In this episode, I'll give some general tips for helping a horse gain weight. As winter gives way to spring, it is not unusual for horse owners and managers to notice that an animal has lost weight in the colder months. Also, weight may be needed to support additional training or performance. Whatever the reason, there are few simple things to begin with. Link to Body Condition Score Card (Texas A&M University):...

Here in North America, the temperatures are slowly getting warmer, and grass is growing faster and faster. For many horses, that means a transition from winter hay to spring pasture. As with anything, such a change requires time to minimize the risk of digestive upset, and should not be done suddenly. This week the discussion focuses on some general tips whether you have lush pastures growing, a small amount of pasture or only a dry lot. Some additional resources are here from: Penn State...

Diet can have an influence on a horse's soundness and mobility. There are seemingly endless amounts of products on the market claiming to support movement, but do they work? In most cases the research is limited. Individual horses may respond differently to each supplement, so as long as a product is safe, it can be a matter of trial end error. Don't forget the importance of a balanced diet to lay the foundations for optimum performance. That includes maintaining a healthy body condition....

Following up to last week's podcast all about the broodmare, this week the focus is the foal and stallion. The growing foal has tremendous nutrient needs, often much higher than that of a high performance horse! Healthy growth takes a careful balance of exercise, energy, protein, vitamins and minerals. Some general feeding examples will be discussed. We won't forget about the stallion, of course, but from a nutritional point of view, he's probably the easiest to feed! Episode Photo Art: Pixabay

It's foaling season here in North America, and the nutrition of the broodmare is key for a healthy foal. A pregnant mare's nutritional needs are not static, and they do change throughout pregnancy and lactation. For example, a mare in the first month of lactation has about double the calorie needs compared to maintenance! Protein needs almost triple, and that also means amino acids increase too. Vital nutrients need to be balanced and carefully changed to address the mare's needs at each...

In part one, you heard about the building blocks of a performance horse's diet. This week incorporated muscle fiber types, a very general description of the types of fuel each muscle type burns, and how to use that information to build a diet based on the type of work your horse does. The differences between feeding for a sprint and feeding for endurance are just some of the examples discussed. Remember, the discussion here is very general and for illustrative purposes only. Each individual...

In the first of this two-part series, I'll talk about the background basics for feeding a performance horse. Many of the ideas hold true for ANY horse. But remember, good nutrition will support optimum performance, no matter the discipline. Junk in = Junk out, so the conversation begins with a basic understanding of how nutrients play an actual role in supporting a horse's best output.

At the recent Kentucky Equine Research symposium, Dr. Wendy Pearson of the University of Guelph gave a comprehensive review of Leaky Gut Syndrome (LGS) in horses. Since questions about LGS arise frequently, I wanted to share some of that information, as well as some additional peer-reviewed information to talk about what LGS is, and what we do and don't know about it (which, unfortunately is a lot!) So if you've heard about "leaky gut," and aren't sure what it is or what the consequences are,...

Fresh from the Kentucky Equine Research Equine Health and Nutrition Symposium, I want to highlight one of the talks given by Dr. Katie Young, a well-respected equine nutritionist with many years in the industry and as a horse owner. She discussed the merits (or lack thereof) of hair mineral analysis and serum allergy testing. This is important information for any horse owner - tune in to find out why!

This week, I welcome my first guest, good friend and colleague, Kristen Janicki, MS, PAS to the podcast! Recently, a social media post went viral on the topic of choke in horses and soaking feed. Kristen wrote an outstanding response that broke down the myths and misconceptions of this frightening condition. Choke is something different in horses than it is in people. When a person is choking, their trachea (windpipe) is blocked and breathing in obstructed. In horses, choke refers to a...

What does it mean for a horse to be "metabolic?" We'll talk about that this week, particularly the difference between Equine Cushing's Disease and Equine Metabolic Syndrome. I'll give some very general tips to keep in mind for feeding horses with metabolic concerns and explain why. There's a LOT to unpack this week, so get ready for a ton of information!

