• When you can't put a horse out to pasture, horse feed ensures a nutritious diet.chevaux cotentin image by manuelclerc from Fotolia.com
  
  You can pick a horse feed based on the type of horse you have, its age and the kind of work it's going to do. Horse feeds help when you can't put a horse out to pasture, which is its natural environment. The correct balance of nutrients keeps the animal healthy and cares for its sensitive digestive system. Feeds solve the problem of measuring out the different nutrients one ingredient at a time.
  
  

Protein

• Protein is an energy source for the horse, giving the animal stamina. Protein helps with muscle building and maintenance. Feeds designed for working or competing horses tend to have a higher amount of protein.
  
  

Fat

• Fat is another source of energy for the horse and helps with coat care. The energy is released slowly for extended work for later use. The fats also help a horse to digest certain vitamins, such as vitamins A and D.
  
  

Carbohydrates

• Carbohydrates give a horse quickly-accessible energy. A race horse would make good use of carbohydrates, but all animals need this nutrient. Some "sweet" feeds, which include molasses, provide more carbohydrate than others.
  
  

Fiber

• Fiber, or roughage, provides the raw material that helps a horse digest its food. While hay or grass usually provides this function, feeds provide supplemental fiber as well.
  
  

Vitamins

• Feeds also contain vitamins, which keep many of the horse's natural body functions healthy. For example, vitamin C helps with the immune system and vitamin A with vision. While the horse usually produces its own vitamins or gets enough from forage, most feed contains at least some vitamins.
  
  

Minerals

• Like vitamins, minerals keep the horse functioning properly. They aid in muscle and bone building, combine with enzymes and vitamins for proper organ function and create chemical reactions that pass on biological "messages" within the body.