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Skip Navigation LinksAll Horse Topics > Nutrition/Supplements > Maintaining/Changing Body Condition


Articles ( * = TheHorse.com members only )Date Posted
U.K. Couple Sentenced in Pony Obesity Cruelty Case
A couple in the United Kingdom have become the first horse owners convicted of obesity-related animal cruelty under that country's Animal Welfare Act, said a report from Horse and Hound. The Act stipulates that owners must provide a suitable diet for their animals. Keith and Lynn Hall of Blackpool, England, were charged with animal cruelty ... Read full story
 11/5/2009
Prevent Weight Gain to Minimize Metabolic Changes in Horses   *
Weight gain and obesity in horses should be avoided to prevent insulin resistance, increased insulin and leptin blood levels, and laminitis, and to maintain a healthy metabolic state. To date, "it is unknown whether obesity is the primary cause of or contributes to metabolic abnormalities or whether these abnormalities are inherent characteristics ... Read full story
 10/16/2009
Insulin Resistance: Variation in Blood Test Levels   *
A blood sample is usually a key step in diagnosing a horse as insulin resistant. But a recent study showed that one sample might not give enough information because the horse’s blood sugar and insulin fluctuates daily. "Your veterinarian should probably take at least two samples on different days," recommended Shannon E. Pratt, PhD, of North Carolina ... Read full story
 10/14/2009
Understanding Beet Pulp as an Equine Feed   *
Beet pulp has been a popular feed for horses for years without many people really knowing why. Beet pulp is a byproduct of the sugar beet industry and is predominant in the upper Midwest, Michigan, and California. Sugar beets look a lot like turnips that have been taking growth hormones--they are very large. The beets are grown and processed not ... Read full story
 9/7/2009
Equine Metabolic Syndrome a Focus of Research  *
The Equine Science Society Symposium (ESS) is a gathering place for researchers involved in all aspects of equine health and well-being. For more than two decades, Kentucky Equine Research (KER) has presented findings from its nutrition and exercise physiology studies. At this year's event, more than 160 studies were presented at this symposium in ... Read full story
 8/25/2009
Laminitis Risk Increased by Pasture Grass Sugars  *
Pasture-induced laminitis (sometimes referred to as founder) can be triggered when susceptible horses ingest high amounts of sugar or fructans that are naturally found in some pasture grasses. Susceptible horses include, but are not limited to, overweight or easy keeping horses, ponies, horses with metabolic syndrome, and horses that have foundered ... Read full story
 6/29/2009
Researchers Track Body Condition, Metabolic Conditions by Discipline   *
The sport in which horses participate often dictates the body condition in which they are maintained. Polo ponies are typically sleek and trim, their fitness evident in a tight, tucked-up appearance. The same can be said of most racehorses. Pleasure horses, those mounts used to poke around trails and forests, are sometimes softer and less muscular, ... Read full story
 6/16/2009
Pastured Horses More Fit, Study Finds   *
Horses are better able to maintain fitness when turned out on large pasture, according to Patty Graham-Thiers, PhD, of Virginia Intermont College, Bristol, Va. She presented results of her recent study at the 2009 Equine Science Society Meeting, held May 29-31 in Keystone, Colo In the project, researchers divided mature horses into three groups: ... Read full story
 6/9/2009
Hard at Work or Hardly Working? Equine Work Intensity   *
Optimal nutrition of the performance horse hinges foremost on the exercise it performs. Just as the diet of a human bodybuilder is dissimilar to that of a marathon runner, most horses are fed with performance goals in mind. Therefore, accurately assessing the level of work performed by a horse is essential in determining the amount and type of feed ... Read full story
 5/11/2009
Table Topic: Cushing's or Metabolic Syndrome?
