FEED ADVICE – DISCIPLINES
Feeding Endurance Horses: The Ultimate Guide
Feeding endurance horses requires careful consideration of their unique nutritional needs. Endurance riding is a demanding equestrian discipline that tests a horse’s stamina, fitness, and metabolic efficiency over long distances, often covering 50 to 100 miles in a single day. To succeed in this sport, endurance horses must have a diet that provides sustained energy, supports recovery, and maintains overall health and well-being. In this guide, we will explore the best practices for feeding endurance horses, ensuring they have the fuel they need to perform at their best.
What is Endurance Riding?
Endurance riding is a long-distance competitive sport where horse and rider teams traverse varying terrains, often over natural trails, for extended periods.
The primary focus is on the horse’s ability to maintain a steady pace while covering significant distances, with an emphasis on the horse’s fitness, metabolic health, and soundness.
The sport includes mandatory vet checks throughout the course to ensure the horse remains in good condition.
Successful endurance horses must combine excellent cardiovascular fitness with strong mental resilience, supported by an optimised diet.
Understanding the Nutritional Needs of Endurance Horses
Endurance horses have distinct nutritional requirements driven by the prolonged and intense nature of the sport. Their diet must provide:
Sustained Energy:
Endurance horses require a diet that delivers slow-release energy to support prolonged exercise without causing spikes in energy levels.
Muscle Development and Recovery:
High-quality protein is essential for muscle maintenance, repair, and recovery after long rides.
Digestive Health:
A diet that supports a healthy digestive system is crucial, as endurance horses are prone to gastrointestinal issues due to the stress and length of the events.
Hydration and Electrolyte Balance:
Maintaining hydration and replenishing electrolytes lost through sweat is critical to avoid dehydration and maintain performance.
Metabolic Requirements of Endurance Horses
Endurance horses have heightened metabolic needs due to the extended duration of their work. Their diet must be rich in:
Fibre: The cornerstone of an endurance horse’s diet, fibre from hay and forage provides slow-release energy and supports digestive health.
Fats: Offer a concentrated and efficient source of slow-release energy, crucial for maintaining stamina over long distances.
Electrolytes: Essential for maintaining hydration and preventing electrolyte imbalances during prolonged exercise.
Key Components of an Endurance Horse’s Diet
Forage
High-Quality Hay: Forage should be the foundation of the diet, providing a continuous source of energy and promoting digestive health. Good-quality hay such as timothy or meadow hay is ideal, offering a balance of fibre and nutrients.
Pasture: Access to fresh grass can help maintain natural fibre intake and provide additional hydration, although it should be supplemented with hay to ensure consistency in nutrient intake.
Concentrate
High-Fibre Feeds: Feeds designed for endurance should be high in fibre and low in starch, promoting slow-release energy. Avoid high-grain feeds that can cause spikes in energy and increase the risk of metabolic disorders.
Balancers: Feed balancers provide essential vitamins, minerals, and amino acids without adding excessive calories, ensuring the horse receives all necessary nutrients for long-distance work.
Fat Sources
Oils: Soya, linseed, and coconut oils are excellent sources of fats that provide a concentrated energy source, helping to sustain performance over long distances.
Rice Bran: A high-fat feed additive that also offers protein and fibre, making it ideal for maintaining energy levels without causing excitability.
Full-Fat Soya: Combines fat and protein to support both energy needs and muscle maintenance.
Protein Sources
Alfalfa: A high-quality source of protein and fibre, supporting muscle health and endurance.
Soybean Meal: Rich in essential amino acids, helping to maintain muscle mass and aid recovery after long rides.
Linseed: Provides both protein and omega-3 fatty acids, supporting muscle recovery and overall health.
Supplements
Joint Support: Supplements containing glucosamine, chondroitin, and MSM can help support joint health, reducing the risk of wear and tear over long distances.
Electrolytes: Electrolytes: Replenishing electrolytes lost through sweat is crucial for maintaining hydration and preventing muscle cramps. Electrolyte supplements should be administered before, during, and after rides
Digestive Aids: Probiotics and prebiotics can help maintain gut health, reducing the risk of colic and other digestive issues during and after competition
Hydration
Fresh, Clean Water: Constant access to water is essential, particularly during rides. Offering water regularly throughout the ride and at vet checks helps prevent dehydration.
