03/04/2026
🔺 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗘𝗾𝘂𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗘𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗴𝘆 𝗣𝘆𝗿𝗮𝗺𝗶𝗱
🥣 Everything we feed our horses provides energy which = calories in one way or another. What is oftentimes overlooked is the fact that there are different types of energy that horses can utilise — three to be exact:
1️⃣ Carbohydrates (Structural and Non-Structual)
2️⃣ Fat
3️⃣ Protein
⚖️ In short, not all calories are created equal… and more importantly, not all calories are used equally by the horse. If we really want to feed for condition, performance, and health — we need to think in terms of an energy hierarchy. And with that, I bring to you…
🔺 The Equine Energy Pyramid
🟩 FOUNDATION: Fibre (Structural Carbohydrates)
This is where the majority of your horse’s energy should come from — and where weight gain should start.
Fibre is fermented in the hindgut, producing volatile fatty acids (VFAs) — the horse’s primary and most natural energy source.
Fibrous feeds support gut health (critical for nutrient absorption), provide “slow-release” energy, and increase calorie intake in a way that is safe and species-appropriate.
My favourite fibre-rich feeds include hay (chaff, hay cubes for the dentally-challenged), grass/pasture, lupin hulls, soy hulls, and beet pulp.
💡 Key takeaway:
If a horse isn’t gaining weight, the first question should always be:
“Are they eating enough fibre?”
🟨 MIDDLE: Non-Structural Carbohydrates + Fat
While sugar and starch (non-structural carbohydrates) fall under the same “carbohydrate” banner as fibre does, this particular energy chain provides fast-release energy that can be useful for performance horses or high level athletes. Most importantly, non-structural carbohydrates are less forgiving on gastrointestinal health if overfed, so should be reserved for those whose workloads truly warrant them.
Contrary to a lot of marketing baloney, oats are the safest high non-structural carbohydrate feed to offer (when needed) as the starch is highly digestible in its natural state. Other cereal grains such as corn, barley, and wheat must be heat-treated (boiled, extruded, micronised) prior to feeding in order to alter the structure of the starch and improve digestibility.
Fat is a highly energy-dense form of calories and on a per gram basis, is higher in calories than carbohydrates are. Like fibre, fats are a source of “cool” energy and are less likely to onset hindgut upset when fed sensibly.
Fat can be a great tool for increasing calorie intake without adding too much bulk to a meal. Some of my favourite fat sources include oil (oh hey, PractiFLAX 👋🏼), oilseeds, and copra meal.
💡 Key takeaway:
Once fibre intake is optimised, fat is your next safest and most effective tool for adding calories. Non-structural carbohydrates should only be considered for performance horses or those with an intensive exercise load.
🟥 TOP: Protein
Yes — protein can be used for energy…But it’s the least efficient and most wasteful way to do it. Before protein can be used for fuel, it must be broken down into amino acids and converted into usable energy which actually costs the horse energy to achieve. Additionally, horses cannot store excess protein as fat/energy so anything not utilised is quite literally peed out on the floor.
High protein feeds should be relied upon to “finish” a diet and provide amino acids that support muscle development, tissue repair, and enzyme production rather than being the first resort for weight gain.
My favourite, quality protein sources to supplement an otherwise high fibre, moderate fat diet include lucerne, lupins, and soybean meal.
💡 Key takeaway:
Feeding extra protein to add weight is like using premium building materials as firewood — expensive and inefficient.
👇🏼 When trying to improve condition or increase energy intake:
1️⃣ Fix the foundation first
→ Increase forage intake (quality and quantity)
2️⃣ Then increase calorie density
→ Add fat (e.g. flaxseed oil, copra meal)
→ Carefully use starch if needed
3️⃣ Only adjust protein if required
→ More does not mean better and is not stored for later
→ Actually costs the horse energy to convert if it doesn’t have adequate calories coming from other, easier to digest energy sources
🖐🏼 Five final fun-facts:
1️⃣ Most feed ingredients will have a fibre, sugar, starch, fat, and protein content — you need to understand why they are in the diet to begin with.
2️⃣ Lucerne can be high in both fibre and protein — the protein component is why it shouldn’t make up the majority of a horse’s forage intake.
3️⃣ Copra meal is not considered a source of quality protein because it is low in some essential amino acids. It is moderate in protein at best and better-utilised for its fat properties.
4️⃣ Beet pulp provides roughly the same amount of calories per kilogram as oats do, but in the form of fibre (structural carbohydrates) rather than sugar and starch (non-structural carbohydrates).
5️⃣ You can’t out-supplement a horse that isn’t eating enough fibre.