Blossom is a sorry sight. Suffering from the symptoms of strangles–fever, a snotty nose, and depression–she’s been standing with her head in one corner of her isolation stall for hours now, barely moving. What’s worse, her morning grain is untouched, and her hay has become part of her bedding, largely un-eaten. Never a plump mare, she seems to have dropped 100 pounds in the past two days as she rides out the infection, and you’re starting to become concerned about her condition. Her lungs and sinuses might clear within the week, but the weight loss could take much longer to address.

Even sadder is your friend’s gelding, Custard, who underwent emergency colic surgery two days ago. Fortunately, he pulled through, and will be ready to go home in a few more days…but your friend is worried about what to feed him. What can his patched-together digestive system handle now? What might throw him into a relapse?

Feeding a healthy horse is one thing; most of us have a pretty good understanding of what works and what doesn’t. But feeding a horse who’s sick, injured, or recovering from surgery is another. Not only do you have to worry about what his compromised system might be able to handle, but you also have to deal with potentially dramatic weight loss, and the anorexia (loss of appetite) that often comes with fighting illness or injury. Getting your patient to eat is half the battle. The other half is helping him maintain (or improve) his condition so his body will have the best chance of returning back to health