Feeding Your Horse Based on Exercise Type

Learn how to match your horse’s feeding program to their primary exercise type from Purina’s Director of Equine Research and New Product Development.  

As a horse owner and Ph.D. Equine Nutritionist,  Dr. Mary Beth Gordon has always had a very specific goal: to maximize every horse’s potential through proper nutrition, whether they’re trail riding or competing in events.  

While choosing a nutritionally balanced performance feed is important, Dr. Gordon also suggests considering the specific type of exercise your performance horse does while competing.  

There are two main types of exercise in horses, categorized as either aerobic and  anaerobic. Aerobic work requires oxygen to convert fuel into muscle contraction, and anaerobic work does not. Horses do both types of work while exercising, but most activities will predominantly be one or the other.  

Key Features of Aerobic Exercise:  

       Longer duration workouts with less speed and intensity. 

       Activities like Dressage, Hunting, Reining, Western Pleasure, Endurance 

       Relies more heavily on fat and fiber as fuel for work  

      Recommended Feeds 

             Purina® Ultium® Competition Horse Formula 

             Purina® Strategy® Healthy Edge® Horse Field 

             Purina® Equine Senior® Active Horse Feed 

Key Features of Anaerobic Exercise 

       Higher intensity, shorter duration workouts with bursts of speedCutting,  

       Activities like Jumping, Racing, Three-Day Eventing, Timed speed events  

       Relies more heavily on soluble carbohydrates as fuel for work 

      Recommended Feeds 

            Purina® #200 Omolene® Performance Horse Feed 

            Purina® #500 Omolene® Performance Horse Feed 

            Purina® Race Ready® Horse Feed 

In addition to fueling a horse based on primary type of exercise, Dr. Gordon stresses that muscle recovery and weight management are also important considerations for performance horses. 

Every working horse can benefit from a high-quality amino acid supplement, because targeted amino acids help promote muscle recovery and help maintain an athletic body type.

Maintaining a healthy weight and body condition is also important, especially during the rigors of show season. Feeding a high-calorie fat supplement that supplies essential omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids can help increase the caloric density of the ration and provides the energy required for peak performance. 

      Recommended Feeds

           Purina® SuperSport® Amino Acid Supplement 

           Purina® Amplify® High-Fat Horse Supplement 

For more information on science-backed feeding strategies for performance horses, watch Dr. Gordon's video from Purina's Equine Exercise Physiology Lab.