Tag Archives: fiber

Fiber is Much More than Bulk

Posted on May 23, 2020 by

We humans are just starting to recognize dietary fiber benefits for ourselves in terms of preventing colon cancer, modulating blood glucose levels and supporting good bowel function.  In horses, there is even more to it.  Fiber is also a major … Continue reading →

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Cold Weather Feeding

Posted on November 11, 2018 by

As the country rapidly slips into winter, questions on cold weather feeding increase.  People want to know what to feed and how much more in winter. The short answer is, it depends. If you have done any reading on this … Continue reading →

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Feeds for Carb Sensitive Horses and Weight Control

Posted on August 19, 2018 by

By carb I am referring to hydrolyzable carbohydrate digested to glucose in the small intestine. This includes starch and the sugar/ESC (ethanol soluble carbohydrates) fractions on an analysis. These are the carbs that elevated glucose and cause an insulin response. … Continue reading →

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The Benefits of Feeding Flax

Posted on March 4, 2018 by

Even fans of feeding flax may not realize all its benefits.  It’s a very healthful supplemental feed item for horses of all ages, classes and uses. People usually feed flax for its high omega-3 fatty acid content. There are two … Continue reading →

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Fine Tuning Winter Feeding

Posted on December 31, 2017 by

Plenty is written every year about the basics of winter feeding, including: Lots of hay/fiber Increase calories to compensate for energy lost staying warm Feed salt Constant water at a comfortable temperature for drinking These things are critically important for … Continue reading →

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Co-Products, not By-Products

Posted on November 25, 2017 by

There is a trend these days to label many highly nutritious feed ingredients as worthless wastes.  This particularly falls on anything that might be classified as a by-product, including beet pulp, wheat mids, soybean hulls and distiller’s dried grains. Do … 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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Spring Grass

Posted on March 13, 2016 by

Beautiful to look at, wonderful to smell and if you’re a horse there is nothing you would rather be eating and arguably nothing more natural you should be eating.  On the other hand, there are a few precautions. First, the … Continue reading →

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In Defense of Wheat Bran

Posted on February 15, 2016 by

Wheat bran has gone from a darling of caretakers everywhere to one of the most widely criticized feeds.  The ensuing impression that bran is somehow “bad” is unwarranted.  In fact, bran has some very desirable characteristics. Bran’s high phosphorus content … Continue reading →

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Fire in the Belly

Posted on November 30, 2015 by

You’ve heard your horse’s intestinal tract referred to as a furnace.  Obviously that’s not literally what happens.  It is where fermentation takes place.  Fermentation reactions produce cheese and your favorite adult beverage but that’s not what is going on either. … Continue reading →

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