Barley is high in protein and provides digestible energy.  It is high in fat and calories and so is exceptionally good for putting weight on a thin horse. It can also help to keep weight on a horse in winter. It is less likely than other grains, such as oats, to trigger ‘hot’ or ‘fizzy’ behaviour.

However, barley is not a perfect grain and has a poor phosphorus to calcium ratio. It lacks Vitamin A and Vitamin D so always ensure that these are provided from another source.

The grains are hard so need to either be crushed, rolled or cooked (steamed or boiled) before feeding to the horse.  It’s important that grains are provided in the correct form for the horse to utilise.

Some horses don’t like the taste of barley, so mixing it with molasses or cooking the barley can take away the taste.

Don’t forget that if you’re looking to introduce a new feed to your horse’s diet, it should always be done slowly to help prevent any digestive issues caused by changing feed.