Recognizing and treating the horse with endocrine disease was the focus of the lively discussion at the table topic "Cushing's or Metabolic Syndrome?" The session, which was held at the 2008 American Association of Equine Practitioners convention, held Dec. 6-10 in San Diego, Calif., started off with definitions and clinical descriptions of the two ... Read full story
 4/17/2009
AAEP 2008: Causes of Laminitis   *
At the 2008 AAEP Convention, which was held Dec. 6-10 in San Diego, Calif., Nicholas Frank, DVM, PhD, Dipl. ACVIM, associate professor in the Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences at the University of Tennessee's College of Veterinary Medicine, presented a thorough review of precipitating causes of laminitis. Obesity is a primary predisposing ... Read full story
 4/1/2009
AAEP 2008: Tart Cherry Juice Blend Might Reduce Muscle Damage  *
The potential antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties of a tart cherry juice blend given to exercising horses were the topic of a study presented at the 2008 Convention of the American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) by Norm Ducharme, DVM, MSc, Dipl. ACVS, James Law Professor of Surgery in the Section of Large Animal Surgery at Cornell ... Read full story
 2/8/2009
AAEP 2008: Safely Increasing Weight in Emaciated Horses  *
Rehabilitating emaciated horses to nutritional health is a challenge--there's a fine line between not getting results and risking the horse's health by introducing too much, too soon. Maria Luke, DVM, discussed one system used to facilitate weight gain in these horses at the 2008 Convention of the American Association of Equine Practitioners, held ... Read full story
 1/31/2009
Starving Horse Series: Freeway Shows Signs of Improvement   *
Freeway, the starving horse that Sue Thompson of Clayton, Calif., rescued in late 2007 and has rehabilitated over the past year, could be a step closer to recovery. The Quarter Horse-type gelding underwent a checkup yesterday (Jan. 22) at the University of California, Davis, where veterinarians cut back his antibiotics and gave an encouraging prognosis. ... Read full story
 1/23/2009
Older Horses Require Extra Care  *
Gray hair, stiff joints, poor teeth, and weight changes are not just signs of aging in humans; they afflict horses as well. Molly Nicodemus, MS, PhD, an associate professor of animal and dairy sciences at Mississippi State University, said horses often display noticeable signs of aging. Although they vary from horse to horse, these indicators can ... Read full story
 1/15/2009
Horse Health Tips for Extreme Cold Weather
This winter has been unusually cold in some areas, with temperatures well below freezing for many days in a row. This extreme cold weather can be particularly dangerous to animals that live outdoors. The Michigan State University Veterinary Teaching Hospital is reporting an increase in the number of animals presenting with starvation and problems related ... Read full story
 1/14/2009
Keeping Horses Warm
Winter is in full force, and horse owners need to make sure their animals stay warm, according to North Dakota State University Extension Service equine specialist Carrie Hammer, DVM, PhD. Horse owners have several ways to do that. One of them is giving the horses shelter. "Horses have a wonderful ability to survive in the cold," Hammer said. "A ... Read full story
 1/4/2009
12 Months of Feeding Tips  *
Here's how to roll with Mother Nature through the seasons, nutritionally speaking. Sometimes it feels as if humans have divorced themselves from the rhythms of nature. Perhaps that's part of the appeal of horses. They seem so much more attuned to the natural world than we are. And when we spend time in their company, we're brought back into an environment ... Read full story
 1/1/2009
Respecting Our Elders  *
Is 20 the new 10? How horses age has a lot to do with their luck in the genetic lottery, but factors such as nutrition, medical and dental care, and lifestyle can enhance--and even extend--their years. "Historically, horses were considered old when they reached their teens," says Joe Pagan, PhD, president of Kentucky Equine Research in Versailles, ... Read full story
 1/1/2009
Saving a Starving Horse: Part 2  *
Editor's Note: This is the second and final part in a series on saving Freeway, a horse that was rescued from starvation and neglect by passer-by Sue Thompson of Clayton, Calif., on Dec. 28, 2007. See also Part 1 of this story. "That weekend a big storm hit the Bay Area," said Thompson, referring to the weekend after she brought Freeway home, ... Read full story
 1/1/2009
Saving a Starving Horse: Part 1  *
