Purina launches 3 pelleted forage products for horses

Purina Animal Nutrition has launched a line of pelleted forage products for horses, marking the company’s entry into the equine forage category. The 3 products, sold under the Purina Forage name, are formulated to supplement or partially replace hay and pasture, and each softens into a mash in warm water in as little as 15 minutes, according to the company.¹

Based in Arden Hills, Minnesota, Purina Animal Nutrition is a subsidiary of Land O’Lakes, Inc., that manufactures feed for horses and livestock. The company announced the new line on October 15. It operates separately from Nestlé Purina PetCare, which makes food and other products for dogs and cats.

Purina said the products were developed by equine nutritionists with doctoral degrees in response to feeding challenges horse owners face, including inconsistent hay quality and availability, limited pasture access, and the nutritional needs of individual horses.¹

Three formulas for different feeding needs

Alfalfa Gastric Support Pellets combine pelleted alfalfa with Outlast Gastric Support Supplement, a proprietary blend of seaweed-derived calcium and magnesium that Purina says supports gastric comfort. According to the company, the product is designed to help meet a horse’s roughage requirements. It contains no grain, molasses, or binders.¹

Beet Pulp Plus Pellets pair beet pulp and alfalfa with rice bran, which adds calories from fat. Purina positions the formula as a low-starch, low-sugar roughage option for hard keepers, horses sensitive to nonstructural carbohydrates, and horses that have difficulty eating long-stemmed forage, and says it is designed to support body condition and hindgut health. Like the alfalfa product, it is made without grain, molasses, or binders.¹

Timothy-Teff Pellets blend timothy and teff grasses with flaxseed, which Purina says provides guaranteed omega-3 fatty acids. The company says the formula is intended for easy keepers and other horses that require low-starch, low-sugar forage and is designed to help mimic grazing. It excludes soy in addition to grain, molasses, and binders.¹

Mary Beth Gordon, PhD, senior director of equine technical innovation at Purina Animal Nutrition, said the line was built around differences between individual horses. “One horse may need support maintaining body condition. Another may benefit from a forage source that’s easier to chew or an option designed with gastric comfort in mind,” she said in a company announcement.¹

Soaking time and replacement limits

All 3 products use what the company calls EasySoak pellet technology. Purina said the shorter soak time responds to a common complaint from horse owners about how long conventional forage pellets take to soften fully. The resulting mash is easier to chew and may help support water intake, the company said. Purina says the line also provides natural vitamin E.¹

The products differ in how much of a horse’s forage they can replace. When fed according to label directions and the individual horse’s needs, the alfalfa and timothy-teff formulas can serve as a partial or total forage replacement, whereas the beet pulp formula can replace up to 50% of a horse’s forage, according to Purina.¹

The products are available through participating Purina retailers. Purina says it distributes its feed and nutrition products through more than 4700 local cooperatives, independent dealers, and other retailers across the US.¹

Veterinary input recommended before diet changes

Despite the replacement claims, Purina advises owners to consult an equine nutritionist or veterinarian before making significant changes to a horse’s forage program. The company specifically flagged partial or total replacement of long-stemmed forage as a change that warrants professional guidance.¹

Reference

1. Purina expands into forage products with solutions for modern horse feeding challenges. News release. Purina Animal Nutrition. October 15, 2026. Accessed October 15, 2026. [email]