Humans are a pretty predictable bunch; unless you live in someplace like Iceland or Alaska, most of us sleep when the sun goes down, and get up to work or play when the sun is shining. Most of our eating and drinking is done during that time too; after all, we’re awake — so why not?
As a result, we tend to perform most of our horse chores during the day as well. We muck out, ride, groom, and yes — feed — our horses primarily between the hours of 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. After that evening feeding, we turn the lights out in the barn and head inside, assuming that our horses will sleep soundly until morning, when they’ll be calling for breakfast.
Because we like to think our horses follow the same schedule that we do, many people think that horses need less hay at night because they’re asleep (and therefore, not eating). However, that’s a myth. Horses need access to forage at all times of the day.
Horses Don’t Sleep Like Humans Do
Most humans aim for 8 hours a night of sleep. Horses don’t operate like that.
Juliet M. Getty, Ph.D, an equine nutritionist based in Lewisville, Texas, recently shared her expert views on this topic in a press release on “Three Not-So-Common Myths About Feeding Horses.” In it, she explained:
It’s easy to see why horses evolved in this way; in the wild, horses take turns sleeping, in order to always have at least one set of eyes looking out for predators. But even in the safety of the barn, this evolutionary habit remains. And it profoundly affects the way horses eat and digest their food.
The Connection Between Sleep and Equine Digestive Health
Quite simply, when horses are awake, they get hungry. And unlike humans, who tend to eat three big meals throughout the course of the day, horses need to eat constantly. A small, frequent intake of forage helps buffer the acids naturally present in the stomach and aids in digestion and absorption of nutrients. Because the horse’s stomach is quite small, he needs many smaller meals throughout the day to help food move through the stomach, small intestine and into the hindgut.
Getty continues on in her article to convey:
Combine the horse’s digestive needs with his sleep schedule, and it’s easy to see why he’s banging down his stall door for his morning meal. He’s probably hungry, which can cause stress for a horse. An empty belly may also be painful for your horse, as he won’t have anything in his stomach to help buffer stomach acids. Additionally, he’s likely to bolt his next feed, which could lead to undigested starch reaching the hindgut — and possibly lead to digestive imbalance.
How do I Know if I’m Feeding my Horse Enough?
The solution? Constant forage. If your horse can be turned out around the clock on pasture or with hay, perfect. If not, give your horse more hay than he can possibly eat during the night.
High-quality forage like hay should be the main staple of your horse’s diet. Be sure you’re feeding the right balance of forage to pellets or other hard feeds (hint: prioritize forage always!), and that you’re feeding it in a safe, clean environment.
Most importantly, remember that hay is for horses — at all times of the day and night.
I would have liked to see mention of slow feeders, to extend the chew time and duration of gut fill.
Thank you for correcting these myths and spreading the word!
Horses that are offered 24/7 forage will self regulate their intake, negating the need for a slow feeder. Slow feeders and hay nets were designed for the stalled horse with limited access to forage.