One day without feed?

I am on partial care and a LOT of things happened today (beyond my control) and I couldn't make it to the barn to feed my darling. He is FAT as all get out and is normally fed 1 scoop of sweet feed and 2 flakes of hay per day. He will be okay going without food for one day, right?

I am planning to get up early tomorrow and go feed him. I just couldn't control what was going on today. A close friend passed away.

P.S. -- he is also wooly and hairy as a sheepdog and he is very warm inside the heated barn. He has fresh, clean water--I cleaned his water out last night and filled it up.

He should be fine
He just may be very hungry tomorrow
Is there any way for you to call up your stable and get someone else to feed him just this once??

Horses are grazers, they are meant to have forrage in their bellies 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

It is ok if your horse has access to hay, or pasture - It is not ok that our horses are left for any amount of time with nothing in their bellies.

They aren't like us, our digestive systems are not the same. While it is ok for us to eat anywhere between 1 - 3 meals a day, it isn't for horses.

You do not want to risk colic, stomache acid and other stomache and digestive issues.

Do you feed a digestive suppliment?

You need to set up an emergency back up plan so this never happens again. Horses do need to be fed everyday regardless of what horrible things befall us.

Whats done is done, but it's a good idea to have an emergency plan. I don't board but I have people I can call if an emergency arises and I can't feed my critters. Everyone who has animals depending on them should.

I am by no way an expert on horses, but I've done this with cattle my whole life and do it now with me horse. I grain and give a small (one good flake) amount of high quality hay once a day. The rest of the day she has unlimited access to hay, although it is not the best quality. It's just first cut grass hay. I can fit about a bale and a half or so into her feeder, and I make sure it's full every time I leave the house. I have had bad days at work where I was not able to make it out there before. I work construction, sometimes 16 hour days plus travel time. If it's too bad I have to get a hotel and come home the next day, depending on how far away I'm working. As long as there's enough hay to hold her over she's fine. I would never want her to run out though. One thing I've been told is that if you miss a day on grain don't try to 'make up for it' and give extra the next day.

Never give extra to make up for you - if you do that you are asking for digestive problems, and colic.

Jules083- I guess what I should have said is horses have to eat everyday. You can feed them enough to last days. Then you wouldn't have to feed them every day.

I do not understand what you mean?

I mean hay not grain. You could feed them a round bale for instance that they could eat for days. Grain though is best in small consistent feedings.