Nutrition Newsletters

Grain Processing - Does it Destroy Nutrient Value?

Oats, barley, triticale, corn, rice, rye, sorghum, wheat... Whole, cracked, crushed, ground, expanded, extruded, micronised, steam rolled, steam flaked, pelleted… Cereal grains are presented to us in our horse feeds in so many different ways that the question “What is best for my horse?” is on the lips of all horse owners.  So what’s the difference between all of these methods of grain ....

Which Feeds Will Put Weight on My Horse?

As I nutritionist I am asked all the time what feeds are best to put weight on a horse without sending it absolutely mad. While there is no easy answer, there are some basic guidelines you can follow to make the path to weight gain an easier, safer and far more enjoyable one for you and your horse. The standard answer to ‘How do I get my horse to gain weight?’ is ‘Have his teeth checked by a qualified dentist, have your veterinarian conduct a general health check to ....

Body Condition Scoring your horse

A body condition score is an estimate of the amount of body fat stored on a horse and is made independent of the horse’s size, conformation and body weight. Condition scoring is an effective way of ensuring that horses are fed an optimum amount of dietary energy that will allow them to maintain a healthy bodyweight and sustain a high level of performance, an optimum growth rate or maximum reproductive efficiency ....

Seaweed – Miracle Supplement or Massive Con?

There has been much debate about the potential benefits to be gained from feeding seaweed to horses. On one side, we have seaweed being reported as a multifunctional supplement that will act as an anthelmintic, antacid, immuno-stimulator, anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, anti-bacterial, anti-ulcer, heavy metal scavenger, fertility enhancer, nerve calmer, thyroid stimulator and skin and coat conditioner. From the other side, seaweed is called nothing more than a con, containing potentially dangerous levels of iodine and ‘precious ....

Lucerne Hay - Friend or Foe?

Lucerne hay enjoys a varied reputation amongst horse people, with some using it as a highly valued component of their horse's diet and others avoiding it with an almost religious fervour. So, who is right? Is lucerne hay a suitable forage for horses? Or are there other more suitable forages? The answer is, both arguments are correct in a sense. Lucerne hay is a valuable forage for horses, but it must be fed to the right classes of horses' and in the correct quantities for its full benefit to be realised. The following newsletter will look at ....