Raw materials —
03 March 2026
Grain-free feeding? You can with Voermeesters By Nature!
More and more horse owners are consciously choosing to feed fewer grains or even switch to a completely grain-free diet, as this is more in line with a horse’s natural nutritional needs: less sugar and starch and more fibre. With Voermeesters By Nature, Voermeesters responds to this growing demand. This new feed range gives you the freedom to feed your horse the way you want to, using pure ingredients and tailored entirely to what your horse needs.
The horse’s natural nutritional needs
A grain-free diet is well suited to a horse’s natural nutritional needs.
Voermeesters nutritionist Wendy Warmerdam explains: “Horses originally lived on the steppes, where their diet consisted of grasses, herbs and leaves. It was only when humans began keeping horses as working animals that grains, particularly oats, were introduced as an inexpensive and readily available source of feed. Grains such as barley, wheat and maize are a concentrated source of energy. They mainly contain starch, which not every horse tolerates equally well. After all, a horse’s digestive system is naturally designed to continuously process fibre-rich feed rather than large amounts of rapidly digestible carbohydrates, such as starch from grains.”
Grains and grain hulls in horse feed
There are differences between grains when it comes to digestibility and how quickly their energy is released.
Barley, spelt and oats are grains with an outer layer, known as the hull. These hulls are rich in fibre and therefore provide a source of fibre for horses, whose digestive systems are adapted to digesting fibre. Oat hulls, for example, are left over from the production of oatmeal for human consumption. These hulls are then made available as a raw material for the animal feed industry. Oat hulls are therefore also referred to as a grain by-product.
What does grain-free horse feed mean?
The animal feed industry in the Netherlands is regulated by the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (NVWA). The NVWA determines which claims may be made about products placed on the market. Wendy Warmerdam explains: “We can only use the term grain-free if a feed product contains neither grains nor grain by-products. Without (whole) grains is the term used on the label when we do not use whole grains but do use grain by-products.” A grain-free product therefore contains no oats, maize, barley or wheat, nor any derivatives of these grains, such as the oat hulls mentioned earlier. Instead, alternative ingredients such as alfalfa, linseed or beet pulp are used. However, Warmerdam emphasises an important distinction: “Grain-free does not automatically mean free from sugar and starch. Some alternative ingredients can still contain significant amounts of starch or naturally occurring sugars.”
Grain-free feed: a good choice for every horse!
A grain-free diet is suitable for all horses, not just easy-keeping breeds, horses with equine metabolic syndrome (EMS) or insulin resistance, horses prone to laminitis, or older horses with reduced digestive function. Grain-free feeding can also be more closely aligned with the natural diet of any horse because it focuses on fibre while keeping starch levels low. This supports gut health, the immune system and overall well-being.
Would you choose a grain-free diet for your horse?
Although grains have been a standard ingredient in many horse feeds for years, there is growing awareness that they are not always the best choice, as they can contain high levels of starch and sugar. Wendy explains: “Choosing a grain-free diet can have a positive impact on your horse’s health and behaviour. By consciously choosing nutrition that is better suited to your horse’s natural needs, you are laying the foundation for a healthy, energetic and contented horse.”
Natural horse feed to keep your horse in balance
Voermeesters By Nature goes back to the origins of what your horse truly needs to stay healthy and balanced. The feed contains only ingredients that reflect what horses would naturally choose to eat. It provides sustainable, responsible and natural nutrition as a foundation, using as few whole grains as possible and, where possible, no grains at all. You can then decide for yourself which additional nutrition or support your horse may need.
Essentials and Toppings: individual feeding tailored to your horse’s needs
Voermeesters By Nature consists of 'Essentials' (cubes, recognisable by the word Daily in the product name) and 'Toppings' (recognisable by the + after the name), which can be used together. By combining Essentials and Toppings, you can easily adapt your horse’s ration to its individual needs. For example, a horse in more demanding work may require additional nutritional support. A leisure horse in light work will generally do well on sufficient good-quality forage combined with Voermeesters Daily Balance or Voermeesters Vitality+.
Choose what is best for your horse
With Voermeesters By Nature, you decide what best suits your horse’s individual situation. This helps create a healthy nutritional balance without deficiencies or excesses. The Essentials and Toppings have been developed to be used in combination. They complement one another but can also be fed separately. Grain-free feeding is an effective way to provide many horses, whether sport horses, leisure horses or horses with specific sensitivities, with a diet in which forage forms the foundation and grain-free options provide additional nutritional support. The ultimate goal: a happy, healthy and balanced horse.
More information about Voermeesters By Nature?
Read our other blogs about Voermeesters By Nature:
• Natural and honest feeding with Voermeesters By Nature
• When should you choose Voermeesters By Nature?
Or request personalised nutritional advice for your horse.