If a horse could talk, it would tell you that it has to eat. In fact, for most horses, it seems that food is the first thing on their mind. But feeding your horse safe food is harder than it sounds, especially in the summer months. Steps should be taken whenever possible to assure a safe and healthy horse year round:

Keep It Sealed: Feed rooms should be sealed, with a door that closes correctly, and gaps and holes should be patched to avoid rodent infestation. If possible, the floor should be made of concrete. Trash cans and feed bins should be made of metal and have tightly fitting or latching lids.

Keep It Clean: Grain tends to end up on the floor, so sweep up after spills, and clean all residual grain from your horses' stalls every day. Make sure to use up all the grain before adding more, so no rotting occurs. Clean in-stall water troughs daily, even if they are automatic, and pasture water troughs at least twice a week. If you are feeding grain in the pasture, make sure you only feed as much as necessary, and that there are no collections of grain anywhere. Check your outdoor water troughs to make sure no animals have drowned and polluted the water.

Test It: Hay is usually ordered in bulk, but that doesn't mean that one bale is identical to the other. If you have any suspicions about your hay, send a sample to be tested. Always look, smell, and feel your hay before feeding it to your horse to make sure that it is good and has no contaminants.