adopting stray horse

Question
hello, hope you dont get fed up reading this question. i am getting frightened.

lets suppose i found an unknown breed horse roaming on the streets. i want to adopt it. if hes a friendly one, and after making a close bond with the horse i adopted it. now tell me, how much to feed the horse. hes totally unknown, dont know what he likes and dislikes. should i set loose her on a pasture (slowly introducing her to pasture) since i dont know what all to feed. if i feed what all i have, i believe that i may lead to colic as the micro flora inside their stomach may not get used to the fodder eaten by the horse. please tell me in detail ma'am. in this life, i may encounter this kind of situation. please dont hesitate and mind!!!

Answer
Hi Rohit,

Thank you for your question.  It is true that a horse should be given time to adjust to unfamiliar feedstuffs, but sometimes there is no other choice but to start a horse on whatever feed you have without an adjustment period.  If you are uncertain what to feed a new horse, start by feeding them whatever forage you have available...allowing them to eat their required dry matter intake.  Introduce your grain more gradually.  Most horses will adjust to an unfamiliar forage without a lot of hardship, and any digestive upset will go unnoticed.  Keep an eye on your horse for signs of colic discomfort, and try feeding a prebiotic supplement to help with the transition period.

Thanks, Corlena