Wet Feeds and Soaked Forage: Feeding wet feeds or soaked hay can help increase water intake, particularly important during hot weather or when horses are reluctant to drink.
Feeding Tips for Endurance Horses
Pre-Ride Nutrition: In the days leading up to a competition, focus on providing a diet rich in fibre and fats to build up energy reserves. Avoid large meals on the day of the ride to prevent digestive upset.
During-Ride Nutrition: Offer small amounts of high-fibre feeds or soaked hay during vet checks to maintain energy levels and encourage hydration. Electrolyte supplementation is crucial to prevent imbalances.
Post-Ride Recovery: After a ride, focus on rehydration and replenishing lost electrolytes. Provide easily digestible feeds that offer a balance of protein and carbohydrates to aid muscle recovery
Conclusion
Feeding an endurance horse is about providing sustained energy, maintaining hydration, and supporting recovery. A diet rich in high-quality forage, balanced concentrates, targeted supplements, and consistent hydration will ensure your horse remains in peak condition for endurance riding. By tailoring the diet to the specific demands of endurance events and the individual needs of your horse, you can help them achieve their best performance.
Hear from the brand ambassador– Georgina Vaughan’s Approach to Endurance Nutrition
Georgina, alongside competing for Endurance GB, she is also a full-time qualified equine vet. As a Pure Feed ambassador, Georgina champions the importance of natural, balanced diets to support the stamina and performance needed for endurance riding.
Georgina manages a team of five competition horses, alongside two youngsters, and their impressive results reflect the care and attention she puts into their preparation. “A huge amount of time and effort goes into preparing my horses to be the best they can be. Having bred or raised them from foals, I know them inside out, and I’m a big believer that nutrition plays a major role in our successes. They’ve grown up on Pure Feed, and this is what fuels them at rides!”
For her horses that maintain their weight easily, Georgina relies on Pure Balance and Micronized Linseed to provide essential nutrients without excess calories. On the other hand, she uses Condition Pellets to ensure her horses get the extra energy they need during ride weekends, helping to maintain condition over longer distances. After intense competitions, Georgina turns to Pure ReFuel, which provides the necessary nutrition for recovery, ensuring her horses bounce back quickly and are ready for the next challenge.
Georgina’s careful, natural approach to feeding shows that with the right diet, endurance horses can perform at their best!
What we Recommend for Endurance Horses
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Struggling to help your horse maintain weight? Feeding more isn’t always the answer 👉 it’s about the right type of calories!
Pure Condition Mix is high in digestible fibre and energy-dense nutrients, giving extra calories safely without sugar spikes. It supports the gut, provides steady energy, and helps maintain weight, muscle tone & overall wellbeing.
Completely free from molasses, alfalfa & fillers. It`s science-backed nutrition your horse deserves.
Tap the link in bio to learn more!
Struggling to help your horse maintain weight? Feeding more isn’t always the answer 👉 it’s about the right type of calories!
Pure Condition Mix is high in digestible fibre and energy-dense nutrients, giving extra calories safely without sugar spikes. It supports the gut, provides steady energy, and helps maintain weight, muscle tone & overall wellbeing.
Completely free from molasses, alfalfa & fillers. It`s science-backed nutrition your horse deserves.
Tap the link in bio to learn more!
Thousands of owners have switched to Pure Feed, and now it’s your turn!
Fill out our diet plan form, and we’ll send you a personalised feed plan tailored to your horse’s weight, condition, and workload. Simple, science-backed, and designed to help your horse thrive 👉 link in bio 🩵
Thousands of owners have switched to Pure Feed, and now it’s your turn!
Fill out our diet plan form, and we’ll send you a personalised feed plan tailored to your horse’s weight, condition, and workload. Simple, science-backed, and designed to help your horse thrive 👉 link in bio 🩵
Horses with sensitive digestion or high energy levels need steady, balanced energy 🌿
Condition Mix is a slow-release energy feed that relies on fibre and oils, not sugar or cereals. Completely free from molasses and soya, it supports:
✅ Steady hindgut fermentation
✅ Stable blood glucose levels
✅ Topline and overall condition
Perfect for fizzy or sensitive horses, giving digestible, sustained energy while keeping the gut happy.
