For horses that are sensitive to inhaled irritants, eating hay can be a problem. Even the cleanest, highest-quality hay is likely to contain a moderate amount of fine material.

While very young, very old, or ailing horses might need specific changes in routine, healthy horses with an intact hair coat can usually tolerate winter weather with few problems if owners pay attention to basic feeding and management principles.

The power of targeted equine nutrition programs is unquestionable. Take, for instance, the feeding management practices that almost entirely relieve horses of the crippling signs associated with tying-up. By reducing starch intake and filling the caloric void with fat and fiber, many racehorses that are genetically predisposed to the disease have become successful athletes. This demonstrates

Researchers estimate that three of every 100 performance horses will experience signs consistent with a diagnosis of tying-up.

The nutritionists at Kentucky Equine Research are frequently asked questions about dietary influences on hoof health. Questions have been posed by farriers, veterinarians, trainers, and owners. In recent years, more horse people have expressed an int

Nutritionists normally recommend horses consume some “long-stem” forage each day. Long-stem forage is best defined as hay or pasture. This recommendation respects the natural desire of horses to graze, as horses are hardwired to spend more than half of their day eating. Forage products that include extremely short pieces of fiber such as cubes, pellets, or chaff are often fed in li

Horses have evolved over millions of years as grazers, with specialized digestive tracts adapted to digest and utilize diets containing high levels of plant fiber. They are capable of processing large quantities of forage to meet their nutrient demands. In an attempt to maximize growth or productivity, horses are often fed diets that also contain high levels of grains and supplements. Unfort

Picture the perfect horse farm in your mind, and you probably envision contented horses grazing velvety green fields that roll away in every direction. When you visit an actual horse pasture, however, reality often includes manure piles surrounded by clumps of coarse grass; patches of bare dirt that show the beginnings of an erosion problem; a few muddy areas with poor drainage; and an amazi

The benefits of omega-3 fatty acids for horses are believed to be numerous: decreased inflammation in various tissues, increased immune response, maintenance of healthy membranes, and an upsurge in sperm production, to name just a few.

Flaxseed and flaxseed oil have been fed to horses for decades, primarily to improve coat condition of sales or show horses. Both flaxseed and

The Equine Science Society Symposium (ESS) is a gathering place for researchers involved in all aspects of equine health and well-being. For more than two decades, Kentucky Equine Research (KER) has presented findings from its nutrition and exercise physiology studies. At this year’s event, more than 160 studies were presented at this symposium in the areas of nutrition, exercise physiology,

Developmental orthopedic disease can rob a young horse of his future as a sound athlete. Each year the consequences of diseases such as osteochondritis dissecans and physitis render hundreds, maybe thousands, of young horses structurally inadequate f