It can be a bit confusing to get to the bottom of what grain free horse feed really means, especially when you see it printed on a feed bag derived mostly from grain products. In this post we’re unravelling the technical classification of ‘grain free’, and helping you find a suitable feed, even if your […]
Mycotoxins can contaminate almost everything your horse eats and can cause significant health and behavioural issues. The problem is, figuring out what is causing the problems you are seeing and suspect may be mycotoxins isn’t always easy. This post is going to help you answer the question: what should you do if you think your […]
Mycotoxins are nasty little things… toxins produced by fungi that can contaminate feed and forages. They are only needed in tiny amounts (like parts per billion) to have some quite dramatic negative health effects on all animals and different mycotoxins will work together to magnify their negative effects. Read on for more info on what […]
How much grain should I feed my horse in a day? Grains should be fed at a minimum, as high-grain diets can have many complications, including colic, hindgut problems, stomach ulcers, excitable or “hot” behavior, and more. Instead, look to balance your horse’s diet with quality forage and healthy sources of protein and fat. Ration […]
Horses are unique because they absorb phosphorus from their hindgut… which is a stroke of genius on a horse’s part… here is why. Phosphorus in grains, legumes/oilseeds is bound up in a compound called phytate. ‘Phytate bound phosphorus’ is as good as indigestible for most monogastrics who absorb phosphorus from their small intestine (like pigs […]
Question: Does gastric ulcer medication reduce nutrient digestion in horses? Answer: Yes Research shows that starch from grains that were exposed to equine stomach fluid before being digested by small intestinal enzymes was between 17% (extruded rice) and 104% (cracked triticale) more digested than starch that wasn’t exposed to the stomach fluid. While the research […]
Many people wonder about how high sugar or high NSC forages affect their horse’s weight, so this is a question we are often asked. Our standard response has always been ‘well, it depends on the calorie content of the forage’, which then begs the question about the relationship between forage NSC and digestible energy content. […]
Does your horse get diarrhea on fresh alfalfa? Lucerne/Alfalfa… if it is really fresh and green it will often cause scouring/diarrhea. We’re not sure what causes the scouring, BUT observation over the years is that once it is stored for a few months the problem goes away (hence the old advice to always feed ‘shedded’ […]
Feeding a horse confined to a stable… it’s a balancing act… give them plenty of feed to keep them occupied but not so much you have them climbing them walls. Here is a little help on how to do it! Horses are sometimes required to be confined due to illness or injury with no exercise […]
Did you know it’s perfectly ok to adjust the amount of feed you give your horse from day to day?? In fact it’s something we recommend you do, for a couple of reasons. First is that it helps keep your horse’s behavior level and calm. Horses are funny creatures in that they will express the […]
