Horses were first thought to be domesticated in Eurasia about 6,000 years ago. We're not entirely sure what people were feeding horses around this time. Still, we can probably assume it was a forage-based diet, much like our horses today. Interestingly, there are ancient written records of what horses have been fed over the past few thousand years, and this gives us the opportunity to compare it to current science-based feeding strategies.
What were old horses fed?
Through ancient writings we can form a picture of what ancient horses were fed thousands of years ago. Documents from ancient Greek and Roman history, approximately 2000-2500 years ago, paint a picture of a horse's diet being carefully managed, including the type of roughage, grain or forage fed. All this shows that the study and transmission of knowledge about horse nutrition was important for different societies over millennia.
The earliest written documents emphasize the importance of quality feed for horses. For example, the famous Greek philosopher Aristotle, in the 4th century BC. stated that "young, green grass that sets seed is good for a horse's coat, but if the grass has stiff canopies, it is not so good." This means that Aristotle knew that young and growing forage was better for horses compared to more mature forage. Several writings by Aristotle and other ancient Greek authors mentioned that alfalfa was a superior feed for horses. This was after it was introduced to Greece by the Persians in the 5th century BC.
The study of ancient horse owners becomes really interesting as it relates to the types of grain or feed they fed their horses. There is evidence that owners were aware of the benefits and pitfalls of complementary feeding even 2,500 years ago.
First, horse owners were well aware that horses at different levels of work required different levels of supplemental feed, such as grain. In the 5th century BC, a writer noted: "You must see horses sufficiently fed to endure hard work." In another case in the 2nd century AD a writer noted that a Calvary officer fed his horse only chaff (chopped straw) and when he went into battle the horse quickly broke down, concluding that a poor diet led to poor performance .
The type of grain or fodder fed by the ancients varied by location and availability. In many corners of the Mediterranean and Europe, it was noted by Roman writers that barley was often the favorite grain for horses. Interestingly, oats are rarely mentioned in ancient writings, but first appear in Roman documents around 100 AD. This is because oats did not become widely available until they were introduced through the Near East.
All in all, this suggests that even ancient horse owners had a level of sophistication and knowledge about how and what to feed their horses that continues to this day.
How horse nutrition has changed over the past century
Although information about feeding horses has been passed down from generation to generation for many millennia, our understanding of horse nutrition has only exploded in the past 100 years. The biggest change has occurred in our understanding ofWHYor what we feed and how it affects our horses.
At the turn of the 20th century, in 1900, horses were at their peak all over the world. They were the main means of transportation for almost every society across the planet, but also crucial for agricultural work. Cars and tractors would not overtake horses as the primary means of transportation or work machines for another few decades.
Surprisingly, the horses fed in 1900 were not that different from what was fed almost 2,500 years ago. Again, much of what was fed depended on what was available for that area. Horses were fed alfalfa, loose hay, barley, oats, corn and other grains. In addition, food in the form of boiled vegetables was often fed. The question then becomes: what has changed?
As cars and tractors replaced horses in the United States, the total horse population fell from about 21 million in 1920 to about 4.5 million in 1960. So over those forty years, horses were lost and forgotten in many parts of society. But as wealth became more available in the post-war years, people rediscovered their love for horses. Today there are nearly 10 million horses in the United States, many of which are owned for pleasure riding and other activities.
With the rediscovery of horses in the 1960s, a focused interest in equine science arose. Equine nutrition became a primary area of study for many scientists, as well as a focused interest in equine medicine. Before 1960, scientific articles and studies on horses were virtually non-existent. But since 1960, and especially with an explosion in the 1980s, there have now been thousands upon thousands of scientific articles published on all topics related to equine health and nutrition.
This research has not only benefited the horses and their health, but has also uncovered many secrets about how and what to feed horses. Horse nutrition is truly a focused science and hundreds of studies are being conducted worldwide. We can honestly say that it has never been better to be a horse today!
Sources
Donaghy, T. (2012). Feeding the old horse. Journal of the Veterinary Historical Society. 16:302–24.
Harris, P. (1998). Developments in horse nutrition: comparison from the beginning and end of this century. Journal of Nutrition. 128:2698S-703S.
Around 10 million years ago, horse species that maintained a fruit and leaf diet went extinct, and about 4-5 million years later also species that had a intermediate diets (part leafy and part grassy) disappeared. Only the grass-eating equids
equids
Equidae (sometimes known as the horse family) is the taxonomic family of horses and related animals, including the extant horses, asses, and zebras, and many other species known only from fossils. The family evolved around 50 million years ago from a small, multi-toed ungulate into larger, single-toed animals.
that eventually became the modern day horse (Equus ferus
Equus ferus
The wild horse (Equus ferus) is a species of the genus Equus, which includes as subspecies the modern domesticated horse (Equus ferus caballus) as well as the endangered Przewalski's horse (Equus ferus przewalskii, sometimes treated as a separate species i.e. Equus przewalskii).
