ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Equine nutrition

Equine nutrition is like feeding your horse. You need to give your horse enough food to keep it healthy and happy. Just like your mom or dad choose what to feed you for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, you have to choose what to feed your horse.

Horses eat things like hay, grass, grain, and sometimes supplements. Hay is kind of like a big salad for a horse - it has different kinds of dried grasses that the horse can nibble all day long. They also eat grass outside in pastures, which is like a big salad bar with lots of different kinds of grass that they can eat.

Grain is like the yummy stuff you like to eat, such as cereal, bread, and pasta. Grain can give horses energy to run around and play, but they can only eat a certain amount each day. Just like you can't eat too much candy or you might get a stomachache, horses can get sick if they eat too much grain.

Supplements are like vitamins for horses. Sometimes horses don't get all the important nutrients they need from their food, so supplements can help them stay healthy.

When you feed your horse, you have to make sure you give enough food to keep your horse healthy but not too much so that your horse gets sick. It's important to talk to your veterinarian or a nutritionist who specializes in horses to make sure you're feeding your horse the right amount of food. That way, your horse will be happy, healthy, and ready for lots of fun times together!