Feeding on the Trail

in the morning may be enough for a short trip but horses that are used throughout the season need to be turned out for multiple feeding times or hobbled or picketed all night on good feed.
Horses do have the ability to utilize coarse cellulose due to bacteria in the hindgut that breaks down rough fibre creating enzymes that allow the material to ferment and produce carbohydrates. Many good trail horses enjoy willow and other coarse feed while on the trail and will get benefit from it. Many domestic horse and wild horses survive winter conditions by eating roughage such as bark.
If the conditions allow it we find that turning out horses with hobbles is the most effective way to ensure good feeding on the trail. It is also the most environmentally friendly option as the horses are not tied. Many times we have seen picket line highline and treed areas that were destroyed to the point where they were wide swaths of dirt because horses were confined overnight. Proper highlines on hard ground and similar methods do work well in the right situation such as in parks or areas where feed must be packed in and free grazing is not allowed. If you use a picket line be sure that the feed is good and move the line often. We find tying to a foot safer than tying to the halter and avoid leaving the horses overnight as they can get tangled or worse. Use picket areas free of obstacles that may catch the line.
If you are packing in supplemental feed I suggest alfalfa cubes as alfalfa has an abundance of all of the valuable nutrients and you lose less feed with cubes than with pellets particularly if feeding on the ground. However feeding from a feed bag is better than dumping feed on the ground.
If you pack in all of your feed then I suggest alfalfagrass mix cubes. I am not a fan of packing in hay because of the widespread destruction created by rampant weeds from these practices.
Supplementing with grain is just fine and adding a vitamin and electrolyte mix is a great idea especially for longer trips and late in the season. Feeding small quantities as a treat keeps horses friendly and close to camp. If you make a habit of feeding at a certain time say first thing in the morning the horses will make a