A horse’s nutrient requirements increase with cold weather; he needs more calories to generate heat to keep warm. Mature horses in good condition usually don’t need grain, however, if they have good winter pasture or grass hay.
Researchers have completed the new National Research Council (NRC) report that describes nutritional requirements of the horse. The report is expected to be released this fall to update the previous publication, which was distributed in 1989.
We’ve all seen horses that are a little, shall we say — heavy. But what exactly is heavy? What determines if a horse is thin? Sure, it’s easy to point out those horses at either of the extremes, but for those in between there can be gray areas.
Sometimes it’s challenging to keep weight on a horse. A hyperactive horse might burn off too many calories to stay in optimum body condition, while an old broodmare with digestive inefficiency can lose weight during the stress of lactation.
Q: My 14-year-old mare has severe obesity problems. The veterinarian ruled out Cushing’s disease because she does not exhibit the typical Cushing’s traits. I am afraid to work her for fear that any
A reader asks for help finding an equine body score chart in layman’s terms and understanding some horse anatomy terms.
Progressive Nutrition has launched a new web site featuring the Equine Nutritionist Blog. Blogging is one of the newest tools in high-tech web marketing, now available to the horse community.
The Equine Nutritionist Blog offers consumers
Some horses present special challenges, such as being too thin, too fat, or sick. Some horses are finicky and are hard to keep weight on, especially when working. The first option is to increase the feed’s energy density by adding grain or fat to the
During winter the horse needs additional forage to create more body heat, clean unfrozen water, and some kind of shelter or windbreak. In some climates he may need blanketing if his winter hair coat is inadequate.
Hot, dry Tucson, Ariz., doesn’t conjure up images of equine nutrition research, but leading animal scientists convened there May 31-June 4 to present their latest findings on a variety of equine science topics. The following article highlights
Managing and caring for a persistently underweight horse can be difficult and frustrating for the owner and/or caretaker.
Some horses present special challenges, such as being too thin, too fat, or sick. Some horses are finicky and are hard to keep weight on, especially when working.
The axiom, “You are what you eat” does have relevance to horses with regard to health and well-being. Here’s a review some of the more common dietary problems that affect various organ systems in the horse.
Cardiopulmonary cerebral resuscitation (CPCR, previously called CPR) is the restoration of spontaneous circulation (a heart beat) with the preservation of neurologic (brain) function. The most common and immediate problem requiring CPCR is an
With more and more horses reaching geriatric status (over 20 years of age), it?s important to understand how their nutritional needs might change. Diets should be adjusted if necessary to help old-timers live long and healthy lives. David Pugh,
Is your horse a “hard keeper?” If so, you are well aware of how difficult it is to maintain adequate or desirable body condition in this type of horse. The reality is that no two horses are the same when it comes to the amount of feed (and numbe
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