Your horse doesn't eat the same way in August that it does in January. Heat, cold, dry wind, and a changing workload all shift what the body needs, even if the horse looks exactly the same standing in the pasture.
Here in the Santa Clarita Valley, our seasons are subtle compared to the rest of the country. We don't get months of snow, but we do get triple-digit summers, dry Santa Ana winds, and chilly winter mornings that catch a lot of owners off guard. A feeding plan that ignores all of that leaves something on the table.
Here's how we walk local horse owners through the year, one season at a time.
Summer: Water, Salt, and Staying Ahead of the Heat
When the temperature climbs, a horse's first need is water. An adult horse can drink 10 to 15 gallons a day in mild weather, and that number can double when it's hot and the horse is working. Clean, cool water should be available at all times, and troughs need scrubbing more often than most people think.
Sweat also carries away sodium, potassium, and chloride. A plain salt block helps, but horses in regular work often need more than they'll lick on their own. Loose salt or an electrolyte supplement can close that gap, especially after hard rides.
Summer is also a good time to look at how much grain you're feeding. Digesting hay generates body heat, and heavy concentrate meals add to it. Many horses do well on a lower-starch feed in the hottest months, with the bulk of their calories coming from good forage.
Fall: Dry Wind and the Winter Prep Window
Fall is when the Santa Ana winds arrive, and with them dust, dry air, and cooler nights. Horses tend to drink less when the weather turns, which is one reason impaction colic shows up more often this time of year. Warming the water slightly, or soaking some feed, can encourage a horse to take in more.
This is also the best moment to take stock before winter. Check your horse's body condition with your hands, not just your eyes, because a thick coat can hide weight loss. If your horse is a little thin now, it will be harder to fix in January.
It's also smart to stock up on hay while supply is good. Prices and quality can swing depending on the growing season, and having your winter supply stored properly lets you feed with confidence when the cold hits.
Winter: Let Forage Be the Furnace
Horses stay warm from the inside out. The fermentation of fiber in the hindgut produces heat, which is why extra hay on a cold night does more for a horse than almost anything else. When temperatures drop, increase the hay before you increase the grain.
Our winters are mild by national standards, but wet, windy nights can still pull a lot of energy out of a horse, especially one that's clipped, thin, or older. Seniors deserve special attention. Older horses often struggle with chewing and hold weight less easily, so they may need a softer, more digestible feed alongside their forage.
Watch the water in winter too. Cold troughs discourage drinking, and a horse that isn't drinking isn't eating well either.
Spring: Green Grass and Getting Back to Work
Spring brings fresh grass, longer days, and a lot of owners eager to get back in the saddle. Both deserve a careful approach.
New pasture growth is rich in sugar and can be hard on horses prone to laminitis or weight gain. Introduce grazing gradually, starting with short sessions, and keep a close eye on easy keepers.
If your horse had a quiet winter, bring the workload back up slowly, and adjust the feed to match. Feeding a performance ration to a horse that's barely working wastes money and can cause problems, while underfeeding a horse heading into a busy show or trail season leaves it short on energy. The goal is to match the feed to the actual job.
Matching the Feed to the Horse
Purina makes a feed for nearly every stage and workload, and the lineup is one of the most recognized in the horse world. Three products come up often at our counter:
- Purina Strategy is a versatile line that suits horses across many life stages, from growing youngsters to mares in foal to adult horses in regular work. It's a solid everyday choice when you want one feed that does a lot.
- Purina Omolene is built for performance. It delivers extra energy for horses in demanding work such as racing, barrel racing, endurance, or heavy ranch use, and it pairs well with seasons when the workload climbs.
- Purina Equine Senior is made for older horses. It can serve as a complete feed for horses that can no longer manage hay, which makes it especially useful through the colder months.
No single feed is right for every horse in every season. The best choice depends on age, weight, workload, and what's coming down the road.
Let's Talk About Your Horse
The seasons change every year, but so does your horse. A mare that was an easy keeper at eight may need something different at eighteen, and the feed that carried your gelding through last summer might not be right for this one.
That's why we'd rather talk with you than hand you a bag. For 50 years, the Fox Feed team has helped local owners adjust their feeding as their horses and their seasons change.
Stop by 17028 Sierra Highway in Canyon Country, or call us at (661) 252-9790. Tell us what your horse is doing right now, and we'll help you plan what comes next.