How to Calculate How Much to Feed a Horse

How to Calculate How Much to Feed a Horse. Body weight and workload are very important when determining how much to feed your horse. It is not easy to weigh your horse -- unless you have a livestock scale -- but certain measurements allow you to ascertain a figure close to your horse's weight. The horse's weight is factored into a formula that stipulates the proper amount of feed.

Things Needed

• Measuring tape
• Height/weight tape
• Calculator

Step 1

Measure your horse's length with the measuring tape. Place one end on the point of the shoulder, and the other on the point of the rump.

Step 2

Measure the heart girth from the base of the withers to the top of the belly. Place the tape 2 inches behind the horse's front legs.

Step 3

Multiply the heart girth measurement by two, and multiply the total by the length measurement. Divide the total by 300, and add 50 to the quotient. The result is the horse's approximate weight.

Step 4

Feed the horse 1.5 to 2 percent of its body weight in quality hay or feed. If your horse does a lot of work, feed it more than 2 percent. Find this amount by multiplying 0.015 -- or 0.02 -- by the horse's body weight. The result is the recommended amount of feed needed per day.

Warnings

• A horse's digestive system can process only a limited amount of feed per day.

References

• Cowboy Way: Horse Weight: Estimate It Easily