Dietetic horse feed: choose the best for your horse's health!

Your horse is starting to look rounder, even though their workload is much the same. Or the opposite: they are losing condition, developing a sensitive stomach, becoming fussy about food or coping less well with gaps between meals. Owners often hear a simple piece of advice: “give them dietetic feed”. The problem is that this term is often interpreted too broadly.

In practice, dietetic horse feed does not mean starvation or a “lighter bag”. It is a tool designed to help a particular horse in a particular situation. Sometimes the aim is to manage excess weight and dietary sugars. Sometimes it is about the stomach, sometimes metabolism, and sometimes giving the horse calmer, more predictable energy.

Nutritional consultations very often start with a visibly overweight horse. You cut back on oats and reduce portions, but your horse's shape still does not improve. It usually turns out that the problem lies not just in the amount of feed, but in the structure of the entire ration. Too much energy from the wrong source, too little control over starch and sugars, haphazard hay selection and no sensible balancing of vitamins and minerals.

The good news is that you can put this right. You simply need to stop judging feed “by eye” and start seeing it as a feeding plan.

Does your horse really need a special diet?

Your horse gets a “safe” mix in the morning, hay at midday and a few supplements in the evening. At first glance, everything looks sensible, yet the question remains: why are they still gaining weight, feeling inconsistent or coping less well with gaps between meals?

This is when many owners start looking for dietetic feed. Quite rightly, but first one point needs clarifying. A diet for a horse does not automatically mean weight loss. It means matching the ration to how their body processes energy, fibre, sugars and starch.

It is rather like stacking good hay. The quantity matters, but so do the layers. A similar principle applies to feeding horses. First, look at the foundation: forage and its quality. Then consider energy sources. Finally, look at supplements, which should complete the plan rather than disguise its mistakes.

That is why, at VETfactory, we start assessing feed with the hierarchy of ingredients and the parameters that really affect the horse, rather than the slogan on the bag. The “dietetic” label alone proves nothing. Good feed for a horse prone to weight gain, with a sensitive stomach or metabolic problems should fit the whole ration, rather than simply sound good in the manufacturer's description.

A diet means organising the ration

A horse's digestive system works best with a regular intake of fibre. Think of a stove that burns steadily when fuel is supplied in small amounts over a longer period. Too much fuel at once, or the wrong composition, makes its operation less stable. For a horse, that basic “fuel” is fibre, rather than a large serving of starch.

This also matters because many problems start quite ordinarily. Your horse looks “puffy”, becomes excitable after meals, turns fussy or gets hungry sooner. You often reduce portions without seeing improvement. The cause may be the ration's composition rather than the quantity itself. Too many ingredients providing rapidly available energy, too little good-quality fibre and a poor balance of minerals and vitamins.

This brings us to NSC, which often sounds technical but is straightforward in practice. NSC is a group of readily available carbohydrates, mainly sugars and starch. Think of them as “fast fuel”. This type of energy suits some horses less well, particularly those with excess weight, EMS, a tendency to laminitis or strong reactions after feeding. Fibre, in contrast, provides slower, steadier energy that better suits the physiology of the horse's digestive tract.

How to recognise when the diet needs a closer look

The aim is not to switch every horse straight onto a specialist mix. First, recognise the signs that the current ration may be poorly planned:

• your horse gains weight despite apparently small portions,
• their shape changes without any improvement in muscle,
• hard feed causes excessive excitability or large energy fluctuations,
• your horse struggles with longer gaps without hay,
• digestive sensitivity increases.

In this situation, dietetic feed makes sense as part of a considered plan. Treat it as a tool for assessing the whole ration. First, check where most of your horse's energy comes from. Then assess starch and sugar levels, fibre type, nutrient concentration and actual portion size. Only then choose a brand or specific product, for example from the Spillers range, if its specifications genuinely meet your horse's needs.

This produces much better results than choosing the “lightest” feed on the shelf.

Main reasons for using dietetic feed

Not every horse needs a specialist mix. But many horses need a more carefully planned diet than standard cereal-based feed.

Excess weight and a tendency to metabolic disorders

This is the most common reason for questions about dietetic horse feed. A horse carrying excess body fat does more than look different. Their metabolism is under greater strain, and their body tolerates excess sugars and starch less well.

In these cases, think less in terms of “less” and more in terms of “different”. Energy should come primarily from fibre rather than excess cereals. This is particularly important for horses with suspected EMS, insulin resistance or a history of laminitis.

Laminitis and careful feeding

A horse that has had laminitis needs an exceptionally well-organised ration. It is not simply a matter of removing oats. You need to consider the whole picture: hay, hard feed, supplements and feeding methods.

Polish publications emphasise that dietetic horse feeds are most often positioned as low-starch or cereal-free, because controlling starch and sugars is directly linked to reducing metabolic risk, including laminitis, EMS and insulin resistance. In practice, energy should come mainly from fibre and fat. Balancers, concentrated vitamin and mineral mixes fed in small amounts, are also recommended for overweight horses or those with digestive problems. The same publication also highlights feeds enriched with probiotics from the Lactobacillus, Enterococcus and Pediococcus groups to support the digestive microbiota.

