials, digestibility before the large intestine differed between cereal, potato and cassava starch 5. Oat starch was readily digestible in these trials.
Larger amounts of starch per meal can overwhelm the small intestine, so that undigested starch reaches the large intestine 6. In practice, what counts is therefore the amount your horse receives per meal, not just the source.
For which horses less starch matters
For a healthy horse with moderate energy requirements, small amounts of cereals are not a problem; there, the whole ration decides whether concentrates are needed at all. Less starch matters above all in these cases:
- Insulin dysregulation (EMS) and insulin-associated laminitis: no cereals, hay with less than 10% NSC 3.
- Stomach problems: more than 1 g of starch per kg of body weight per meal was associated with gastric findings in one study 47.
- PSSM: forage as the basis, little starch, energy preferably from fat 8.
Grain-free mineral feed
In mineral feed, cereals are usually present as a carrier. With daily amounts of a few grams up to about 100 g, it contributes little starch. If you feed strictly grain-free, you should still check the composition 1.
More important than the carrier are the contents of minerals and trace elements, converted to your daily amount. Only then can you see whether the product suits your hay.
Key takeaways
Frequently asked questions
Is grain-free feed automatically good for EMS?
No. For EMS, what counts is the content of sugar, fructan and starch (NSC) in the whole ration 3. A grain-free muesli with molasses can supply more sugar than expected. Check the composition and, if stated, the sugar and starch content.
What does grain-free mineral feed mean?
The mineral feed contains no cereals as a carrier. Whether it contains other carriers with sugar or starch instead is stated in the composition 1. With small daily amounts of a few grams, the contribution to starch is usually small; the mineral values remain decisive.
Does my horse need concentrates at all?
Many leisure horses cover their energy requirements with good hay and only need mineral supplementation 6. Concentrates only become necessary when work or body condition demands more energy.
Sources & studies
The content is based on the references listed below. It does not replace individual veterinary or feeding advice.
Show list of sources (8)
- Verordnung (EG) Nr. 767/2009Placing on the market and use of feed, labelling and claims; definitions of complete feed (Art. 3(2)(i)) and complementary feed (point (j)), content of feed additives (Art. 8), feeding instructions (Annex II No. 4). Link to the current EUR-Lex consolidated version (as of 26 December 2018).
- Bayerische Landesanstalt für Landwirtschaft (LfL): Gruber Tabelle zur PferdefütterungPractical reference table with requirement and feed values based on the GfE recommendations; the basis of many ration calculations in German-speaking countries. Chapter 9.3, Table 39: most common poisonous plants for horses with habitat, toxicity and risk level (after Kamphues et al. 2014)
- Bertin FR, Bailey S, Burns T, de Laat M, Durham A, Frank N, Kritchevsky J, Menzies-Gow N (Equine Endocrinology Group, 2024): Recommendations for the Diagnosis and Management of Equine Metabolic Syndrome (EMS) and Insulin Dysregulation. Revised June 2024Veterinary expert recommendation, checked on 30 September 2026. Table 1: HAL is by far the most common form of laminitis at over 90%; NSC = water-soluble carbohydrates plus starch, NFC subtraction formulas no longer recommended; NSC as the main trigger of insulin release. Risk factors: NSC-rich ration, age, PPID; overweight aggravating but not consistently. Table 5: hay < 10% NSC; for weight loss 1.5% of body mass as dry matter (1.7% as fed), check every 30 days, lower limit 1.2%; avoid stress because of the risk of hyperlipaemia; straw up to approx. 50% introduced gradually; soak hay in cold water for ≥ 60 min if NSC > 10% or not analysed; hay net/small meals; low-sugar mineral/vitamin/protein balancer; restrict grazing, resume only after laminitis has subsided and an insulin test; pasture NSC varies with temperature, light, rainfall, fertilisation; higher insulin values in winter; exercise only without active laminitis. FAQ: insulin dysregulation in about 30% of PPID horses; test for PPID and ID from 10 years of age. Recommendation for vets, not a guide for owners.
- Luthersson N, Nielsen KH, Harris P, Parkin TDH (2009): Risk factors associated with equine gastric ulceration syndrome (EGUS) in 201 horses in Denmark. Equine Veterinary Journal 41(7):625–630Cross-sectional study of 201 horses from 23 Danish yards. Significant risk factors: straw as the only forage, starch intake above 2 g/kg BW/day or above 1 g/kg BW/meal, no access to water in the turnout area; for the non-glandular mucosa additionally a feeding interval of more than 6 hours. Associations, not proof of causation
- Meyer H et al. (1995): Investigations on preileal digestion of starch from grain, potato and manioc in horses. Zentralblatt für Veterinärmedizin A 42(6):371–381Trial in seven fistulated horses, at least four animals per diet; high pre-ileal digestibility of oat starch, influence of individual factors. Abstract checked; no generally safe amount of oats derived from it.
- Coenen M, Vervuert I (2020): Pferdefütterung. Begründet von H. Meyer. 6., aktualisierte Aufl., Georg Thieme Verlag, Stuttgart. ISBN 978-3-13-241778-6Standard reference work on equine nutrition in German-speaking countries; Table 4.17 mineral recommendations (recommended supply and minimum requirement), Table 4.18 derived sweat volumes per work level and weight class, Table 4.19 electrolyte performance requirement per sweat volume (in addition to maintenance requirement)
- Sykes BW, Hewetson M, Hepburn RJ, Luthersson N, Tamzali Y (2015): European College of Equine Internal Medicine Consensus Statement – Equine Gastric Ulcer Syndrome in Adult Horses. Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine 29(5):1288–1299European specialist guideline: minimum of 1.5 kg forage dry matter per 100 kg body weight per day, avoid breaks in feeding of more than 6 hours, starch below 2 g/kg BW/day and below 1 g/kg BW/meal; gastroscopy as the only reliable diagnosis in the living horse; oral antacids act for ≤ 2 hours
- Valberg SJ (2026): Exertional Myopathies in Horses. Merck Veterinary ManualSpecialist overview, as of July 2026, checked on 30 September 2026: PSSM1 caused by a dominantly inherited GYS1 mutation, detected by genetic test from blood or hair; PSSM2 without GYS1 mutation by muscle biopsy, many PSSM2 cases in Arabians and warmbloods reclassified as myofibrillar myopathy (MFM); dietary framework for PSSM: forage 1.5–2% of body mass, more than 15% of digestible energy from fat, starch below 10% of digestible energy, limit grain or replace it with fat; in addition, gradually increased daily exercise and turnout; if response is inadequate in PSSM2, 6–8 weeks of MFM diet; acute signs and kidney risk with myoglobinuria. Vitamin E/selenium deficiency mentioned only as a possible contributor to sporadic exertional myopathy.