Science-backed nutrition your horse can thrive on. 🐴
Learn more in our link in bio!
Horses with sensitive digestion or high energy levels need steady, balanced energy 🌿
Condition Mix is a slow-release energy feed that relies on fibre and oils, not sugar or cereals. Completely free from molasses and soya, it supports:
✅ Steady hindgut fermentation
✅ Stable blood glucose levels
✅ Topline and overall condition
Perfect for fizzy or sensitive horses, giving digestible, sustained energy while keeping the gut happy.
Science-backed nutrition your horse can thrive on. 🐴
Learn more in our link in bio!
Minty, mashy goodness your horse won’t say no to 🌿✨
Pure Meadow Mash, our tasty, high-fibre hay replacer that makes even the pickiest eaters lick the bowl clean.
Perfect for warm mashes, replacing hay, boosting fibre, and tempting fussy horses.
Tap the link in our bio to find out more 🩵
Minty, mashy goodness your horse won’t say no to 🌿✨
Pure Meadow Mash, our tasty, high-fibre hay replacer that makes even the pickiest eaters lick the bowl clean.
Perfect for warm mashes, replacing hay, boosting fibre, and tempting fussy horses.
Tap the link in our bio to find out more 🩵
Trying to find an alfalfa-free feed for your horse? The entire Pure Feed range is alfalfa-free 🩵
Whether your horse is a sensitive good doer, laminitis-prone, or just needs a balanced, controlled diet, our alfalfa-free range delivers everything they need!
Take the guesswork out of feeding and explore the Pure Feed range today and see the difference gut-friendly, balanced nutrition can make!
Trying to find an alfalfa-free feed for your horse? The entire Pure Feed range is alfalfa-free 🩵
Whether your horse is a sensitive good doer, laminitis-prone, or just needs a balanced, controlled diet, our alfalfa-free range delivers everything they need!
Take the guesswork out of feeding and explore the Pure Feed range today and see the difference gut-friendly, balanced nutrition can make!
🩵 Shoutout to Avon Animal Feeds 🩵
Your go-to local hub for all things horsey and proud stockists of Pure Feed!
Whether you need a bag of your favourite feed, advice on what to try next, or just an excuse to browse… the team at Avon Animal Feeds has you covered!
📍 Pop in and support your local store
🛒 Grab your Pure Feed favourites
📲 Or head to our bio to visit our stockist map
🩵 Shoutout to Avon Animal Feeds 🩵
Your go-to local hub for all things horsey and proud stockists of Pure Feed!
Whether you need a bag of your favourite feed, advice on what to try next, or just an excuse to browse… the team at Avon Animal Feeds has you covered!
📍 Pop in and support your local store
🛒 Grab your Pure Feed favourites
📲 Or head to our bio to visit our stockist map
Boost your horse’s diet naturally with Pure Linseed 🌿
A high-quality, oil-rich, micronised seed that’s gentle on the gut and provides slow-release calories to support condition, coat quality, and overall wellbeing. Packed with natural oils and fibre, linseed promotes a shiny coat, skin condition, and a balanced digestive system, all without added sugar or starch.
Micronised for optimal digestibility, it can be fed to support weight gain or sprinkled over feed to enhance skin and coat. Versatile, natural, and wholesome nutrition you can trust.
Boost your horse’s diet naturally with Pure Linseed 🌿
A high-quality, oil-rich, micronised seed that’s gentle on the gut and provides slow-release calories to support condition, coat quality, and overall wellbeing. Packed with natural oils and fibre, linseed promotes a shiny coat, skin condition, and a balanced digestive system, all without added sugar or starch.
Micronised for optimal digestibility, it can be fed to support weight gain or sprinkled over feed to enhance skin and coat. Versatile, natural, and wholesome nutrition you can trust.
Struggling with less grass this winter? All Pure Feed complete feeds are high in digestible fibre, keeping your horse’s gut moving and energy steady.
