Tag Archives: calories

Nutrition for the Lactating Mare

Posted on May 4, 2019 by

There is a reason the horse evolved to foal in the Spring. The rich, tender, high moisture young vegetation provides the energy and protein dense nutrition the mare needs to make sufficient milk. In peak lactation the mare needs 1.8X … Continue reading →

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Weanlings Have Special Needs

Posted on October 21, 2018 by

The two life stages that have the most intensive nutritional needs are mares in early lactation and weanlings. Their requirements per pound of body weight are the highest. Nutrient dense diets are those that have high levels of protein/amino acids … Continue reading →

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Immune Function

Posted on February 26, 2018 by

The immune system is truly an army, with Infantry, Special Forces and even an Intelligence division. Communications employs tens of thousands of different codes carried on the cytokines which also connect it to each and every organ function of the … Continue reading →

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Nutrition for Advancing Pregnancy

Posted on February 11, 2018 by

In the last half of pregnancy the foal grows from the size of a small dog to an average 100 lb foal. Nutritional needs ramp up significantly in late pregnancy and calories are the least of the concerns.  This means … Continue reading →

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Matching Feeding to Activity Level

Posted on October 15, 2017 by

Show season is winding down, vacations over, kids back in school, holidays on the horizon and many horses are getting less work as a result.   It’s important to scale back calories, and in some instances type of calories.  It’s equally … Continue reading →

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What Can You Tell By Just Looking at Hay?

Posted on September 3, 2017 by

There’s a lot you can’t tell by looking but appearance does yield some useful information.  Just the type of hay is a helpful start.  Legumes (clover, peanut, alfalfa) are always high protein and calcium.  Bermuda will be low protein unless … Continue reading →

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Late Summer Weight Loss

Posted on August 6, 2017 by

Weight loss in late summer is a fairly common problem. It can have many different causes and pinpointing the reason is obviously central to successful resolution. from: University of Minnesota Cumulative effects of dehydration is a common cause. With mild … Continue reading →

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Feeding Yearlings

Posted on July 30, 2017 by

Whether you are prepping for sales and halter classes or trying your best to raise a healthy and sound youngster, careful attention to nutritional needs is a key component.  Yearlings should not be fed like little adults. This handsome devil … Continue reading →

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How To Make Your Own Feed

Posted on December 29, 2016 by

Feed companies have been around for quite a while (Purina dates back to 1894) but many operations still mix their own feed.  There are pros and cons. A big plus is cost. Even if you give a formula to a … Continue reading →

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Hay – Much More than Fiber

Posted on October 31, 2016 by

Hay used to be widely viewed as having little or no nutritional value beyond being a source of fiber which provided horses with chew time and made them feel full between meals.  That has largely changed but even those who … Continue reading →

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