The amount of food that a horse needs depends on it's age, condition, and what is required of it.
~ Bran - Is a waste by-product from milled wheat; it is the ears of the grain. Bran makes a suitable feed because it is rich in vitamins and is easily digested by horses. The fibre in bran cells aids digestion of other foodstuffs. Bran should not exceed a third of the total diet and it is advisable to moisten the bran before feeding it to your horse. Good bran is coarse and totally dry. Dry bran is good to feed a horse with loose bowel movments because it binds their droppings.
~ Carrots - Are rich in carotene, which is a rich source of vitamin A. They are a suitable supplement to the daily feed. They need to be washed and have the foilage removed because both sand and carrot tops can cause colic.
~ Hay - There is first cut hay and second cut hay. Fist cut hay was harvested in the spring or early summer when the grass grew lushly and this hay is of higher nutritional valuethan second cut hay which was made during August. Hay cannot be given as fodder imediantely, it is harvested but must first wilt for at least six weeks. Horses cannot differentiate any poisonous plants in dry hay but after six weeks, the poisonous sap has disappeared. Generally, a horse can eat as much hay as it wishes. It also helps to prevent boredom for the hours in which a horse is restricted to its loose box or stall. Hay must always be of qood quality. Unless a horse is very hungry, it will not eat poor hay. For horses that suffer from allergies or respiratory problems, the hay should first be moistened.
~ Grass - A horse put into a pasture will largely feed itself. Pasture with sufficient good grass should take care of most of a horse's nutritional needs. They use there flexable lips to select precisely the types of grass they prefer and will certainly not eat any grass they do not like. Good horse pastures should contain more herbs than cattle pastures. The herbs help to provide the necessary mineral intake. Horses that get the largest part of their diet from eating grass will tend to have larger bellies than horses that remain in stables. For this reason, race horses and harness racers are restricted in their grazing for for that swollen belly will hamper them on the race course.