Feed Like the Pros: Best Nutrition to Feed the Whole Herd

How do large barns, training programs, and breeding operations seamlessly feed multiple horses? The answer is on the feed tags and labels. In this blog series, “Feed Like the Pros,” we reveal expert advice on equine nutrition, including what ultra-premium ingredients to include in your feeding program to meet the needs of multiple horses. Keep reading to learn the best nutrition to feed the whole herd, so you can feed like the ProElite® pros.

What is the Best Nutrition for the Whole Herd?

While there are benefits to customizing nutritional input for each individual athlete, it’s not always possible or necessary. When you choose a quality feed that meets the fundamental diet requirements for your whole barn, you can save time and money while still fueling your athlete with the best nutrition.

• Amino Acids: Whether the horses in your herd are Grand Prix Champions or retired lesson horses, quality amino acids are imperative to maintain topline health and muscle development. This is true for young or old horses, easy or hard keepers, and horses in light or heavy exercise. The first step to satisfying amino acid requirements for a range of horses is choosing a feed company that has an unparalleled blend of the most limiting essential amino acids – for example, look for ingredients like Lysine, Methionine, Threonine, and Tryptophan.
• Vitamins: Like amino acids, all horses also benefit from key vitamins. Both fat- and water-soluble vitamins play a key role in supporting skin, hair coat, and hoof health. Vitamin A, D, and E support bone and muscle growth, maintenance of healthy epithelial tissue, calcium metabolism control, immune response and activity. Vitamins C and B-biotin aid in antioxidant activity, lipid metabolism, and growth and maintenance of tissues. Every feeding regimen should include a range of vitamins since they contribute to maintaining so many healthy systems.
• Minerals: Horses also need a combination of macro and micro minerals in their diet.
  • Macro Minerals: Macros include ingredients like calcium, phosphorus, sodium, potassium and sulfur. Together, they play a key role in skeletal development and maintenance, blood clotting, muscle contraction, temperature regulation, enzyme activity regulation, glandular secretion and cell membrane integrity.
  • Micro Minerals: Trace minerals (or micro minerals) help with the synthesis of proteins, immune system activity, synthesis and maintenance of elastic connective tissues, the integrity of skeletal bone tissue, antioxidant activity and much more. Micros include zinc, copper, manganese, cobalt, selenium and more.

• Omega Fatty Acids: Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids serve a variety of functions including immune system regulation, cell membrane stability, development and maintenance of the central nervous system, oxygen transfer, and offsetting inflammatory responses. Certain top dressings have a higher concentration of these, for example ProElite® Omega Advantage guarantees a minimum of 4% Omega-3 fatty acids and 9% Omega-6 fatty acids for enhanced appearance.

Choose the Winning Combo

Elite feeding programs trust the ProElite suite of premium products to provide consistent, nutrition-locked formulas that support a range of horses. While there are many combinations of feed and supplements that can meet your horse’s needs, here are some of ProElite feed’s most popular for the whole barn.