Check Your Horse’s Nutrient Requirements – [Nutrition Calculator]Scott Cieslar2025-05-15T11:17:45-04:00

Horse Nutrition Calculator

Use our free and simple nutrition calculator to check your horse’s nutrient requirements and see how their diet is meeting their needs.

How to Use this Tool

Your horse

Metric (kg) Imperial (lb)

Metric (kg)

Imperial (lb)

Body Weight:kg

Birth Date:

Estimated Adult Weight:kg

Physiological Status:

Exercise Level:

Months Pregnant:

Months Lactating:

Forage

What kind of forage does your horse get on a daily basis?

Pasture Grass

Hay

Location (required)

Enter your location to estimate forage composition

Feeding program

What else is in your horse's daily ration? Enter in any feeds or supplements in their diet below and include the amount fed per day.

Add row

Calculate Diet

Nutrient requirements

Talk to a Nutritionist Book a free phone consultation to discuss your horse's diet

Order Hay Analysis Submit a forage sample to get a personalized diet

Print Report

Nutrient	Intake	Status
Dry Matter	--	--
Digestible Energy	--	--
Crude Protein	--	--
Lysine	--	--
Macro Minerals
Calcium	--	--
Phosphorus	--	--
Sodium	--	--
Chloride	--	--
Potassium	--	--
Magnesium	--	--
Sulfur	--	--
Trace Minerals
Cobalt	--	--
Copper	--	--
Iodine	--	--
Iron	--	--
Manganese	--	--
Zinc	--	--
Selenium	--	--
Vitamins
Vitamin A	--	--
Vitamin D	--	--
Vitamin E	--	--
Thiamin	--	--
Riboflavin	--	--
Biotin	--	--

Submit Diet for Evaluation Submit your horse's diet for analysis by our equine nutritionists

Disclaimer

The results of this nutrition calculator can only be considered an estimation for demonstration purposes. Nutrient requirements reflect NRC guidelines on the minimum dietary intake to avoid deficiency and may not reflect optimal intake to support individual goals. Although we endeavour to maintain the accuracy of feeds in our database, the nutrient analyses may not be complete or accurate based on available information. For a thorough evaluation of your horse's feeding program by our equine nutritionists, obtain a forage analysis and submit your horse's information at the link below.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are nutritional requirements for horses based on?

Nutrient requirements for horses are based on the National Research Council (NRC) guidelines, which compile decades of peer-reviewed research on equine nutrition. The NRC establishes recommended intakes for energy, protein, vitamins, and minerals using data from controlled feeding trials, metabolism studies, and performance research. These values are designed to prevent nutrient deficiencies in most horses, but they may not reflect optimal intake for every individual or account for interactions between nutrients.

Mad Barn’s Horse Nutrition Calculator uses NRC standards to estimate whether your horse’s diet meets established nutritional requirements based on body weight, age, workload, and physiological status. For a more in-depth assessment and personalized recommendations, you can submit your horse’s diet for a free evaluation by our equine nutritionists.

How does the horse nutrition calculator work?

Mad Barn’s Horse Nutrition Calculator works by comparing what your horse eats, including forage, feeds, and supplements, to established nutrient requirements based on body weight, age, workload, and physiological status. The tool estimates total nutrient intake and evaluates whether the diet meets recommended intake levels for energy, protein, vitamins, and minerals. The calculator uses data from Mad Barn’s Feed Database, which compiles nutritional information on thousands of forages, commercial feeds, and supplements commonly used in equine diets.

How do I use the horse nutrition calculator to balance my horse’s diet?

You can use Mad Barn's Horse Nutrition Calculator to quickly check whether your horse’s diet meets established nutrient requirements and to identify nutrients that are deficient or out of balance. You will be able to adjust feeds, forages, and supplements to assess how specific changes affect your horse's total nutrient intake relative to their needs.

While the calculator provides general estimates based on NRC guidelines, it does not account for all individual factors that influence nutrient requirements or nutrient utilization, such as forage variability, health status, performance goals, metabolic conditions, or management practices. For diet recommendations tailored to your horse’s specific needs, you can submit your horse’s diet for a free evaluation by our equine nutritionists.

How can I work with a Mad Barn nutritionist to balance my horse's diet?

You can work with Mad Barn’s equine nutritionists for free to ensure your horse’s diet is balanced and appropriate for your goals and management situation. Start by submitting your horse’s diet online, so our team can review your current feeding program and any relevant considerations.

Our nutritionists will assess your horse’s diet to identify deficiencies or excesses and provide clear feeding recommendations based on age, workload, health status, and other factors. If you have questions or a more complex situation, you can also book a free phone consultation to speak to our nutritionists.

What if a feed or supplement my horse uses isn’t listed in the calculator?

If a feed or supplement your horse uses isn’t listed, you can contact us and our team will be happy to add it to the database so your diet can be analyzed accurately.

Please include a clear photo of the product label or a link to the product’s nutrition information. This allows us to review the nutrient profile and add it to Mad Barn’s Feed Database as quickly as possible.

My horse’s diet shows an excess of a specific nutrient. Should I be concerned?

It depends on the specific nutrient that is reported to be in excess in your horse's diet. Some nutrients have a wide margin of safety and can be fed above recommended levels without concern, while others must be kept within a narrower range to avoid potential issues.

Mad Barn's Horse Nutrition Calculator flags values relative to recommended intake levels but does not evaluate long-term risk or individual sensitivity. For a more complete assessment, you can submit your horse’s diet for a free evaluation, and our nutritionists will review whether any identified excesses are relevant for your horse.

Why aren’t all nutrients in my horse’s diet listed in the calculator?

Mad Barn's Horse Nutrition Calculator provides values for nutrients with defined requirements established by the National Research Council (NRC). Not all dietary components have established requirement ranges or intake targets, so they are not included in the calculator output.

For a more comprehensive review that considers additional nutrients as well as your horse's unique needs, you can submit your horse’s diet for a free evaluation. Our equine nutritionists provide a more detailed assessment beyond what is shown in the calculator.

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