Understanding Grains and “Grain-Free” Diets in Horses with a Forage First Lens
Annie Emery
In the world of equine nutrition, few topics generate as much debate as the role of grain in a horse's diet. This is a word used to mean many different things, and often defined differently depending on who you talk to…..With growing concerns about equine metabolic disorders, laminitis, and obesity, some horse owners have come to see “grain” as an unnecessary or even harmful component of feeding programs. They then throw out ALL commercial feeds…. However, this perspective excludes excellent products due to mis-information. This is a USA based platform, so the feeds all have that lens. Your country may or may not do this same thing so please work with a professional to understand your options!
Defining Grain and “Grain-Free”
The Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) defines grains as “a seed from cereal plants.” Some common grains in horse diets include:
Oats – High in fiber and relatively easy to digest.
Corn – Energy-dense, offering more calories per pound than oats.
Barley – A middle-ground grain in terms of energy density and digestibility.
Even if a feed doesn’t contain the intact grain (like whole oats or corn), it may still include parts such as hulls or bran. Products labeled as “grain-free” typically mean that the intact seed portion is excluded. Does that matter? It depends!
It’s also important to note that concentrates—whether they’re extruded, pelleted, or cracked—are often referred to as “grain” by horse owners. But processing doesn’t define whether a feed is truly “grain-free.” Instead, the ingredient list and the guaranteed analysis will tell you whether the product includes any part of a grain and if it leans more towards a fiber or a starch feed.
Why do we care? The choice of starch and sugar levels for a diet is key for all horses. The ingredient list and product info tells us that level, then we can decide if that works for us.
My language is typically “sweet feed/grain” to mean corn and oat based feeds, and I use the word “concentrate” for a forage based fortified feed (Senior feeds, balancers, complete feeds, many performance feeds). Forage pellets are things like alfalfa pellets or beet pulp pellets- this is an unfortified commercial fiber pellet. This is my preference and my own wording for ease of education. As we can more agreement I can modify this use and update terms. Note: this conversation is simplified here, always read the labels carefully. Companies differ in what they call the same thing.
Key Takeaways
The definition varies based on who you talk to- ask questions about context!
“Grain-free” does not always mean the absence of all grain parts—hulls and brans are often included.
The NSC level (Starch/sugar) is very important- know the range that is best for your horse- uber low starch diets are only suggested for some types of horses- not all!
Forage remains the cornerstone of equine diets
Your horses’ life stage, workload, body condition and sport will inform what products are chosen and how much grain is suitable
If you’re curious about how to balance your horse’s diet—whether it’s grain-free or not—consider working with a professional. At Revolution Equine Nutrition, we specialize in independent, science-backed diet plans designed for your horse’s health, without hype or brand bias.
Ready to build a balanced plan that works for your horse? Let’s get started.
This is my own work
Photo credit: Grain: Irena Carpaccio free use/no copyright- edited by Annie to be B&W