Surprisingly, what horses were fed in 1900 did not differ too much from what was fed nearly 2500 years ago. Again, much of what was fed was dependent on what was available for that area. Horses were fed alfalfa, loose grass hays, barley, oats, corn, and other grains.
The horses were fed in small quantities and often, because the stomach of the animal was small. Usually hay was fed before the corn or grain to cause the animal to eat more slowly. When hay was not available, chaff or shop was mixed with the grain.
Here, two large Dinohippus horses can be seen grazing on grass, much like horses today. But unlike modern horses, a three-toed Hypohippus tiptoes through the forest, nibbling on leaves. A small, three-toed Nannippus, shown here eating shrubs, ate both grass and leaves.
It is essential that a horse have an adequate source of energy in the form of carbohydrates and fats so that the protein can be used for foal growth, the production of milk and body repair, rather than as a source of energy. Naturally occurring fats make up less than 5% of the horse's diet.
Often, horses are provided a combination of the following feed sources in order to maintain a healthy horse. Hay is a type of forage and should make up most of a horse's diet. Hay can consist of grass including orchard grass or can be from a legume (crop) such as alfalfa.
Nov.3, 1998: California voters passed Proposition 6 which banned the slaughter of horses, donkeys and mules and sale of horsemeat for human consumption. by a 69-28 margin, following a bipartisan House vote of 269-158 in June 2005. Funding limitations remained in place in the federal budget until 2011.
Around 10 million years ago, horse species that maintained a fruit and leaf diet went extinct, and about 4-5 million years later also species that had a intermediate diets (part leafy and part grassy) disappeared. Only the grass-eating equids that eventually became the modern day horse (Equus ferus caballus) survived.
Apples and carrots are traditional favorites. You can safely offer your horse raisins, grapes, bananas, strawberries, cantaloupe or other melons, celery, pumpkin, and snow peas. Most horses will chew these treats before swallowing, but horses that gulp large pieces of a fruit or vegetable have a risk of choking.
If their own hay crop fails they have to buy hay and have it trucked to their farm. It is left under cover at stations they ride to in the course of their work - herding cattle, repairing fences, doctoring cattle. If working horses eat hay that contains legumes like alfalfa they often do not need grain (oats, corn).
The major fodder provided to the animals were oats, hay, straw, and cut grass, with the occasional mention of other foodstuffs like bran, beans, peas, and 'horse bread', a mixture of grains and ground legumes. The amount provided for each animal depended on its age and type, but ascertaining exactly how much is tricky.
Kazakhstan is one of the largest consumers of horse meat, behind China. This comes as no surprise since Kazakhstan draws its influence and roots from its history, which is very closely related to Chinese, Mongolian, and Russian influences.
Over millions of years, many horse species lost most of their side toes. The middle toe evolved into a single large hoof, while the other toes became smaller and ultimately functionless.
Although it's rare, there are some documented instances of wild horses nibbling on some meat. This unusual behaviour could be influenced by various factors, like nutritional deficiencies or plain old curiosity! Still, it's important to remember that these meat-eating horses are the exceptions and not the norm.
Horses in Medieval England were fed on oats in winter and were pastured during summer.Also, hay and straw was commonly used as feed, with chaff, bran, horse bread, legumes (peas, beans, vetches) a minor component [65]. Horses in Bohemian countries were fed mainly on barley and later on oats [45].
However, horses required feed—grass or cottonwood tree bark for winter feed. And riders were occasionally injured by an accident with a horse. Like metal goods and guns, horses arrived on the northern Great Plains in advance of non-Indian traders and explorers.
Provide your horse with grass or grass hay all day. If your horse needs additional calories (due to heavy workloads, breeding, growing, etc) add protein, fats and carbs to their diet through grains, seeds and supplements. Make sure your horse is getting adequate vitamins and minerals as well.
Alfalfa hay is usually highest in nutrients. Alfalfa is useful in the diets of horses with high nutrient requirements like broodmares and growing horses. Alfalfa is very palatable so horses usually waste less. Timothy and orchardgrass hays are usually lower in most nutrients than alfalfa hay.
Is horsemeat safe for human consumption? No. U.S. horsemeat is dangerous to humans because of the unregulated administration of numerous toxic substances to horses before slaughter. In the U.S., horses are raised and treated as companion animals, not as food-producing animals.
How Long Can a Horse Go Without Any Food? Zero meals a day? That's a big neigh-no! Horses need continuous access to food, and going beyond 4-6 hours without any can lead to serious health risks[5].
Although it's rare, there are some documented instances of wild horses nibbling on some meat. This unusual behaviour could be influenced by various factors, like nutritional deficiencies or plain old curiosity! Still, it's important to remember that these meat-eating horses are the exceptions and not the norm.
Scientists once universally thought the more primitive horses, which lived from about 55 million to 20 million years ago, were primarily leaf-eating browsers, only becoming grass eaters as the prairie grasslands began to spread rapidly across North America during the Miocene Epoch about 20 million years ago, MacFadden ...
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Introduction: My name is Virgilio Hermann JD, I am a fine, gifted, beautiful, encouraging, kind, talented, zealous person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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