Tag Archives: sugar

Spring Pastures

Posted on May 2, 2020 by

In most areas of North America, pastures are coming to their verdant peak.  This beautiful flush is also a powerhouse of nutrition for the horse. Spring grass has abundant supplies of  vitamins and omega-3 essential fats which likely contribute to … Continue reading →

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Insulin Problems – Forget about NSC

Posted on October 2, 2019 by

Hay or pasture is a major component of any horse’s diet, and is likely to be virtually the complete diet in animals that are obese.  Since insulin resistance is often part of the reason why a horse or pony becomes … Continue reading →

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Pasture Associated Laminitis

Posted on April 9, 2019 by

Everyone loves Spring, but as a horse owner you may be anxious about the possibility of pasture associated laminitis [PAL] if you let your horse graze those tantalizing luscious new growths of pasture. How great is the risk?  Can you … Continue reading →

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Treats

Posted on October 14, 2018 by

There are many behavioral and safety reasons not to give your horse treats but for those who can’t resist, this is for you.  If you must give treats, at least do no harm. This feral horse skull shows remarkably clean … Continue reading →

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When is That Pasture Safe to Graze?

Posted on May 27, 2018 by

It seems counterintuitive that the very food our horses have evolved to eat as their primary diet could in any way be harmful to them. Despite this, some horses do have trouble with spring  grass. How can this be?  It’s … 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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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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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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No Quick Fix for Laminitis Risk

Posted on May 29, 2017 by

It’s perfectly natural to want a silver bullet that will instantly remove the threat of devastating health problems like laminitis but it’s just not that simple.          The classical laminitis stance is something you never want to see. The latest … Continue reading →

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It’s Time to Put the Fructan Theory to Rest

Posted on June 22, 2015 by

Despite the fact there is absolutely no proof that the level of grass fructan (levan) found in horse pastures and hays has ever caused laminitis, fructan continues to be touted as the cause of pasture laminitis.  Any mention of fructan … Continue reading →

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