A common question we get here at Pryde's, should you feed your horse before exercise? YES! Horses are designed to run on a full stomach.
What should I feed?
Things like hay will fill up the stomach and makes the horse produce a lot of saliva. Ideally, Lucerne hay is best as it also buffers the stomach.
How much should I feed?
Feed between 200 - 300 grams of hay per 100 kg of bodyweight. Use the larger amount if your horse hasn't eaten for more than 2 hours.
What should NOT be fed before exercise?
Grain base feeds! These feeds will cause blood glucose and insulin levels to increase. The insulin makes it difficult for a horse's muscle to mobilise and burn glucose and fatty acids to fuel work. This is particularly important for horses undergoing short duration, high intensity exercise.