If there is one thing that is certain in the horse world, it is that there is always a new feeding hype doing the rounds. First protein was "dangerous", then molasses and beet pulp took the blame, then grains and alfalfa, and now it is the turn of the hidden sugars.
It sounds exciting, as if something sneaky is tucked away in the feed. But let's look at it soberly.
A horse's diet can be divided into five categories: fibre, protein, fats and oils, carbohydrates, and vitamins and minerals. Horses need all of these to keep the body healthy and to be able to work. That is no secret, just the basic physiology of how a horse's body works. Sugars are therefore not a poison. They are literally the building material for muscles, organs and recovery. In fact, your horse makes them itself by converting fibre from roughage. Without sugars, a horse cannot function healthily. Anyone with a decent background in basic physiology should know that.
But no, now the "hidden sugars" are to blame. These are natural sugars that are absorbed slowly and are often bound to other healthy plant nutrients such as vitamins and minerals. Nothing exciting, nothing sneaky, simply the basis of how natural processes work, in a horse's body too.
What is worrying is that professionals, people who advise on horse feeding and often have a medical background or have taken courses, sometimes go along with yet another hype. That makes it extra confusing for horse owners. Fortunately, you can arm yourself by knowing the facts and the proportions, and by staying critical about who gives you advice. After all, it is quite handy if you can still feed your horse something...
So what is all the panic about? Let's do the maths: a balancer contains on average around 20 grams of sugar and starch per daily dose. Compare that with:
Starch in concentrates: what does that mean in "sugar"?
- Starch in concentrates: often 20 to 45%.
Example per kilo of concentrates (1,000 g):
- 20% starch = 200 g starch/kg
- 45% starch = 450 g starch/kg
The body breaks starch down into sugars (glucose). So in terms of "sugar load" that is about 200 to 450 g per kg of concentrates.
Daily example with 2 kg of concentrates: 400 to 900 g of sugars.
Important: the amount per meal and the overall balance with work determine the effect on the gut flora and metabolism.
Grass: the big invisible source
- Sugar in fresh grass: 0.7 to 5.5% of the fresh weight = 7 to 55 g sugar per kg of grass.
- Intake with 24 hours of grazing: often 45 to 55 kg of grass per day (depending on pasture, type of horse and season).
Daily total range:
- Minimum: 45 kg × 7 g/kg = 315 g sugar/day
- Maximum: 55 kg × 55 g/kg = 3,025 g sugar/day
In practice: about 350 to 3,000 g of sugar per day from grass alone with 24 hours of turnout.
Hay/haylage: how much sugar per day?
- Sugar in hay/haylage (dry matter): 5.5 to 20%.
- Intake of a 550 kg horse: 8 to 11 kg DM/day.
Daily total range:
- Low: 8 kg × 5.5% = 8,000 × 0.055 = 440 g sugar/day
- High: 11 kg × 20% = 11,000 × 0.20 = 2,200 g sugar/day
And that is exactly why a roughage analysis makes sense when sugar needs to stay low. You cannot see it with the naked eye, and even taking a representative roughage sample from a batch is a skill in itself!
In the end, the problem is not that one handful of concentrates or that scoop of balancer, but the balance between feeding and exercise. If your horse takes in more energy than it burns, the risk builds up: overweight, insulin resistance and possibly even laminitis in the end.
The solution? Simple and positive: focus on good roughage with a maximum of 10% sugar, keep portions of concentrates small and in line with the work, or give a balancer, and make sure there is enough exercise. Because the more your horse is allowed to do what horses are made for (moving, digesting roughage, having fun with other horses), the fitter and healthier it stays.
Want to gain more independent knowledge about the horse's body and healthy feeding? Then read the book The New Feeding Concept, a practical handbook for better horse welfare.