Need extra fibre or a hay replacer? Pure Meadow Mash is perfect – safe to feed in larger quantities and great for popping straight out into your horse’s field so they can nibble naturally 🩵
Struggling with less grass this winter? All Pure Feed complete feeds are high in digestible fibre, keeping your horse’s gut moving and energy steady.
Need extra fibre or a hay replacer? Pure Meadow Mash is perfect – safe to feed in larger quantities and great for popping straight out into your horse’s field so they can nibble naturally 🩵
Think feeding large meals will help your horse put on weight? 🐴
Even large horses have small stomachs, only 8–15 litres. One giant feed can overload digestion, sending a lot of nutrients straight into the hindgut, where much of it passes out as wasted manure instead of helping your horse gain condition 💸💩
Smaller, frequent meals of high-fibre, energy-dense feeds maximise nutrient absorption, support normal gut function, and help your horse gain condition safely Think feeding big buckets will help your horse put on weight? 🐴
Even large horses have small stomachs — only 8–15 litres. One giant feed can overload digestion, sending a lot of nutrients straight into the hindgut — where much of it passes out as wasted manure instead of helping your horse gain condition. 💸💩
Smaller, frequent meals of high-fibre, energy-dense feeds — like Pure Feed — maximise nutrient absorption, support healthy gut function, and help your horse gain condition safely 🩵
Think feeding large meals will help your horse put on weight? 🐴
Even large horses have small stomachs, only 8–15 litres. One giant feed can overload digestion, sending a lot of nutrients straight into the hindgut, where much of it passes out as wasted manure instead of helping your horse gain condition 💸💩
Smaller, frequent meals of high-fibre, energy-dense feeds maximise nutrient absorption, support normal gut function, and help your horse gain condition safely Think feeding big buckets will help your horse put on weight? 🐴
Even large horses have small stomachs — only 8–15 litres. One giant feed can overload digestion, sending a lot of nutrients straight into the hindgut — where much of it passes out as wasted manure instead of helping your horse gain condition. 💸💩
Smaller, frequent meals of high-fibre, energy-dense feeds — like Pure Feed — maximise nutrient absorption, support healthy gut function, and help your horse gain condition safely 🩵
Good doer? Keep the weight off without cutting out their feed 🌿
Pure Balance – low-cal balancer, the base of every Pure Feed
Fibre Balance – handful of chaff + balancer
Easy – low-cal with extra oil & fibre to support energy
Struggling to get it right? Our Diet Plan Service builds the perfect feeding plan for your good doer 🩵 Link in bio
Good doer? Keep the weight off without cutting out their feed 🌿
Pure Balance – low-cal balancer, the base of every Pure Feed
Fibre Balance – handful of chaff + balancer
Easy – low-cal with extra oil & fibre to support energy
Struggling to get it right? Our Diet Plan Service builds the perfect feeding plan for your good doer 🩵 Link in bio
Feeding shouldn’t feel like a full-time job. ⏱️
With Pure Feed, everything your horse needs is already in the bag 👉 balancer, fibre, vitamins, minerals, slow-release energy = all sorted.
Just scoop ➜ feed ➜ get on with the fun stuff 🩵
Want a simpler winter routine?
Free diet plans in our bio.
Feeding shouldn’t feel like a full-time job. ⏱️
With Pure Feed, everything your horse needs is already in the bag 👉 balancer, fibre, vitamins, minerals, slow-release energy = all sorted.
Just scoop ➜ feed ➜ get on with the fun stuff 🩵
Want a simpler winter routine?
Free diet plans in our bio.
Here at Pure Feed, we use unmolassed sugar beet for one reason: it works. 🌱✨
This super-fibre gives your horse cool energy, better digestion, and natural condition, plus is naturally low in sugar and starch. No spikes, no fizz, just smart nutrition that supports every horse, every day.
High fibre ✔️
Naturally digestible ✔️
Gut-friendly ✔️
Performance you can feel ✔️
Link in bio to explore the full range 🩵
Here at Pure Feed, we use unmolassed sugar beet for one reason: it works. 🌱✨
This super-fibre gives your horse cool energy, better digestion, and natural condition, plus is naturally low in sugar and starch. No spikes, no fizz, just smart nutrition that supports every horse, every day.
