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SESK: Stuff Everyone Should Know · sesk.info/horse-grain-per-meal

What is the most grain a mature horse should get in one feeding, as a share of body weight?

0.3 to 0.4 percent of body weight per feeding.

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  1. 0.3 to 0.4 percent ✔
  2. 2 to 3 percent
  3. 5 percent

Why: A horse's stomach is small and not built for big grain meals. Too much at once can upset the gut. Feed small grain meals and let hay do most of the work.

Huh, didn't know that: For a 1,000 pound horse, 0.3 to 0.4 percent is only about 3 to 4 pounds of grain per meal.

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Why do horses look so fit? They eat a stable diet.
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References

Answer: 0.3 to 0.4 percent. A horse's stomach is small and not built for big grain meals. Too much at once can upset the gut. Feed small grain meals and let hay do most of the work.

  1. Ten things you should know about feeding the mature horse, UMN Extension extension.umn.edu/horse-nutrition/ten-things-you-should-know-about-feeding-mature-horse
    Don't feed your horse more than 0.3 to 0.4 percent of their body weight in cereal grains per feeding.
    Checked 2026-10-10.

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