Rex says
Everyday utility math — the kind you'd otherwise pull up four browser tabs for. I keep it to one clean answer.
Try a scenario
Click to load — tweak from there.Inputs
Result
Hay per day (lb)
17.6
Concentrate per day (lb)
4.4
Total dry matter per day (lb)
22.0
Bales per day
0.35
Bales per month
10.7
Feed cost per day
$6.20
Feed cost per month
$189
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One click, a permanent link with your numbers baked in.
How to use this
- 1Enter horse weight (lb).
- 2Enter total intake target.
- 3Enter share from forage (hay/pasture) (%).
- 4Enter bale weight (lb).
- 5Enter price per bale ($).
- 6Enter grain price per lb ($).
- 7Read your hay per day (lb) on the right — it updates as you type.
- 8Hit Share to keep the scenario or send it to someone.
About this calculator
Horses eat 1.5–3% of body weight in dry matter each day, and forage should carry most of it. This tool splits the ration between hay and concentrate based on workload, then prices out the monthly hay bill.
Worked example
Using the values the calculator loads with:
Inputs
- Horse weight: 1100 lb
- Total intake target: 2.0% — maintenance
- Share from forage (hay/pasture): 80 %
- Bale weight: 50 lb
- Price per bale: 12 $
- Grain price per lb: 0.45 $
Results
- Hay per day (lb): 17.6
- Concentrate per day (lb): 4.4
- Total dry matter per day (lb): 22
- Bales per day: 0.35
- Bales per month: 10.7
- Feed cost per day: $6.20
- Feed cost per month: $189
What each field means
Inputs
- Horse weight (lb)
- The horse weight used in the calculation, measured in lb. Starts at 1100 lb so you have a working example on load.
- Total intake target
- Pick the option that matches your situation — the maths changes per option. Choices: 1.5% — easy keeper / weight loss, 2.0% — maintenance, 2.5% — light to moderate work, 3.0% — hard work / lactating.
- Share from forage (hay/pasture) (%)
- The share from forage (hay/pasture) used in the calculation, measured in %. Starts at 80 % so you have a working example on load. Accepted range: 40–100 %.
- Bale weight (lb)
- The bale weight used in the calculation, measured in lb. Starts at 50 lb so you have a working example on load.
- Price per bale ($)
- The price per bale used in the calculation, measured in $. Starts at 12 $ so you have a working example on load.
- Grain price per lb ($)
- The grain price per lb used in the calculation, measured in $. Starts at 0.45 $ so you have a working example on load.
Results
- Hay per day (lb)
- Returned as a decimal number and shown as the headline result. It recalculates instantly whenever you change an input, so you can compare scenarios without reloading.
- Concentrate per day (lb)
- Returned as a decimal number. It recalculates instantly whenever you change an input, so you can compare scenarios without reloading.
- Total dry matter per day (lb)
- Returned as a decimal number. It recalculates instantly whenever you change an input, so you can compare scenarios without reloading.
- Bales per day
- Returned as a decimal number. It recalculates instantly whenever you change an input, so you can compare scenarios without reloading.
- Bales per month
- Returned as a decimal number. It recalculates instantly whenever you change an input, so you can compare scenarios without reloading.
- Feed cost per day
- Returned as a money amount in US dollars. It recalculates instantly whenever you change an input, so you can compare scenarios without reloading.
- Feed cost per month
- Returned as a money amount in US dollars. It recalculates instantly whenever you change an input, so you can compare scenarios without reloading.
FAQ
Can a horse live on hay alone?
Many idle horses can, provided the hay tests adequately and they get a ration balancer for minerals. Grain exists to add calories that forage cannot supply for working or hard-keeping horses.
Why does bale weight matter so much?
Small square bales range from 40 to 70 pounds. Feeding 'two flakes' means nothing until you weigh them — that alone explains most over- and under-feeding.
Accuracy and limitations
- Estimates assume standard, average conditions — local rules, pricing, and materials vary.
- Results are rounded for readability; add a buffer before ordering, booking, or committing.
- Double-check anything with a real cost attached against a local quote.
Related tools
Cite this calculator
Writing about this topic? Grab a citation — every link helps keep these tools free.
RevenueLab. (2026). Horse Feed Calculator. Retrieved from https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/horse-feed
<p>Source: <a href="https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/horse-feed" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Horse Feed Calculator — RevenueLab</a> (2026).</p>
Source: [Horse Feed Calculator — RevenueLab](https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/horse-feed) (2026).