This article has not yet been professionally approved. The information is based on the sources listed below.
Simplifying horse feeding: fewer tubs, clear instructions
Lots of tubs, different measuring scoops, changing yard staff: how to reduce the daily effort with supplements without making the ration less accurate.
The short answer
Feeding becomes simpler when fewer products are involved, every amount is fixed in grams and one set of written instructions applies to everyone who feeds. Pre-measured and labelled portions can make the routine in the yard even easier 1. Simplifying does not mean guessing the ration: first check which supplement is needed, then combine 2.
Where the daily effort comes from
The more products, measuring scoops and feeding times come together, the more laborious and error-prone feeding becomes, especially when several people feed. In larger yards, the horse's individual needs, the owner's wish for control and the staff's need for simple routines collide 1.
- Several tubs with different measuring scoops
- Amounts only the owner knows
- Changing staff, holidays or illness
- Supplements whose purpose nobody quite remembers
Step 1: Sort out first, then combine
The biggest lever is often one product fewer. First check which supplements have a calculated purpose and which overlap. Several products with the same trace elements can often be reduced to one 2.
Step 2: Grams instead of scoops
Measuring scoops differ from product to product, and a level scoop of pellets weighs differently from one of powder. Set the daily amount in grams for each product, weigh it once and then mark the matching fill level. The feeding instructions on the declaration state the daily amount to which the contents refer 3.
Step 3: Instructions everyone understands
Short written feeding instructions at the feeding point help everyone who feeds. Labelled portions can be assigned without having to ask 1.
- Name of the horse and stable
- Product and amount in grams
- Time and split across meals
- Valid from, and contact person for questions
Pre-measured portions or a single mix?
Pre-measured daily portions contain the planned amount of one or more complementary feeds and are a proven tool for yards with many hands 1. A custom feed mix goes one step further: the substances missing by calculation are contained in one product with a fixed daily amount.
At Equivora, such a pellet mix is created from the ration analysis of an individual horse. The calculation remains the prerequisite: what is not needed does not go in, and the composition is checked when the hay batch changes.
| Option | Effort in the yard | What to look out for |
|---|---|---|
| Several tubs | High | Know the amounts and overlaps |
| Pre-measured portions | Low | Contents of the portion must fit the ration |
| Custom mix | Low | Keep the calculation up to date, check when hay changes |
Comparison of the options by effort in the yard; not an assessment of specific products.
Step 4: Change over gradually
Feed changes should be made gradually 4. Introduce the new supplement over a few days, phase out superfluous products one after another and record from when the new instructions apply.
Key takeaways
Frequently asked questions
What is a custom feed mix for horses?
A supplement whose composition is calculated for an individual horse from its ration. It combines the substances missing by calculation in one product with a fixed daily amount. Like any complementary feed, it is intended for use together with the rest of the feed 3.
Can I combine all supplements in one mix?
Only feeds that are needed according to the ration calculation. Veterinary medicines do not belong in a feed mix, and substances without a calculated purpose do not become more useful by being combined. Maximum contents still apply to the entire ration 5.
What happens when the hay changes?
Then the gap may change. A mix matched to a hay lab report should be checked against the new values when the batch changes 6.
Sources & studies
The content is based on the references listed below. It does not replace individual veterinary or feeding advice.
Show list of sources (6)
- SmartPak Equine – What are SmartPaks?Benchmark for pre-portioned daily servings (US market example)
- 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)
- 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).
- Liburt NR (2026): Feeding Practices in Horses and Other Equids. Merck Veterinary ManualSpecialist overview, as of February 2026: forage basis, concentrates as required, bran/mash and Ca:P balance, gradual feed changes. No efficacy study on commercial mash products.
- Verordnung (EG) Nr. 1831/2003Feed additives – authorisation and use; “daily ration” based on 12% moisture (Art. 2(2)(f)), renewal of authorisation and automatic continuation (Art. 14(4)), general conditions of use (Annex IV: natural plus added amount; complementary feed, diluted as specified, at most at the level for complete feed). Link to the current EUR-Lex consolidated version (as of 27 March 2021).
- 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)