From Oats to Overcomplication: How Feeding Horses Became Rocket Science (and Big Business)

Once upon a time, in the quaint, mud-soaked decades of the late 20th century, feeding a horse was simple. Oats. Barley. A scoop of chaff. Maybe, if you were feeling generous, a linseed mash on a Sunday. Horses survived. Many even thrived. And — whisper it — they were rideable.

Fast-forward 30 years and welcome to the brave new world of Equine Fine Dining™, where every horse has a menu longer than The Ritz and an owner permanently on the brink of a nervous breakdown at the feed room.

Today’s shelves groan with balancers, pre-biotics, pro-biotics, post-biotics (still not sure what those even are), calming powders, joint elixirs, gastric saviours, and buckets promising everything from “Olympic Shine” to “Zen-like Focus.”

Enter the Modern Owner

The trouble is, owners — bless them — are now less horsemen and more hostage to seductive marketing copy. Feed manufacturers whisper: “Your horse is anxious because you’re depriving him of our Magical Magnesium Blend. Without it, he may die (or worse — spook at H during your next dressage test).”

And, of course, we believe them. Because we love our horses and because the bag has a picture of a glossy unicorn galloping across a dewy meadow.

Result? Horses are now dining like Michelin-starred athletes, while their riders are left clutching their reins, staring at their empty wallets and wondering why Dobbin, once a quiet hack, now believes he’s qualified for the Ascot Derby.

Behaviour Then vs Now

Back then:

• Horses were on straights -oats, chaff and barley, they were fed according to their workload, and turned out if they got ideas above their station.

• “Over-horsed” meant you’d foolishly bought a 4-year-old TB instead of a 14-year-old cob.

Now:

• Horses glow in the dark with “supreme vitality,” jig-jog down lanes, and spook at invisible assassins because they’re essentially high on rocket fuel disguised as a pelleted cube.

• “Over-horsed” means your kind cob has been turned into a raging bull thanks to Performance Mix 2000.
  

Voices from the Yard

• Kate Robinson, the Happy Hacker, recalls: “Back in my day, the only supplement was a carrot. Now I need a degree in chemistry just to make up a feed.”

• Debbie Masters, Pony Club Mum, insists: “If I don’t give my daughter’s pony three balancers, two calmers and a gastric support powder, we’ll never make it to Pony Club Champs. Everyone knows that.”

• Sir Reginald of Haynetown, our resident eventing horse, adds: “Frankly, I’d rather have the oats. This ‘digestive enhancer’ tastes like sawdust mixed with betrayal.”
  

So Where Do We Go From Here?

Here’s the twist: owners complain their horses are sharp, spooky, unmanageable. They book endless lessons, buy stronger bits, and blame the saddle fitter — but rarely stop to ask: “Could it be the 17 supplements I’m pouring into him every morning?”

The truth? Sometimes less is more. Sometimes the old ways — a scoop of oats, decent adlib hay, proper turnout, and a rider who doesn’t panic over a Pinterest ad — really were the best.

So next time you’re tempted by the latest “Essential Gut Balancer Plus Ultra”, pause. Ask yourself: does my horse need this… or do I need convincing?

Because your horse doesn’t read marketing copy. He just wants dinner — preferably hay and

oats.