Different Types of Commercial Feeds

commercial-equine-feeds

Most feed brands have multiple lines of feeds with various products – this can be challenging to navigate as a horse owner. An issue that I see on an almost daily basis is that horse owners are using a product that doesn’t match their horse’s needs. Therefore, this Friday with Finn blog post is going […]

Feeding Seaweed to Horses?

feeding-seaweed-to-horses

It is no secret that dietary supplements are immensely popular in the equine industry. Let’s do better by our horses and critically investigate dietary supplements. This week’s Friday with Finn blog post is going to be all about seaweed. Seaweed, also commonly referred to as kelp, is a dietary supplement that I occasionally see supplemented […]

Feeding to Improve Topline

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Loss of topline is a common nutritional concern amongst horse owners. The topline is composed of a group of muscles that run down the vertebral column of the horse’s spine. Ideally, you do not want this area to appear concave, it should be adequately covered in muscle without any sunken-in areas or areas of fat […]

Nutritional Considerations for the Broodmare

nutritional-considerations-for-the-broodmare

Broodmare nutrition is an important topic as nutritional requirements change throughout gestation and lactation. Most mares are bred in the spring here in Ontario; however, it is recommended that a mare is on a balanced diet to support her in achieving an optimal body condition prior to breeding. When I receive inquiries in the spring […]

Nutritional Considerations for Donkeys

nutritional-considerations-for-donkeys

Believe it or not, as an independent equine nutritionist, I have a lot of donkey clients too!! Oftentimes these guys may get overlooked when it comes to nutrition, but they need balanced diets too. Most of the donkeys I see are extremely overweight due to being fed in a similar fashion to horses. Even though […]

The Equine Microbiome & Hindgut Fermentation

equine-microbiome-and-hindgut-fermentation

Horses have an interesting digestive tract; they have a large hindgut where fermentation takes place. They rely heavily on this process for optimal digestion as well as energy production. Compared to other animals, horses have a lower enzyme activity at the beginning of their digestive tract. This simple difference indicates that horses are not meant […]

A Conversation with Dr. Andy Druham on HAL

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Part of the reason I wanted to work in equine nutrition was my keen interest in equine metabolic syndrome (EMS). Through some of the educational content creation that I do I have the absolute honour and pleasure to talk about these topics with world-leading experts in the field. Recently I met with Dr. Andy Durham […]

Choosing a Ration Balancer

choosing-a-ration-balancer

What is a ration balancer? It is well known that a horse consuming just hay or pasture will almost always be missing some key vitamins and minerals in their diet. A ration balancer is a concentrated source of the necessary vitamins and minerals that a horse requires. These feeds are typically low in caloric value […]

The Science Behind Slow Feed Changes

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Most horse owners know that feed changes should be made slowly, and do implement this well. However, I often come across people switching forage sources abruptly. This article is going to delve into the science behind why feed changes should be made slowly and highlight the importance of gradual changes not just for pelleted feeds […]

What You Need to Know About Salt Licks

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Sodium chloride (salt) is an essential aspect of the equine diet. Sodium plays a crucial role in many body processes such as the maintenance of body temperature, nerve function, chemical transport, regulation of pH and regulation of osmotic pressure. When sodium is deficient in the diet there can be a plethora of negative health consequences […]