By Jessica Tonn
yes, they broke the fence; and yes, they all helped fix it again :-)
Have you ever wondered what it costs to feed a horse for 1 year? You may already have a good idea of the number, or – like many of us – would rather not know 😊
Here at Horses of Amazing Grace, we are putting out a few articles on the costs of keeping, breeding, and raising a horse. We believe in giving our horses the best possible start in life, and an important part of that is good nutrition. Running a successful business requires us to know our numbers; and we want to share some of those numbers with you.
Earlier we wrote a blog on what it costs to produce a good horse – produce here meaning to get a mare in foal. Horses of Amazing Grace purchased three weanling foals last fall. They came off the range with their vaccinations, worming done and already microchipped. They had great breeding and bloodlines, some basic handling under their belt, and all had halters on.
We got our hay analyzed, and a feeding plan drawn up by a professional equine nutritionist. We are dedicated to giving our foals, born on our property or not, the best possible start in life. As the wonderful Shelagh Niblock points out, during the first year after being weaned is when these young horses develop the bone structure that will carry them and their rider to Olympic glory or stall rest.
The first year of life is VITAL for the overall health of that horse. These foals start with the best from their dam’s milk. Once weaned, it is our responsibility as breeders and horse owners to provide everything we can in their diet to give them the best possible start in life.
I will break down the feeding plan we used. I overwintered six horses. It was a mix of two senior mares, one two-year-old, Faith, our pregnant Canadian mare, and Cara and Versa, two registered QH fillies. Faith is currently pregnant and moving towards a spring foal. I need to feed that mare well so when she does deliver, it is a strong healthy foal with a good supply of milk!
♦ Hay-100 square bales per horse. This number would depend on size and weight of hay bales
♦ Step 1 feed is a 16% protein feed with added minerals for growth that I feed twice a day at 1.5 kg per day per horse.
♦ A mineral supplement that contains vitamin B 12 and folic acid as well as a basic mineral supplement such as Dr. Reeds. I use a Pegasus brand as Dr. Reeds is hard to get right now due to a flax shortage… Who knew!
♦ I fed my fillies a Lysine supplement. This supplement is vital for bone structure. Again, they are laying down a lifetime of bones in the first year. I accepted this cost as an investment into producing a quality horse. The hay I had analyzed in Prince George chapter had lysine in it. But we chose to supplement it as well because of its importance. Getting your hay analyzed so you can focus on what you are lacking is extremely helpful when developing a solid nutritional plan and may save you money in the long run!
♦ Lots of energy goes into staying warm at -40 = Alfalfa cubes soaked in warm water I.5 Kg dry weight per horse per day.
To wrap it up, $300 per month is the number we found when feeding a weanling a good balanced feeding plan that will give them the best start in life. Summer and grass bring a welcome reprieve from hay and alfalfa cubes. Then comes their second winter and they will be fed again more or less in the same way as their first winter. But the benefits are happy, healthy horses that enjoy life, look beautiful, and are strong and ready for an exciting career!