Alfalfa
Abundant in protein and calcium, alfalfa is a good source of forage for young, growing horses and lactating mares. For most other horses, it can be too rich and lead to obesity. The high protein concentration can lead to...
As winter draws closer, it’s time to start thinking about your horse’s feeding plan. Many people don’t realize that their horse will need more calories to keep warm in cold weather, resulting in a seemingly sudden weight loss over...
Q: My horses have Bermuda grass hay in front of them at all times, and I give them a flake of alfalfa in the morning and at night. Are they getting enough vitamins in their diet?
A: Access to...
The foundation of every horse’s diet must be forage, which is most commonly provided in the form of either hay or pasture grass. While forage contains a certain amount of energy, protein and vitamins on its own, its fiber...
Thirty to 90 minutes in the sun will give the average person all the required daily vitamin D. But a horse’s hair coat alone creates such a significant barrier to absorption that it typically takes 5 to 8 hours...
When put on a restricted diet, overweight ponies have been shown to snack on stall bedding according to research from the Liverpool University Veterinary School in Great Britain.Wood shavings are often considered a safe alternative to straw for horses...
Did you know that there are literally hundreds of different proteins in a horse’s body? Dr. Juliet Getty offers this mini-lesson to help the horse owner or caretaker understand the importance of feeding high-quality protein to optimize the horse’s...
By Bryan Waldridge, DVMFew sights are worse than the tragedy of malnourished or starved horses. It is important to consider that not all underweight horses are the victims of abuse or neglect. Occasionally, horses may have or be recovering...
Horses evolved as wandering herbivores, moving slowly for hours and taking bites of whatever forage they came across in their rambles.Modern feeding practice is quite different, with many horses given all-day access to rich forage, an invitation to obesity....
