Good nutrition is the foundation of every healthy horse. Whether you're caring for a growing performance horse, a trusted trail companion, or a cherished senior, providing the right balance of forage, vitamins, minerals, and concentrated feed can make a significant difference in your horse's health, performance, and longevity.

While hay and pasture should always make up the majority of a horse's diet, selecting the appropriate feed ensures your horse receives the nutrients needed for its specific age, workload, and overall condition. Purina Horse Feeds offers specialized formulas designed to meet those unique nutritional needs.

Start with Quality Forage

Before choosing a grain or concentrate, remember that horses are designed to graze. High-quality hay or pasture should provide the majority of their daily nutrition. Most horses consume between 1.5% and 2% of their body weight in forage each day, helping maintain digestive health and supporting the beneficial microbes in the hindgut.

Fresh, clean water and free-choice salt should also be available at all times.

Match the Feed to Your Horse's Lifestyle

No two horses have the same nutritional requirements. Age, workload, metabolism, and health conditions all influence what feed will work best.

For Performance Horses Under Stress

Competition, hauling, training, and frequent changes in routine can all place stress on a horse's digestive system. Horses in heavy work often benefit from feeds that provide calories from fat and fermentable fiber instead of relying heavily on starch.

Purina Ultium® Gastric Care is formulated specifically for horses exposed to these stresses. It includes Purina's Outlast® Gastric Support Technology, designed to help support gastric comfort while providing highly digestible energy for performance horses. This makes it an excellent option for horses with demanding schedules or those prone to digestive challenges. Purina recommends higher-fat, higher-fiber feeding programs and consistent forage access to help support gastric health.

Learn more here:
https://www.grogansfr.com/ultium-gastric-care

Feeding Senior Horses

As horses age, their nutritional needs begin to change. Older horses may struggle to maintain weight, lose muscle mass, or have dental issues that make chewing hay more difficult.

Purina Equine Senior® is designed to be highly digestible while providing complete nutrition that helps older horses maintain body condition, muscle, and overall health. For many seniors, it can even replace a portion of their forage when chewing becomes difficult, depending on veterinary guidance.

If your horse is entering its senior years, choosing a feed formulated specifically for aging horses can help them stay active and comfortable.

Learn more here:
https://www.grogansfr.com/equine-senior

For Everyday Riding Horses

Many horses don't need an ultra-high-energy performance feed, but they still require balanced nutrition for trail riding, lessons, ranch work, or recreational riding.

Purina Strategy® Healthy Edge® provides controlled energy with balanced protein, vitamins, and minerals to help maintain healthy body condition without unnecessary calories. It is a popular choice for horses in light to moderate work and is also included in Purina's recommended feeding programs that support gastric health when fed as directed.

Learn more here:
https://www.grogansfr.com/strategy-healthy-edge

For Growing and Working Horses

Growing horses and those with consistent workloads need dependable nutrition to support muscle development, stamina, and recovery.

Purina Impact® 12 Pellet delivers balanced protein, energy, vitamins, and minerals in a pelleted formula designed for a wide variety of horses. It offers an economical feeding solution without sacrificing nutritional quality, making it a great option for many farms and ranches.

Learn more here:
https://www.grogansfr.com/impact-12-pellet

Tips for Healthy Feeding

No matter which feed you choose, following good feeding practices can improve your horse's health:

• Make feed changes gradually over 7–10 days.

• Feed by weight rather than by scoop whenever possible.

• Divide grain into multiple smaller meals each day.

• Keep fresh water available at all times.

• Schedule regular dental exams, especially for senior horses.

• Monitor body condition regularly and adjust feed as activity levels change.

Remember that feed is only one piece of the nutritional puzzle. Consistent management, parasite control, dental care, and quality forage all contribute to a healthy horse.

The Bottom Line

Every horse has unique nutritional needs, and choosing the right feed can help support digestive health, body condition, energy levels, and overall performance. Whether you're fueling a performance athlete with Purina Ultium® Gastric Care, caring for an aging companion with Equine Senior®, maintaining a pleasure horse on Strategy® Healthy Edge®, or feeding working horses with Impact® 12 Pellet, selecting a feed that matches your horse's lifestyle is one of the best investments you can make.

If you're unsure which Purina feed is right for your horse, the knowledgeable team at Grogan's Farm & Ranch is always happy to help you find the best nutritional program for your equine partner.