Ask the Vet - Is it safe to feed horses grain before or after riding?

This video is taken from the July 2016 episode ( • Ask the Vet - Shivers,... ) of SmartPak's Ask the Vet video series featuring SmartPaker Sarah and Dr. Lydia Gray, SmartPak's Medical Director and Staff Veterinarian.
Additional reading/watching material:
Video- Can You Give Your Horse Water After A Workout?: www.smartpakequine.com/learn-...
Webinar: Equine Ulcers and Gastric Health: www.smartpakequine.com/learn-...
Gastric Ulcers in Horses- Treatment & Prevention: www.smartpakequine.com/learn-...
Detection and Treatment of Ulcers in Horses: www.smartpakequine.com/learn-...
Conditions That Affect the Horse's Hindgut- Acidosis, Ulcers & inflammation: www.smartpakequine.com/learn-...
To see more from our Ask the Vet video series, you can check them out on the SmartPak blog ( www.smartpakequine.com/blog ), SmartPak's Horse Health Library ( www.smartpakequine.com/learn-... ), or on our Ask the Vet playlist ( • Ask the Vet individual... ).
Want to know when the next Ask the Vet videos get posted? SUBSCRIBE to our channel! Want your question answered so you can win a SmartPak gift card? Ask your horse health question in the comments, on any of our social media channels, on our blog, or email them to [e-mail] and be sure to use #askthevetvideo.
Happy learning and #haveagreatride.

[@flyingchangeequine91]

I literally heard a chorus of angels when I saw this video. Bless you smartpak!

[@katleisinger4010]

This was very helpful!! I alway wonder about timing after my horses grain meals! Thank you for the awesome information😊

[@lynnes11]

what disciplines are they referencing that prefer to work the horse on an empty stomach?

[@nathan484848]

should I clip my horse for the spring or should I let him shed

[@wildfloweraquatics7102]

I bought my first horse in August of 2019. She is a 11 year old, 14.3 hand (chunky) aqha mare named Casey. I have been doing a lot of thinking about her diet, Casey is a real easy keeper but I don't know what to feed her along side her supplements (smartpaks I plan on using.) She is being free fed Alfalfa at the moment. When I do start supplementing her diet, should I feed her hay pellets, a cob feed or some grain to feed with her supplements? She doesn't need much, she's quite chunky actually 😂 I just need something to bulk her meal. I have been thinking of feeding either a sweet cob or a shredded beat pulp. Any advice on what I should do? @smartpak

[@astralhorses9559]

I understand this post was made ~1 year ago, but seeing as you didn't get a response I thought I'd try to help you out:
I've always been told easy keepers should only have a maximum ~30% alfalfa/legumes in their diet, the remainder should be grass hay/pasture [grass hays are timothy, coastal, teff, etc.].
If she's already a "chunky" horse, I don't really think you should be adding extra feed to her diet [the beet pulp / sweet COB you mentioned], you should instead be modifying what she's eating to get her to a more ideal weight. [Quarter Horses are supposed to be in the 950-1200 lbs range, so I'd use "1100 lbs" as a starting point for "Ideal Weight", and then adjust from there {basically, if she's still "too chunky" after treating her like a 1100lbs horse for several months, shift down towards 1000lbs; if she's getting too thin, shift up towards 1200lbs.}]
I would personally switch her to grass hay in hay nets 24/7 if she's not on a grass pasture [allows for a constant slow "grazing" effect] plus a few flakes of alfalfa [with total hay intake weighed out to 1.5-2% of her ideal body weight = with the "1100lb" as your goal means between 16-22 lbs of hay per day], and add in a vitamin/mineral supplement [I use SmartPak's SmartEssentials for my herd; I also have Redmond Salt available for them in their stalls + run-in sheds at all times]. Depending on your horse's work level, I'd then consider adding 1-3 lbs of grain if she seems to start having trouble maintaining a more ideal weight [I start off with 100% whole oats. If my horse still has issues with weight maintenance I move on to either a 50:50 blend of whole oats + corn or an unsweetened COB mix. I don't really like sweet feeds, but if it's the only thing available in your area, then you can still try it.]

[@jacqueline_8443]

#askthevetvideo. how long does it take a horse to digest before riding I heard it takes 3 days for horse to digest is that true or false

[@GuardianAngelEquine]

Jackie&Chip 12 that is false!

[@kevywilliams3304]

It’s not funny to make fun!