Timothy hay is one of the most popular hays fed to horses. It can be quite expensive, depending on whether it has to be shipped long distances. Timothy must be harvested in the pre- or early-bloom stage to ensure a high nutrient content.

The vet said to put her on alfalfa and grain, but the owner of my boarding stable says that straight alfalfa is bad for Arabians and they need to eat only straight grass hay or a grass/alfalfa mix. Yes, as a generality, alfalfa is higher in protein, calories, and calcium than grass hay, since alfalfa is a legume.

Endurance Horses Arabians were bred for their endurance in desert races, and are as strong as they are light and quick, making them perfect for modern endurance races. Horses in sports such as endurance burn a lot of calories on a regular basis, however, so keeping them from dropping too much weight can be challenging.

I would also recommend putting him on alfalfa pellets (slowly step him up to about 5 pounds of pellets) and free choice grass hay. It usually takes horses like this about three months to take around and getting back on the gain. However, You can also add ½ cup of oil for even more calorie dense energy.

The desert environment required a domesticated horse to cooperate with humans to survive; humans were the only providers of food and water in certain areas, and even hardy Arabian horses needed far more water than camels in order to survive (most horses can only live about 72 hours without water).

Most pony breeds are easy keepers, and smaller, hardy horse breeds such as the Arabian or Mustang have many representatives with this trait. Many draft horse breeds, such as the Percheron are also easy keepers, as are most mules and donkeys. Easy keepers may be confused with a mare that is pregnant.

• American Quarter Horse.
• Morgan Horse.
• Appaloosa.
• Norwegian Fjord.
• Connemara Pony.