Feed every day?

I have a question for everyone.
Do you feed grain everyday?
My dad does, I think it is to much everyday. I give grain when they work, or when they have been good. (In my eyes grain is a treat).
But my horses are both very easy keepers.
IMO the only horse that my family owns that should get grain everyday is Cecil.
Pinto and Kodee are both overweight and I try to tell my dad, but well I honestly don't know why he gives teh 2 chunkers grain everyday.

What do you do?

Oh, I give my horses hay everyday in winter, and in summer they are the only 2 in the pasture so they have grass all day. But I also ride more so they get grain.

I feed a small amount of pelleted feed every day (1 lb) year around. Mine are on 24/7 hay in winter and grass pasture in summer.
I like to give them a little something that is balanced nutrients in case something is missing in the hay. I don't have my hay tested.
I also use it as a time to take a look at everyone. I check them for any boo-boos at that time as well. Plus its a nice training tool, I whistle they all come running cause they know they are going to get some food
I could probably do the same with tested hay and a mineral block

I feed grain every day, 2 times a day. My horse is in hard work though.
For horses that are easy keepers and not in work, they should only be getting hay, minerals and water.

I used to board with an old cowboy that only fed alfalfa hay and oats. In large quantities. A feeding would consist of about 5-6lbs of hay and at least 1lb of oats. Needless to say all the horses were absolutely obese no matter how hard you rode them. He killed quite a few of the horses out of the kindness of his heart.
To keep your dad from getting to that point, get him out to some nutrition seminars and even get an equine nutritionist to your place to evaluate your horses. Good luck!

Twice a day, every day.

Uma, even when not in work, needs grain to stay at a good weight. She's a big horse and needs the extra calories.

Demi is just on grain because when she is in work, she needs it. But I don't want to keep switching up her delicate digestive system

Ginisee is 18, needs senior support grain.

I feed Rosie grain everyday...twice a day, along with 2 flakes of grass hay each tiem. She was bone thin when I got her, so needs the extra groceries. I'm hoping that when spring comes and the grass comes in that I'll be able to cut it back a little bit.

Yup. My horse gets grain in te afternoon...the mash a little later.
Btu the horses that are inside get grain twice a day.
Most of the horses get supplements and stuff so they need grain twice a day or else they don't get their supplements.
And some are just hard keepers :P

I absolutely feed my guy twice a day, every single day.

He gets 4 lbs of Purina Senior twice a day - A.M and P.M, plus his suppliments - whether he is at work or not.

He also has his face stuffed in a round bale 24/7 - but he is a TB, a hard keeper and 20.

I think if you're going to feed your horse everyday then do so, but if you're going to skip than don't bother feeding them grain. I give my horses grain in the morning and night. Grain isn't just for a "treat", most of the time we can't provide horses with the nutrients they need so that is how we can help replace it. Hay never has all the nutrients grass does and grass sometimes doesn't have all the nutrients horses need either.

That is if you feed vitamin/mineral enriched feed, not sweetfeed or corn or something like that.

I vouch for feeding the same feed everyday -- just adjusting the amount as needed. I give my horses pellets every day. My two would be fine on just hay, but this way I accomplish a few things: training to come, behave and "go to their places"; training to see me or somebody else, everyday; I check them out even if I don't have time to groom; if I ever have to add something to their feed, they are already in a routine and I only have the additive to deal with for any potential side effects, not the additive and the pellets.

If the easy keepers are fat, then they would do better on a vitamin supplement with some hay pellets everyday. That way you can still use grain as a treat, but they'll get less calories on a daily basis. IMO, most horses still need some vitamin/mineral supplementation, even if they're fat.

My horses get ADM's StayStrong metabolic Minerals. This is a complete concentrated feed with all of the vitamins and minerals they need, plus amino acids and digestive aids, and they only need 1 lb a day. My fatties only get this. My hard working horses get this plus some alfalfa pellets. My "hard keepers" get this, plus alfalfa pellets, plus some Cocosoya oil. It works well for me and I ensure that my horses all get good nutrition, no matter how much "feed" they need.

Here's a link: StaySTRONG low starch mineral feed supplement

If you don't have a local dealer, you can order it online. One bag lasts one horse just over one month.