Farm To Stable: An Equine Nutrition Podcast

Recently, a friend reached out to me because her 19-year-old easy keeper is now showing ribs coming out of a very cold winter. This is a horse who is well-attended to and requires very little to keep his weight on, but as he's shedding, it seems he has lost a bit of weight. This is a relatively common occurrence, particularly as horses age, but there are some steps to take. In this episode, we'll review some weight-gain tips, along...

Recently, a barn mate asked me to help with her horse who had lost weight en route to a competition after a 14-hour trailer ride. Since many horses migrate for competition and other reasons, I wanted to discuss why a horse might lose weight on a long trip and what nutritional support helps support recovery. Weight loss is not the only physiological change that can occur during transport, but it is the focus of this episode. Note th...

To celebrate the arrival of spring here in North America, we've got to talk about the coming bug season! If you haven't listened to the episode about healthy skin (Season 3, Episode 8), be sure to check that out as well, it covers the basics of healthy skin in general. This episode, we will focus on the many horses who suffer from itchy skin and allergic reactions to bug bites. There are plenty of things you can do to help reduce t...

Check out this bonus episode of the "Farm To Stable: An Equine Nutrition Podcast" in collaboration with Dr. Kris Hiney, Extension Horses and the Tack Box Talk Podcast! As part of the Extension Horses Working Group, I'm fortunate to work with land-grant university experts from across the USA who are teachers, researchers and horse lovers from all disciplines. The purpose of university extension is to conduct research that helps the ...

Carbohydrates are the main energy source used by muscles (and the brain!) for work. Horses need more time to replenish energy stores compared to a human. Can feeding a diet that is low in carbohydrates affect performance? Listen in this week to find out!

Scientific references used in preparation for this podcast are listed below.

Lacombe, V., Hinchcliff, K.W., et al. 2003. Effects of feeding meals with various soluble-carbohydrate ...

Cover Illustration Art Credit: Merck Veterinary Manual (link below)

Many of us are in the throes of winter and the start of shedding season. Winter dryness also contributes to dry skin. Can nutrition help? As always, nutrition is supportive of skin health. While it can't cure everything, some key nutrients can help give your horse's skin and coat a boost for overall health.

Links of Interest this week:

Merck Veterinary Manual: Struct...

Haynets are a common site in horse barns, but have you ever thought about why there are there? Are they stressful for horses? Do they have nutritional benefits? Do they really work to reduce waste? We’ll answer these questions and more in this episode, and talk about where the research came from.

Cover Art Photo: iStock, Anja Janssen

Links to research and more information:

Extension Horses Fact Sheets: 5 Benefits of Slow Feed Hay Nets...

I recently heard from a friend who is at a barn that changed the type of feed they were providing. Sadly, they ended up with a few cases of colic. While I don't know all the details, I thought it was a good topic to discuss - when making changes to a horse's diet, how and why it needs to be done slowly and carefully. Listen in for tips and guides on how to do this and what to do if you need to add something new to the diet as well....

Winter has come on strong here in much of North America, with some wild temperature swings. In winter, we rely more on hay for forage as pasture is unavailable. Hay and other dried forages have a lower water content compared to fresh pasture. In addition, extra hay is often provided to help a horse keep warm on cold days. More forage = more water needs! However, it is not uncommon for horses to drink less as temperatures drop. This...

Pre-, pro- and post-bitoics get a lot of attention in the world of equine nutrition. There is lots we do know, but even more that we don't (but we're working on it!) This week, I'll explain what each actually is and why we need more research in horses. Some of the references used for this podcast are listed below.

Adams, A.A., et.al. 2015. The effect of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (DHA) and prebiotic supplementation on inflamma...

This week I am joined by special guest, Dr. Katie Young, an equine nutritionist who consults for Kentucky Equine Research and who councils clients independently. Dr. Young has spend her career in the equine feed industry and is a wealth of experience an knowledge! This week, Dr. Young talks about Myofibrillar Myopathy (MFM) in horses. We'll discuss how it differs from polysaccharide storage myopathy (PSSM) (types 1 and 2), what to ...

Welcome back to season 3 of Farm To Stable. It's the time of year here in North America when many equestrians are getting ready to head south to warmer climates for the winter. Dramatic change in environmental temperature from cold to hot can trigger or exasperate anhidrosis, a condition in which sweating is drastically reduced despite an increase in body temperature. So, how is anhidrosis managed? We'll talk about it in this episo...

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): https://vetmed....

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 dr...

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 perfor...

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 vie...

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 ...

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...