Feed With Confidence: Understanding Equine Nutrition

Are you confident you’re feeding your horse correctly? 

With so many feeds, supplements and feeding advice available, it can be very difficult to know what is truly best for your horse. Understanding the principles of equine nutrition is one of the most important skills every horse owner should have. 

This practical and informative course has been designed specifically for adult learners who want to make informed feeding decisions based on science rather than marketing. Over eight weeks, you’ll learn how the horse’s digestive system works, how to assess body condition, understand feed labels, choose appropriate forage and concentrates, and design balanced diets for horses with different needs. 

Whether you own a competition horse, a happy hacker, a veteran, a youngster or a pony prone to weight gain, this course will give you the confidence to feed for health, welfare and performance. 

Through engaging lessons, discussions and real-life case studies, you’ll gain the knowledge needed to support your horse throughout every stage of its life. 

This course introduces the fundamental principles of equine nutrition and explains how feeding directly affects health, behaviour, performance and welfare. 

You’ll develop the skills to assess your horse’s nutritional needs and make evidence-based feeding decisions. 

Topics include: 

• Understanding the horse’s digestive system
• Nutrients and their functions
• The importance of forage
• Grassland and grazing management
• Reading and understanding feed labels
• Choosing the correct feeds
• Feeding horses at different ages and workloads
• Body Condition Scoring (BCS)
• Weight management
• Common feeding-related disorders including; laminitis, gastric ulcers and colic
• Supplements – when they are useful and when they are not
• Feeding for health, welfare and performance
• Creating balanced feeding programmes

Modules: 

• The Equine Digestive System
• Nutrients Explained
• Forage and Fibre
• Concentrates and Compound Feeds
• Vitamins, Minerals and Supplements
• Body Condition Scoring
• Feeding for Different Life Stages
• Feeding Horses in Work
• Common Nutritional Disorders
• Developing Balanced Feeding Programmes 

Assessment is informal and designed to support learning through: 

• Interactive quizzes
• Feed identification activities
• Body condition scoring exercises
• Diet planning activities
• Case study discussions 

 Learners who successfully complete the course will receive a Plumpton College Certificate 

This course is designed for adults (19+) who would like to improve their understanding of feeding and managing horses. 

It is ideal for: 

• Horse owners
• Loaners
• Riders
• Grooms and yard staff
• Adult learners returning to education
• Equine students
• Anyone interested in horse nutrition and welfare 

No previous nutrition knowledge is required. A basic understanding of horse handling is recommended.