What do racehorses eat and drink?

Thoroughbred racehorses are natural, and exceptional, athletes, but nonetheless require a meticulous regimen with regard to diet, water intake and exercise if they are to fulfil their potential.

Nutritionally, the diet of a racehorse is much lower in forage – that is, grass or hay – than that of, say, leisure or competition horses, but forage remains an important source of energy, fibre, minerals, protein and vitamins. When exercising or racing, racehorses use glycogen, a form of glucose stored in the liver and the muscles, as their main source of energy. Their bodies need soluble carbohydrates from the food they eat to replenish their glycogen stores, so a diet high in carbohydrate-rich grains, such as barley, corn and oats, is a prerequisite for maintaining performance levels and avoid premature fatigue.

Fat, from vegetable oils, soybeans or flax seeds, supplies a large number of calories in a concentrated form, is easily digestible can be fed to increase the energy density of the diet. Indeed, some manufactured, commercial feed products use alternative energy sources, such as fat and fermentable fibre, to reduce the reliance on calories supplied by starch and thereby encourage levelheadedness in racehorses.

Approximately two-thirds of the body of a horse is made up of water and, on average, a horse can drink between five and 15 gallons of water a day, although this vary significantly depending on factors such as size, workload and weather. In warmer conditions and/or during exercise, horses regulate their body temperature by sweating and, in so doing, lose water and electrolytes. Thus, on racedays, a racehorse may increase its water intake up to 20 gallons a day to compensate for lost fluids and stay adequately hydrated. It probably goes without saying that racehorses should always have access to clean, fresh water that is not too cold.