A horse is able to host up to 1015 bacterial cells within their digestive tract! The majority of these bacteria reside in the colon, particularly the caecum. These bacteria play […]
How many bacteria are in a horse’s digestive tract? Read More »
During late pregnancy, a mare’s nutritional requirements increase to meet the demands of her rapidly growing foetus. When feeding heavily pregnant mares, many focus primarily on providing increased calories to
The importance of trace minerals in late pregnancy Read More »
A mare’s nutritional requirements vary throughout different stages of her pregnancy, with the last three to four months placing the most significant nutritional demands on the mare. This is a
Colic is one of the most common causes of death in horses and ponies. Colic episodes can be most distressing for both the horse suffering from it and the caretake/owner
Concerned about colic in your horse or pony? Read More »
Photosensitization (also known as photodermatitis) is light-induced inflammation of the skin (dermatitis) caused by a heightened sensitivity of the skin to sunlight. This condition is non-contagious and often looks like
Photosensitivity in horses…Lucerne (alfalfa), clover and other potential contributors Read More »
Here in the Southern Hemisphere, we’re currently in summer. Which means in many regions the weather is hot and/or humid. This in turn affects the nutrient requirements of our horses.
Salt: Too little or too much? Read More »
Probiotics for horses is something which is continuing to become more popular. Many feed and supplement companies are now adding probiotics to their formulations. Plenty of horse people feed their
Probiotics for horses Read More »
Eating manure (also known as coprophagy), is a common, yet transient phenomenon in foals. Coprophagy is thought to potentially offer multiple health benefits in foals. It is far less common
Help! Why is my horse eating manure? Read More »
When thinking about nutrition for hoof health, biotin gets a lot of attention. Supplemented in appropriate amounts, biotin may help to improve hoof wall integrity. Conflicting evidence exists as to
Hoof Health: Beyond Biotin Read More »
We commonly read or hear that when introducing a new feed into our horses’ and ponies’ diets that we should make the change slowly. But why is this? And is
Why is it important to make dietary changes slowly in horses and ponies? Read More »
There are many possible factors believed to contribute to foals being born with contracted or lax tendons (congenital flexural limb deformities). These include intrauterine positioning, ingestion of certain toxins by
When we transition from winter into spring or from summer into autumn/fall weather, we can suddenly find that our horses have increasing amounts of green grass to graze. With plenty
Grass, Hay, Fibre and Short Chain Fatty Acids Read More »
When we talk about stress in equines, we often think of those horses and ponies that never settle, constantly spook, pace the fence line in the paddock, or sweat up
Whether you’re somewhere in the world currently enjoying warmer weather, or contrastingly, at the other end of the spectrum and starting to experience cooler conditions, salt is a crucial part
The Importance of Salt for Horses and Ponies Read More »
Our horses and ponies have many natural ways to help them keep warm in cold weather. One of these ways is increasing their metabolic rate. Read more about this at:
Why do horses and ponies turn their backs to the cold during inclement weather? Read More »
Our horses and ponies have many natural and effective ways to help them keep warm during cold weather. One of these mechanisms is to increase their metabolic rate (and in
Feeding Horses and Ponies in Cold Weather Read More »
Among the many breeds and types of horses available to riders, off the track thoroughbreds (OTTB) are a highly popular choice of mount. And for a very good reason! Their
An Introduction to Off The Track Thoroughbreds (OTTB) Read More »
Equine Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) describes a group of diseases affecting the mucosa and submucosa of the intestinal wall. It is characterised by the abnormal infiltration of inflammatory cells in
Inflammatory Bowel Disease in the horse. Is GLUTEN a culprit? Read More »
HELP! My horse won’t put on body condition… The horse that fails to thrive can be one of the most frustrating challenges for owners, trainers, breeders and riders. The horse
HELP! My horse won’t put on body condition Read More »
The habit of chewing wood (lignophagia) is a common behaviour observed in horses and ponies. Why do they do it? And what can it tell us? From a dietary perspective,
Why Does My Horse Chew Wood? Read More »
It’s well appreciated that horses and ponies (just like humans) have basic daily mineral and vitamin needs. Whilst a forage (pasture, hay) based diet forms the foundation of sound nutrition
Mineral Licks: A valuable addition to our horses’ diets or not? Read More »
Effectively treating pain in our horses and ponies can be a complex issue. Whilst non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are mainstay to help with the inflammation associated with pain, there are
Injury and Pain in our Horses and Ponies Read More »
Tryptophan is a common ingredient in ‘calming’ products for horses. It is an amino acid which is a precursor to serotonin. This means that tryptophan is one of the building
TRYPTOPHAN…A helpful or harmful calmer for horses? Read More »
Injectable vitamin B12 is a common treatment given to horses. One of the primary functions of vitamin B12 is to help make red blood cells, which are important to carry
Vitamin B12 for Horses Read More »
When it comes to feeding our broodmares, we are inundated with choices in terms of commercial feed mixes and concentrates. It’s common for our feed selections to be largely influenced
Coco Pops, Feeding Broodmares and Skeletal Development…What’s the Link? Read More »