High fibre ✔️
Naturally digestible ✔️
Gut-friendly ✔️
Performance you can feel ✔️
Link in bio to explore the full range 🩵
The festive break is over, and we’re back! 🎉 Our office is open and ready to help you kick off the new year on the right hoof!
Give us a call: 01458 333333
Email: info@purefeed.com
Or simply send us a DM - we’d love to hear from you!
The festive break is over, and we’re back! 🎉 Our office is open and ready to help you kick off the new year on the right hoof!
Give us a call: 01458 333333
Email: info@purefeed.com
Or simply send us a DM - we’d love to hear from you!
Hello 2026! 🎉
A new year is the perfect moment to reset your horse’s routine, review their diet, and make sure they’re getting exactly what they need for the season ahead.
Whether your goals are condition, performance, weight control, or simply keeping things consistent through winter, the Pure Feed range is designed to make feeding easier; complete, molasses free, high fibre, and built around slow-release energy.
If you want help planning your horse’s nutrition for the year ahead, try our free personalised diet plan to start 2026 on the right hoof 😉
👉 https://www.purefeed.com/free-personalised-diet-plan/
Hello 2026! 🎉
A new year is the perfect moment to reset your horse’s routine, review their diet, and make sure they’re getting exactly what they need for the season ahead.
Whether your goals are condition, performance, weight control, or simply keeping things consistent through winter, the Pure Feed range is designed to make feeding easier; complete, molasses free, high fibre, and built around slow-release energy.
If you want help planning your horse’s nutrition for the year ahead, try our free personalised diet plan to start 2026 on the right hoof 😉
👉 https://www.purefeed.com/free-personalised-diet-plan/
As we wrap up 2025, we just want to say a huge thank you to our Pure Feed community; every horse, every owner, every yard that’s chosen to feed the fibre-first way this year.
From good doers to performance horses, golden oldies to cheeky youngsters, you’ve trusted us to keep their diets simple, balanced, and molasses-free… and we couldn’t be more grateful.
Here’s to shiny coats, happy horses, and more Pure-fuelled adventures in 2026 🩵
As we wrap up 2025, we just want to say a huge thank you to our Pure Feed community; every horse, every owner, every yard that’s chosen to feed the fibre-first way this year.
From good doers to performance horses, golden oldies to cheeky youngsters, you’ve trusted us to keep their diets simple, balanced, and molasses-free… and we couldn’t be more grateful.
Here’s to shiny coats, happy horses, and more Pure-fuelled adventures in 2026 🩵
Ready for better results? Start with the right diet.
Get a free, personalised Pure Feed diet plan; fast, expert and tailored to your horse’s goals. Better condition, better performance, better clarity.
Start your plan now via the link in our bio 🩵
Ready for better results? Start with the right diet.
Get a free, personalised Pure Feed diet plan; fast, expert and tailored to your horse’s goals. Better condition, better performance, better clarity.
Start your plan now via the link in our bio 🩵
Even in winter, horses lose essential electrolytes and nutrients through sweat and that can impact hydration, muscle function, and post-exercise recovery.
Pure Refuel is designed to make recovery simple. It provides a balanced combination of electrolytes, amino acids, antioxidants, and pre- and probiotics to support hardworking muscles, hydration, and overall wellbeing after work.
Whether your horse is training, competing, hunting, or hacking, Refuel helps them bounce back effectively.
Recovery made simple 🍒
Even in winter, horses lose essential electrolytes and nutrients through sweat and that can impact hydration, muscle function, and post-exercise recovery.
Pure Refuel is designed to make recovery simple. It provides a balanced combination of electrolytes, amino acids, antioxidants, and pre- and probiotics to support hardworking muscles, hydration, and overall wellbeing after work.
Whether your horse is training, competing, hunting, or hacking, Refuel helps them bounce back effectively.
Recovery made simple 🍒
Wishing all our wonderful customers, horses and supporters a very Happy Christmas! 🎁✨
Thank you for being part of the Pure Feed family this year 🩵
Wishing all our wonderful customers, horses and supporters a very Happy Christmas! 🎁✨
Thank you for being part of the Pure Feed family this year 🩵
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