Sugar, Sweet Feed, Horses, and Hyperactivity

Some people are concerned that there is a relationship between hyperactive behavior in horses and the amount of molasses, and therefore sugar, in their grain mix.

Molasses based liquids are typically about 10% of a grain mixture. That means that there is 0.1 lb of the liquid in each pound of sweet feed. The highest sugar content in Westway mill product is about 40%, meaning there will be about 4% sugar coming from the molasses in the grain mix.

Just for comparison, recent laboratory assays of a range of good grass and alfalfa hays showed that they contained from 5.8% to 12.1% sugar. Fresh grass is even higher in sugar content.

Logically then, if sugar content is really the issue, and hay is higher in sugar than sweet feed, you should feed more grain mix and less hay. But that’s where logic will get you with horses. Obviously, feeding more sweet feed isn’t the right answer to hyperactivity.

Horses are herbivores – forage is their natural primary feed. We feed grain mixes to supplement the nutrients in the forage and to maintain weight of horses that are being worked hard. Equine experts feel that excessive grain and insufficient hay is the culprit for some incidences of hyperactivity. It’s not the sugar - it’s the overall energy content of the grain, and the lack of natural browsing and chewing activity from insufficient hay that can trigger the problem.

Another fun fact about sugar sources – the commonly used treats for horses - apples and carrots - are about 50% sugar on a dry matter basis.

Also, you know that irritating kid who goes wild every morning? Between his breakfast cereal and glass of orange juice, he ate the same amount of sugar as your horse gets from his breakfast of 5 lbs of grain mix. The problem is that the kid only weighs 60 lbs.