# Feeding horse once a day instead of twice?



## Blazeeofglory (Jul 14, 2013)

Hi guys!

I am deciding to move one of my horses from a boarding facility to my own property. I normally feed him twice a day, 1 3QT scoop of mana pleasure 12 and 1 flake of TNA hay and my other horses on my property get full access to a round bale and also get fed once a day in the evening. So i am going to move him to once a day feeding, how should i go about this? Just lessen his am feed slowly before the move?

Thanks!
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## Horseychick87 (Feb 5, 2014)

Yes, I'd slowly decrease the am feed and if you'll still be feeding the same amount just in one feeding I'd slowly add that to the evening feed.

Horses really shouldn't have more then 4 pounds of any concentrated feed or grain in one meal, but sometimes that is what is done.

How much does that one scoop weigh?


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## mred (Jan 7, 2015)

Agree, Horsey. Remember, I assume that he will also have full access to hay. Watch his weight. He may not need as much feed. I don't know if it makes a difference, but I only feed once during the summer. I think it is better in the late afternoon, due to heat. Someone might have comment about this.


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## Allison Finch (Oct 21, 2009)

I greatly dislike once a day feeding. I prefer three small feeds to even two. It is so much better for them not to get a gut load of high octane nutrients at once. 

But if you must, yes, you need to wean them off of two feedings. 

What are they feeding and how much, would be my worry. Hopefully, they don't throw a huge amount of feed at them this way.


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## Blazeeofglory (Jul 14, 2013)

mred said:


> Agree, Horsey. Remember, I assume that he will also have full access to hay. Watch his weight. He may not need as much feed. I don't know if it makes a difference, but I only feed once during the summer. I think it is better in the late afternoon, due to heat. Someone might have comment about this.


I am in florida, so it is extremely hot during the day. And yes, he will get full access to hay.
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## Dreamcatcher5 (May 15, 2012)

My horses get fed once a day, in the evening. They get hay in the morning which will last them through most of the day, and their feed in the evening, along with some more hay for the night. This is my winter feeding routine. The horses are healthy, happy, and in good weight. Their feed consists of mainly sugar beet and copra (coconut meal), though, along with a small scoop of cereal feed. 

As was said by the other posters, it greatly depends on what your horse is getting fed. My horses are fine with their feeding routine, but others may not be. It all depends on the horse and it's diet.


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## loosie (Jun 19, 2008)

Hi,

If you can only feed once daily, keep it small in quantity & low carb/grain. Meals should be kept small & at least 2-3 feeds daily is important if you're feeding rich stuff - fewer 'side effects' when little & often.

If it's a Manna Pro feed, is it the 'Sweet 10'? Only one I could see that mentioned pleasure horses. This is a grainy(with corn first ingredient) sweetfeed and I wouldn't be feeding it at all actually. Think high octane junk food. With a few vitamins added - Macca's for horses! 

Instead, if he needs more calories than free choice hay can provide, a healthy, low carb, high fibre alternative such as alfalfa, beet pulp, etc. If he only needs the nutritional boost, not extra condition, then an appropriate ration balancer or other vitamin/mineral supp should do the trick.


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## Blazeeofglory (Jul 14, 2013)

He was on a stock sweet feed with his previous owners. I have since switched him to this:









It is not a sweet feed, i got off that as soon as i could! Lol!
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## loosie (Jun 19, 2008)

Didn't come up on their website. Maybe a new feed? Depends what it is as to how good/bad or indifferent it may be.


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## JCnGrace (Apr 28, 2013)

Mine only get fed once a day and even then it's only a dab of oats (summer feed). Keeps them in the routine of being in the barn at a certain time every day so that I can make sure they're all alive and well. Of course they have pasture 3 seasons of the year a free access hay the other so they aren't lacking any meat on their bones. 

As long as you're not having to overfeed at that one meal there's nothing wrong with it. If you find your horse is losing weight from only 1 meal then you'll need to add back another one instead of continually increasing the one feeding.


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## verona1016 (Jul 3, 2011)

I couldn't find that feed on MannaPro's website, but did find it here: Manna Pro Horse Feed, Manna Pro Equine Feed, Pleasure 12% horse Feed, Manna Pro Pleasure 12% Feed, Feed for the maintenance of mature horses, Pelleted Horse Feed, Feed with Polysaccharide complex minerals, 12% protein, 4 % fat, 22% fiber

If that's accurate, I would recommend looking for another, higher quality feed. Anything with peanut hulls as an ingredient is a big red flag for me, as these are indigestible for horses and just bulk up the feed. This is a sweet feed, since technically any feed with added molasses is a sweet feed, but it's really the overall NSC (sugar/starch) level that matters. Most of the lower quality feeds don't publish their NSC levels. Based on the other ingredients, I'd guess the sugar/starch level is quite high.

You may very well find that a smaller amount of a higher quality feed is enough to maintain your horse's weight, and the smaller amount will make it less problematic for feeding once daily. If you post a little more about your horse (activity level? needs tl gain weight? lose weight? etc) and what brands are available near you we could probably give you some suggestions on better feeds.


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## GreySorrel (Mar 5, 2012)

We feed our 4 horses once a day, the draft horses get 3 quarts of a complete feed pelleted feed, 2 quarts of a low starch, low carb, high fat pellet, and 3 scoops of a palatable brewers yeast pellet as top dressing. 

Lucy my Quarter Horse gets 2 quarts of complete feed pelleted feed and 2 cups of pelleted alfalfa for weight as she is a hard keeper and tends to loose weight, her brother Terry gets 1.5 quarts of the compete feed pelleted feed. 

We also keep a round bale out in the pasture all the time, when they eat the one that is out there we go and get another one, so they have roughage and something to do. They don't eat on it all the time, during the summer they prefer to stand in the shade of the barn aisle with all the fans blowing on them. I also consulted the vet and what we do, he is fine with it, as the two Quarter Horses are 23 and my one Percheron is 22, her team mate is only 18 and all in good health.


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## Horseychick87 (Feb 5, 2014)

verona1016 said:


> I couldn't find that feed on MannaPro's website, but did find it here: Manna Pro Horse Feed, Manna Pro Equine Feed, Pleasure 12% horse Feed, Manna Pro Pleasure 12% Feed, Feed for the maintenance of mature horses, Pelleted Horse Feed, Feed with Polysaccharide complex minerals, 12% protein, 4 % fat, 22% fiber
> 
> 
> > You beat me to it Verona. ;-)
> ...


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