SHORT MESSAGE: Adequate hay intake is essential to help prevent both gastric (stomach) and colonic (hindgut) ulcers. THE HOW:The importance of fibre (particularly long-stem fibre, such as that found in
Hay, Stomach (Gastric) & Hindgut (Colonic) Ulcers Read More »
When we have a horse who starts to exhibit nervy, spooky or irritable behaviour then one of the first things we commonly do is look at their diet. This is
Bad Behaviour & Exclusion Diets Read More »
Bad Breath in Horses The smell of our horse’s breath isn’t something we generally give much thought to. Yet if you’ve ever smelt the breath of a horse or pony
Bad Breath in Horses Read More »
Selenium is a crucial trace-mineral in the diets of our horses and ponies. It plays many key roles in the body and is particularly important in reproductive health (both mares
Selenium- Is your horse actually using the amount on the feed or supplement label? Read More »
When we think of digestive health (and overall health) in our horses- we’re quick to think of the gut. Whilst some may interpret this as the stomach alone, it really
Why Basics Matter: The Importance of Chewing Read More »
Protein- it’s a most crucial component of a horse’s diet, yet is commonly blamed for causing a whole host of problems in horses: Everything from ‘hot behaviour’, to joint problems,
The Importance of Protein Read More »
One of the most significant impacts of modern domestication of horses is the profound reduction in daily physical activity. Even horses who are worked regularly and are in peak fitness
Horses are meant to MOVE. A LOT… Read More »
Overweight horses and ponies can pose a real challenge for owners to manage. Particularly at times of the year where there is an abundance of lush feed. It is well
Overweight horses and ponies: there’s more to the equation than just feed… Read More »
When we think of the term ‘stress’, we often think of horses that pace the fence line, shy at non-existent monsters (!), call out incessantly when their paddock mate leaves
Stress in Horses: Why it isn’t always obvious Read More »
If there’s any horse feed that can cause heated debate about whether or not it is suitable and even valuable for horses- then soy may well take the cake. For
Soy: The Good, Bad and Confusing! Read More »
Injuries in our horses can be frustrating and upsetting occurrences- and more often than not, they tend to occur when our horses are coming along really well. Ironically, although we
Feeding The Injured Horse Read More »
Iodine. It’s an essential trace mineral in our horse’s diets which plays many crucial roles. It is vital as a constituent of the thyroid hormones thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3).
For those of you who ride mares and/or fillies you may have noticed somewhat erratic changes in her mood and behaviour during spring. The mare who was steadfast and easy
An Holistic Approach to Mare Behaviour Read More »
Tying up is a broad term used to classify a wide variety of muscle disorders which result in the dissolution of muscle cells during exercise. Technically known as ‘exertional rhabdomylosis’
What is laminitis? Laminitis is a painful, often devastating inflammatory condition affecting the lamellar tissue of the foot. Each hoof contains 550-600 primary laminae, and each of those consists of
Laminitis: How Naturopathy Can Help Read More »
It’s a relatively common yet unfortunate occurrence, the yearling that becomes ‘very upright’ and in the latter stages ‘topples over at the knee’
Why Do Some Yearlings Become Overly Upright/Topple Forward During Sales Prep? Read More »
It’s now that time of year in the Southern Hemisphere where the yearling sales season is gearing up. Understandably, much emphasis is placed on the vendor’s side in realising maximal
Are we creating resilient racehorses or superficial sales horses? Read More »
Forages and fibre rich foods which require much chewing, comprise the base starting point for a diet which promotes health in the horse. Chewing results in the production of saliva.
Fibre, Chewing and Gastrointestinal Health Read More »
Recent research has clearly demonstrated that foals born from obese mares are at much greater risk of developing osteochondrotic lesions. This is a very important consideration, given that many people
Mare Body Condition: Osteochondrosis Risk in Offspring Read More »
One of the most significant injury concerns for all athletic horses is that involving the bones and joints. Musculoskeletal injuries are the most common cause of poor performance and wastage
Skeletal Injuries: Considering the Role of Bone Density in the Horse Read More »
Nutrition plays a paramount role in keeping horses healthy, with the ability to help prevent or manage specific health conditions. The need for appropriate feeding and nutrition practices becomes even
Equine Hospital Nutritional Practices Read More »
The vast majority of racehorses, performance horses and breeding stock are fed fortified feeds or balancer rations, which are designed to meet the daily nutrient requirements of horses. These nutrient
Nutrient Requirements for Horses: Fortified Feeds and the need for Supplementation Read More »
Lignophagia (or chewing wood) is an all-too common behaviour observed in horses. Whilst it can be both practical and tempting to lather stable boards and fence posts with products to
Lignophagia: Why Do Some Horses Chew Wood? Read More »
Vitamin K is a most important nutrient, which is derived from bacterial synthesis in the horse’s large intestine. For optimal levels of vitamin K to be produced, the horse must
Vitamin K: The role of Gut Health and the Effect on Bone Health and Insulin Resistance Read More »
Salt is made up of the minerals sodium and chloride and is an essential yet often overlooked/forgotten component of the horse’s diet. If you aren’t providing supplemental salt to your
Salt: An Essential Component of the Horse’s Diet Read More »
