A practical guide to feeding polo ponies — from forage fundamentals to competition-day fuelling, electrolyte management, and common nutritional mistakes.
Polo ponies are equine athletes performing at high intensity — short, explosive bursts of speed, rapid acceleration and deceleration, and intense physical effort repeated across multiple chukkas. Their nutritional needs reflect this demanding workload.
The Foundation: Forage First
Every equine feeding programme starts with forage — hay, haylage, or pasture grass. Forage should constitute a minimum of **1.5% of body weight** per day (7.5 kg / 16.5 lbs for a 500 kg horse). Many nutritionists recommend closer to 2%.
**Why forage matters**:
Provides the fibre essential for healthy gut functionReduces risk of gastric ulcers (the horse's stomach constantly produces acid; fibre provides a buffering mat)Satisfies chewing behaviour, reducing boredom-related vices (cribbing, weaving)Provides a significant portion of energy requirements through hindgut fermentation**Best forage options for polo ponies**:
Good-quality grass hay (moderate protein, adequate fibre)Mixed grass/alfalfa (legume) hay — alfalfa adds protein and calcium but should not exceed 30–40% of total foragePasture grass during turnout — excellent nutrition when availableEnergy Requirements
A polo [pony](/glossary/pony) in active work requires significantly more energy than a horse at maintenance. The exact amount depends on:
**Body weight**: Larger horses need more feed**Workload**: Number of chukkas per week, training intensity, travel stress**Metabolism**: Some horses are "easy keepers" (efficient metabolisers) while others are "hard keepers"**Environmental conditions**: Cold weather increases energy needs; hot weather may reduce appetiteCaloric Sources
**Concentrates (grain-based feeds)**: Provide concentrated energy. For polo ponies in moderate to heavy work, concentrates typically make up 30–50% of total daily calories:
**Oats**: Traditional and well-tolerated. Provide quick-release energy. Good for polo's explosive requirements**Barley**: Higher energy density than oats. Best fed rolled or cooked for digestibility**Commercial sport horse feeds**: Formulated specifically for performance horses, with balanced vitamins and minerals. Often the most convenient option**Fats and oils**: An excellent energy source for performance horses:
Rice bran oil, soybean oil, or linseed (flaxseed) oilProvide 2.25x the energy of carbohydrates per gramSupport coat condition and reduce the inflammatory responseTypical supplementation: 100–250ml (3–8 oz) per day, introduced graduallyProtein
Polo ponies in work need approximately **10–12% crude protein** in their total diet. Protein supports muscle repair, recovery, and maintenance. Sources:
Alfalfa hay (high protein)Soybean meal (high quality, well-balanced amino acids)Commercial performance feeds (protein levels listed on the label)**Common mistake**: Over-feeding protein. Excess protein is expensive, creates more ammonia in urine (poor air quality in stables), and doesn't improve performance.
Vitamins and Minerals
A balanced commercial feed plus good forage will provide most required vitamins and minerals. Key considerations:
**Salt (sodium chloride)**: Essential, especially for sweating horses. Provide a salt block (free choice) and consider adding 1–2 tablespoons of loose salt to daily feed**Electrolytes**: Critical during hot weather and heavy work. Electrolyte supplements replace sodium, potassium, chloride, calcium, and magnesium lost in sweat**Vitamin E and Selenium**: Important antioxidants for muscle function. Many soils are selenium-deficient; supplementation may be necessary**Calcium and Phosphorus**: Must be in correct ratio (approximately 2:1 Ca:P). Diets heavy in grain/oats can be phosphorus-heavy, requiring calcium supplementationFeeding Schedule
Polo ponies do best on a **little and often** feeding pattern:
**Morning**: Forage + concentrates (smaller portion)**Midday**: Forage (hay net or turnout)**Evening**: Forage + concentrates (larger portion)**Night**: Ad-lib forage (hay net)**Critical rules**:
Never feed concentrates less than **2 hours before exercise** (digesting grain during intense exercise can cause colic and reduced performance)Forage can be fed closer to exercise — small amounts of hay 30–60 minutes before work are generally safeAlways feed at consistent times — horses are creatures of habit, and irregular feeding causes stressCompetition Day Feeding
On match days:
**Morning of match**: Normal forage, reduced or no concentrates if match is before noon**Between chukkas**: Small amounts of water (not cold). Some grooms offer a handful of hay**Post-match**: Cool down first, then offer water gradually. Wait 30–60 minutes before concentrates. Forage can be offered sooner**Evening**: Normal feed with electrolyte supplementation if the horse sweated heavilyHydration
A polo pony in work drinks 40–60 litres (10–15 gallons) per day — more in hot weather. Dehydration impairs performance and can be dangerous.
**Fresh water** must be available at all times (except immediately before intense exercise)**Post-exercise**: Offer water in small amounts frequently rather than allowing gorging**Electrolytes**: Adding electrolytes to one water source (while keeping a plain water source available) encourages drinking**Travel**: Horses often drink less during travel. Offer water frequently during transport and consider flavouring water at home and away with apple juice to mask taste differencesCommon Nutritional Mistakes
1. **Overfeeding concentrates**: More grain ≠ better performance. Excess energy leads to hot behaviour, weight gain, and metabolic issues
2. **Underfeeding forage**: Cutting hay to save money or control weight often backfires — increased ulcer risk and behavioural problems
3. **Inconsistent feeding**: Irregular meal times cause stress and increase colic risk
4. **Ignoring body condition**: Regular body condition scoring prevents both over- and under-conditioning
5. **Sudden diet changes**: Any feed changes must be made gradually over 7–14 days to allow gut microbiome adaptation