A practical tip: if your horse is overweight, a feed's suitability for their diet is not about an attractive name on the bag. What matters is where the energy comes from.

Ulcers and a sensitive stomach

A horse prone to ulcers usually struggles with long periods without food, large meals and starch-based rations. These horses often do better on fibre-based feeds providing calm energy, offered more frequently in smaller portions.

In practice, you may notice nervousness at feeding time, reduced willingness to work, reluctance when the girth is tightened or selective eating. Here, dietetic horse feed is intended to protect, stabilise and avoid provoking further irritation.

Senior horses, recovery and “sensitive” horses

Older horses do not always need less food. They often need food that is easier to utilise. The same applies to horses following health problems, a loss of condition or during recovery.

Ordinary feed may be too heavy, too starchy or simply unsuitable for their digestive capacity. Dietetic feeding should help maintain body weight without destabilising the digestive tract.

The anatomy of dietetic feed - 5 key parameters

A feed label can look like a list of technical terms. In reality, it is straightforward to read once you know what to look at first. When working with horses, the hierarchy matters most. Not everything carries equal weight.

NSC as the first parameter to check

NSC means, in simple terms, starch and sugars: the part of the ration that most quickly affects the body's metabolic response. If your horse is overweight, prone to laminitis, has EMS or is clearly sensitive to cereal feeds, this is where assessing feed safety begins.

The simplest comparison is with fuel types. One burns steadily for a long time, while another produces a sudden burst. A horse with metabolic problems usually does better on the first.

Fibre: the foundation of the diet

Fibre is not an extra. It is the foundation. As a hindgut fermenter, a horse does best when most of the ration is based on forage and fibre.

Polish feeding materials emphasise that the quality of “dietetic feed” can be assessed through fibre analysis. ADF should be below 35%, and NDF below 45%, while late-cut hay or lucerne often exceeds these thresholds by around 10 percentage points. This matters because Weende analysis simultaneously determines 5 basic feed components: fibre, dry matter, protein, fat and ash. This set provides a basis for choosing mixes for horses with metabolic problems, horses prone to ulcers, growing horses and lactating mares.

This is where many owners get lost. High fibre does not always mean the same thing. Its quality and digestibility also matter. Late-cut hay may look “bulky” but be much less suitable for a horse needing good-quality dietary fibre.

If dietetic feed is intended to support the gut and steady energy, look not only at the amount of fibre but also at the type dominating the whole ration.

Fat as a source of calm energy

When reducing starch, energy needs to come from somewhere. One of the safer options is fat. It does not produce a sudden “fizzy” effect, but helps create a more consistent energy supply.

This matters for working horses that should not receive large amounts of cereals, and for horses needing support for condition without spikes in excitability.

Assess protein sensibly

Owners often ask about protein percentage first. Yet high protein alone does not make a feed better. What matters is the quality of the protein and whether the feed suits the horse's age, workload and health.

A growing horse, lactating mare, senior horse and leisure horse do not need the same things. A number in the analytical table without context can therefore confuse more than help.

Vitamins and trace elements

These provide the “finishing layer” of the ration. They cannot replace a poor foundation, but a good foundation without the right balance can also fall short. Precise vitamin and mineral provision is especially important for horses on restricted hard feed.

Put simply, read the label in this order:

1. NSC or the starch and sugar profile
2. Type and quality of fibre
3. Fat as an energy source
4. Protein quality
5. Balance of trace elements and vitamins

Types of dietetic feed and their uses

Once you learn to assess ingredients, it becomes easier to understand why so many different products are available. Not every dietetic horse feed serves the same purpose.

The most common groups

Some feeds are designed primarily with metabolism in mind. Others support the stomach and intestines. Others provide nutrients in a small volume when you do not want to increase the ration's calorie content.

Below is a simple classification that works in everyday stable management.

How to use these categories in practice

A low-starch feed will not always be best for every horse in light work. If your horse has healthy metabolism and no health problems, there is no point automatically choosing the most restrictive option.

A balancer, meanwhile, can be an excellent choice when a horse maintains good condition on hay but needs vitamins and minerals without unnecessary extra energy. This is common with good doers.

Where probiotics and functional additives fit in

Some dietetic feeds contain ingredients supporting the microbiota or digestive tract. This can make sense for horses with inconsistent digestion, but should not distract from the basics. First analyse the ration's structure, then the additives.

A good specialist feed addresses a specific nutritional problem. A poor “all-purpose” feed usually addresses none.

Putting the diet into practice and choosing supplements

Your horse starts a new feed, and after a few days you say: “the product doesn't seem to work”. In practice, the problem often lies elsewhere. It is not in the bag itself, but in how the change was introduced, portion sizes and whether the ration's foundation actually suits the horse.

Start with the ration's foundation

Treat dietetic feed as a tool for adjustment rather than the foundation of all feeding. Forage remains the foundation. If hay is too energy-rich, dusty, very late-cut or offered irregularly, even a well-chosen mix will not solve metabolic or digestive problems.

