feeding hay after exercise

Question
hello ma'am, why should  a horse be fed hay or turned out as soon as it returns to the barn from exercise irrespective of any gait (trot, canter, seat hack, gallop)? why grains and bran shouldn't be fed immediately?

Answer
Hi Rohit,

Thank you for your question.  Although feeding hay immediately following exercise is not an absolute necessity, horses (like people) can benefit from eating after exercise to help replenish lost muscle and liver glycogen stores and help support muscle growth when the potential for that to happen is at its peak.  Feeding dry hay may also help soak up surplus digestive enzymes that could have filled up an empty stomach while exercising.  However I wouldn't suggest grain feeding immediately following work concerned that the rate of passage of feed may still be elevated from work.

I also don't know that turning a horse out immediately after exercise is an absolute necessity.  A horse going from heavy work to standing in a stall without having had a proper cooldown may cause the horse to develop significant muscle soreness and turnout would prevent this.  But a horse should not be returned to its stall without a proper cool down period.

Thanks, Corlena