Free horse care tool
Build a practical, forage-first feed plan for your horse based on bodyweight, condition, workload, management and health constraints.
Give us 2–3 minutes and we’ll show you where your horse’s diet may need adjusting.
Weight • condition • workload • turnout
Hay / haylage / grass • hard feed • balancer • supplements
Using a branded feed? Choose the manufacturer and product when available, then enter the amount you feed. FeedCalc adds the available manufacturer-declared nutrient values.
Maintain weight • lose weight • gain condition • improve topline • improve performance
See what looks right, what needs checking and what to change first.
Record weight and condition regularly and see whether your horse is moving towards the goal.
No problem. Start anyway. FeedCalc will show what it can assess and what information is still missing.
Enter your horse. Enter what you feed. See what FeedCalc finds.
Horse profiles are stored on this device. Export a FeedCalc backup if these records are important to you.
Use a measured bodyweight whenever possible; height estimation is only a broad fallback.
Choose workload by actual weekly training demand.
Add your main forage sources. Dry matter varies greatly, especially in haylage and soaked forage.
Clinical conditions narrow recommendations rather than creating false precision.
What is your horse eating now? Select generic feeds to see nutrient gaps.
Helpful terminology
These explanations clarify the terms used in your estimate. They are general guidance, not a diagnosis or an individual clinical ration.
Methodology & Sources
Calculations are based on established equine nutrition guidelines. Here is how we interpret the different types of data you might see.
A requirement drawn from a named published reference.
A transparent calculation performed from the values entered here.
A value entered by the owner; FeedCalc does not independently verify it.
An indicative typical value, not a substitute for the selected product's analysis.
A value declared by the feed manufacturer or supplier.
No value was supplied, so no conclusion is drawn.
Progress uses feedcalc-progress-v1. It compares all valid observations in the strongest comparable measurement series, retains flagged outliers in the primary record, and discloses when removing one would change the conclusion. Weighbridge, tape and estimated weights have different tolerances; estimated weights cannot independently establish rapid change. Trends are observations, not a diagnosis or proof that a particular feed caused a change.
Strong direction requires at least 3 comparable readings; the suggested review interval is approximately 14 days. Historical plans retain their original model versions.
Requirements use the feedcalc-nrc-v1 model. Adult references are principally scaled from the published 500 kg values; scaling is a FeedCalc modelling assumption where shown.
Worked example: the moderate-work crude-protein reference is 768 g/day at 500 kg. For a 610 kg horse, FeedCalc calculates 768 × 610 ÷ 500 = 937 g/day.
National Research Council / National Academies · 2007
Merck Veterinary Manual · reviewed 2026-02
Nutrient requirements are population-based estimates used for ration planning. Individual requirements can vary with metabolism, forage digestibility, health, environment and work.
Methodology last reviewed: 15 September 2026
How to use FeedCalc
Practical background to help you understand the estimates, enter your ration and decide when professional advice is needed.
The equine feed plan calculator uses established nutritional benchmarks to estimate your horse's daily energy and dry matter requirements. By taking into account bodyweight, current condition, workload, and specific health concerns, it generates a safe forage-first starting point for a feeding programme.
Feeds contain varying amounts of water. For example, fresh grass is mostly water, while hay is very dry. Calculating rations on a "dry matter" (DM) basis ensures we are comparing the actual nutritional intake, preventing wet feeds from appearing more substantial than they are.
Horses are trickle feeders designed to eat fibrous material for most of the day. A minimum forage DM guideline acts as a safety floor to maintain gut health and mental wellbeing. Never reduce forage below this floor without veterinary supervision.
Energy and intake targets scale with the horse's weight. Using a weighbridge provides the highest confidence. Weight tapes are useful for tracking trends over time, but may over- or underestimate actual absolute weight.
The comparison interface highlights where your current ration meets, exceeds, or falls short of the calculated requirements. "Review" or "Potential concern" flags mean you should examine those specific aspects of the diet, not necessarily that the horse is in danger.
FeedCalc can compare repeated weight and body-condition records over time. Weighbridge readings, weight tapes and estimated weights have different confidence levels, so the tool keeps measurement method and uncertainty visible rather than treating every reading as equally precise.
Grazing and fresh grass are kept distinct from measured forage. Where pasture intake is unknown, FeedCalc shows the uncertainty instead of presenting an estimated contribution as a measured ration.
This tool provides general guidance for typical adult horses. Always seek professional advice for youngstock, breeding animals, horses with medical conditions (like EMS, laminitis, or PPID), or if a horse is experiencing unexplained weight loss.
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