In practice, first assess three things: how much fibre your horse receives, the feeding routine and whether the ration's energy level matches their workload and condition.

This approach organises decisions. First comes the ingredient hierarchy, then the brand and supplements.

One earlier source highlighted fibre's role as the ration's foundation and the different needs of working horses, senior horses and horses recovering from illness.

How to introduce new feed without unnecessary risk

A horse's digestive system likes predictability. A sudden change of mix is rather like abruptly changing fuel in an engine. Sometimes the horse copes without obvious signs, but looser droppings, poorer appetite, excitability or reduced willingness to work often follow.

Introduce new feed gradually. A period of 7 to 14 days is usually sensible unless your vet recommends another approach.

A simple model looks like this:

• Initial days. A small proportion of new feed, with the rest of the ration unchanged.
• Transition period. Slowly increase the portion and monitor droppings, appetite, hydration and behaviour daily.
• Target stage. Feed the full ration only once your horse tolerates the earlier increases well.

If your horse has a history of colic, ulcers, laminitis or strong reactions to feed, the pace of change should be even more cautious.

Choose feed practically, rather than by name alone

Many owners become confused when choosing a specific product. A simple filter helps. First ask what problem you want to solve. Only then check whether the feed's ingredients genuinely serve that purpose.

If your horse has a sensitive stomach or suspected EGUS, look for a fibre-based mix that is gentler on the digestive tract, such as SPILLERS Ulca Fibre. If weight, starch and sugar control are the priority, products from the SPILLERS Happy Hoof range can be a logical direction. When your horse does well mainly on hay but needs precise vitamin and mineral provision without large amounts of extra energy, a Spillers balancer makes sense.

At VETfactory, we treat these products as part of planning a ration for a particular horse. They are not a ready-made answer for every case. This is an important distinction because two horses “on a diet” may need completely different solutions.

Choose supplements to fill gaps in the ration

A supplement should complete the feeding plan rather than cover up its mistakes. If your horse receives too little fibre, oversized hard-feed portions or unsuitable hay, another product will not fix the basics.

Base supplement selection on the question: what is missing from the ration, or which process do you genuinely want to support?

In practice, this most often means:

• Digestive support. For horses with sensitive digestion, consider Equine America products targeting the stomach or intestines.
• Antioxidant protection. In rations where fat plays a greater role, ensure appropriate antioxidant support, particularly vitamin E.
• Electrolytes and recovery. A horse on dietetic feed may still need training-related supplementation if they work, sweat and actually lose electrolytes.

The right order is simple. First, hay and the feeding routine. Then the base feed. Finally, supplements.

A practical rule: if you cannot explain in one sentence why a particular supplement is going into the feed bowl, it probably is not needed yet.

FAQ: answers to common questions and myths

Can a sport horse get enough energy from dietetic feed?

Yes. The key is where that energy comes from and how the horse uses it during work.

In practice, many people associate energy solely with cereals and starch. This is too simplistic. Horses are designed to use mainly fibre and, in some rations, fat as well. Starch acts more like quick kindling. Fibre resembles fuel supplied evenly, more calmly and for longer. A well-chosen dietetic feed can therefore support condition and concentration without excessive excitability.

When choosing, do not simply ask whether the feed is “for sport”. Check its sugar and starch content, its fibre sources and whether it suits the hay your horse receives daily. This is precisely how we assess products at VETfactory, including ranges from brands such as Spillers.

Is dietetic feed only for sick horses?

No. It often helps horses that are not formally ill but have clear nutritional needs.

Examples include good doers, horses that become tense on cereal feeds, animals with sensitive digestive tracts and older horses that struggle to maintain good muscle mass on a standard mix. Dietetic feed is therefore not “hospital food”. It is a tool for planning a more precise ration.

It is best viewed as a filter. Set aside marketing slogans and check whether the ingredients address your horse's specific problem.

Should a horse on a diet receive very little hay?

Usually not. For most horses, hay remains the foundation of the ration because it supports hindgut function, keeps them occupied for longer and helps maintain a more natural feeding rhythm.

The problem may not be hay itself, but its quality, uncontrolled amounts or overly long gaps between meals. An overweight horse does not always need “less of everything”. They often need hay with better specifications, slower intake and a more precise mineral and vitamin balance. This distinction matters because restricting forage too severely can worsen digestion, increase frustration and make a stable routine harder to maintain.

If you are unsure, start by asking: am I restricting calories, or accidentally restricting the foundation of digestive health?

Does this diet need to last a lifetime?

That depends on the cause.

Following a temporary problem, such as a period of poorer digestion, a change in condition or recovery, your horse may return to a wider choice of feeds. With metabolic tendencies such as insulin resistance or recurring difficulty maintaining a healthy body weight, feeding needs ongoing control. This does not always mean the same bag for life. More often, it means following the same principles when assessing ingredients.

This is the most important point to remember. Dietetic horse feed is not a ready-made label, but a way of thinking about the ration. First, your horse's needs. Then a hay-based foundation. Finally, the choice of feed and supplements.