Colic is a general term for abdominal pain, and colic is the top killer of horses. While there is nothing we can do to prevent colic 100%, there are some dietary and management steps we can take to help reduce the risk. Tune in and

As the temperature drops outside, it is important to ensure that a horse has enough energy to stay warm. Did you know that horses have their own internal heaters? Listen in this week as I discuss how it works, how to properly (and safely) feed your horse to support warmth and of course, dispel a few myths.

In this episode, I'll describe what hay steamers do and how they differ from soaking hay. If you have a horse with respiratory concerns, be sure to listen up! Thanks to Brian in AZ for this listener-suggested topic.

In this episode, we'll talk about one of my favorite groups of horses to work with, seniors! Many people ask the question, "At what age is my horse considered a senior?" and the answer is not so black and white. This week the discussion talks about how horses age as individuals, what differences can arise and some key takeaways for ensuring a healthy diet to support the aging horse. We've only scratched the surface, but it's a fun and easy to follow introduction to thinking about advancing...

Reading a feed tag can be confusing, especially if you're comparing two products with a similar guaranteed analysis but very different price points. What do the things on the label mean? Listen in for a breakdown of the basics of interpreting a feed tag.

This week we'll talk about blanketing, cold weather and how it can affect a horse's dietary energy needs. With so many options from clipping to not clipping, blankets to no blankets, what's a horse person to do? For some tips and advice, listen in. Of course we'll talk about how nutrition is involved as well. For some additional reading, check out this Rutgers Cooperative Extension Fact Sheet I co-authored in graduate school with Dr. Carey Williams:...

I had more to say about beet pulp, and clear its name! More facts dropped this week on this super fiber, as well as some interesting tips about vitamin/mineral supplements. We'll also discuss some myths, and of course truths, about carbohydrates (always a hot topic!) Please join me as I bust more myths associated with feeding horses this week!

Continuing the theme of busting feed myths, this episode is all about some common feed ingredients and dietary supplements that you may have heard bad things about. Those nasty rumors are busted by science and research, so do take a listen and see if you've heard a myth, or happen to already know a myth that isn't true. Enjoy!

There are many misconceptions about the role of protein in the horse's diet. Protein gets the blame for things it shouldn't (for example, bad behavior, growth problems, weight gain). This week I'm busting protein myths and clarifying facts about what protein is, what it does, and why it shouldn't be blamed for certain things. You'll love this one!

This week I'll discuss a general overview of what goes into your feedbag, nutrient sources and feed labels. There are many ways to get to a guaranteed analysis, so you won't want to miss this inside information that will give you tips to better understand what goes into the bag.

This week, we'll define what "as fed" and "dry matter" really mean, and why these terms are important for understanding your horse's forage intake. It's time to take a deep dive into weighing and managing forage intake - not only for horses that need a controlled diet, but also so you are an educated owner with a deeper understanding of what your horse consumes in a day. I'll give examples about how to manage a weight loss diet as well as how to start with maintaining ideal forage intake when...

Soaking hay properly is important when carbohydrate content needs to be controlled in the horse's diet. Soaking time, water temperature and hay variety all influence the outcome. While soaking can reduce carbohydrate content by up to 40%, you will also lose some soluble proteins and some dry matter as well. Listen for tips and techniques to soak properly and to ensure you are feeding your horse the proper amount after all the soaking and draining is done!

In this episode I'll talk about why it is very important to weigh your horse, and give you some tools on how to do so. Some helpful links are here too:Body Condition Scoring System, from Texas A&M University (where it originated!): https://vetmed.tamu.edu/files/vetmed/vmth/laminitis/Equine_Body_Condition_Scoring.pdfExcellent video by TheHorse.com and Dr. Bob Coleman from the U. of Kentucky about how to body condition score your horse: https://youtu.be/bq0ZXnSlsNQ?feature=sharedThe...