She could've just kept driving. But instead of dismissing the idea of intervention as someone else's sad responsibility, Sue Thompson last year saw a chance for helping a nearly skeletal, weak, neglected brown horse that was standing in a muddy pasture visible from the freeway. Freeway in his first weeks at Thompson’s farm. Thompson lives in ... Read full story
 12/31/2008
Survey Finds Eventers Nutritionally Sound, but Oversupplemented   *
In a survey of leading three-day event riders, researchers found that the majority of riders fed their horses based on research-driven recommendations, but the number of supplements used per horse did raise some eyebrows. During the Jersey Fresh 2006 and 2007 Three-Day Events, researchers interviewed 69 riders, asking such questions as where they ... Read full story
 12/28/2008
Teff Hay for Foundered Horses: A Good Fit?   *
In California, teff is being called the "perfect grass for foundered horses." But is teff hay always safe for horses that are intolerant of high-sugar forage? Teff grass (Eragrostis teff) is a new type of grass being introduced around the world for hay production. Originally from the highlands of Ethiopia, there are different varieties grown for grain ... Read full story
 12/22/2008
Feeding Horses When Temperatures Drop  *
Winter presents a challenge to horse owners when it comes to feeding their horses. Low temperatures, harsh winds and rain, snow, and ice all contribute to the increasing nutrient requirements a horse has to keep themselves warm and maintain their body weight. Here are a few feeding tips to help horse owners keep their horses happy and healthy this ... Read full story
 11/30/2008
Measuring the Physiologic Response to Nutrition  *
Whether for weight gain or loss, speed or shine, nearly everything we offer our equine animals is given in order to bring about an effect we desire. Stacie Appleton, PhD, and Mike Jerina, BS, presented a demonstration on "Measuring the Physiologic Response to Nutrition" to show how the lab goes about measuring the effect of their feeds, at the Purina ... Read full story
 11/24/2008
Caring for Older Horses: The Elmer Bandit Diet  *
After Elmer Bandit, a 37-year-old Half-Arabian, broke the record for lifetime competitive trail mileage last month, we were flooded with questions about Elmer's care and, specifically, what fuels the fire that keeps him going. As it turns out, feeding Elmer requires careful consideration and a serious time commitment. "Getting enough calories to ... Read full story
 11/23/2008
Feeding to Lessen Inflammation   *
At the Purina Equine Veterinary Conference, held Oct. 17-19 in St. Louis, Mo., Karen Davison, PhD, manager of Equine Technical Services for the Horse Business Group of Purina Mills discussed managing inflammation and oxidative stress in horses through their diets A horse that stands idle, breathing, eating, and digesting food, is affected by tissue ... Read full story
 10/31/2008
Soy Safety: Depends on the Source, Nutritionists Say   *
Horses have varying protein requirements, depending on stage of life or performance level. Protein, the essential building block for new cellular growth, provides the amino acids necessary for maintaining all normal body functions in a horse, from synthesis and release of hormones to formation and repair of muscle and other soft tissues. Soy has long ... Read full story
 10/27/2008
Diagnosing Insulin Resistance: Q&A with Researchers  *
Over the past few years researchers have described a strong association between insulin resistance and laminitis in equines. They are working now on defining standard testing protocols and interpretations to identify horses at highest risk for laminitis. Many questions remain unanswered. How should insulin resistance be defined and diagnosed? How do ... Read full story
 8/28/2008
Big-Boned Beastie
Q: My 9-year-old Missouri Fox Trotter gelding has steadily put on weight throughout his life, even though he is exercised two to three times a week on the trail at working gaits. He is free-fed Bermuda grass hay (not coastal) and no supplements, but he has developed a crest and fatty deposits on his body. My veterinarian tested his thyroid levels, ... Read full story
 8/1/2008
Exotic Tastes: Equine Flavor Preferences  *
Does your horse have a favorite flavor? Eight research horses in England did. Deborah Goodwin, BSc, PhD, research director of Applied Animal Behaviour Programmes at the University of Southampton, set out to discover what flavors horses actually like, compared to what horse owners and product manufacturers think horses like. In Goodwin's first trial, ... Read full story
 7/15/2008
Excerpt from Revised Understanding Equine Nutrition: Energy and Carbs  *
If forages provide the "maintenance" energy horses need for the workings of everyday life--grazing, sleeping, wandering from pasture to pasture, maintaining internal temperature--then cereal grains are the turbo-charged portion of the diet. Their main function is to provide higher concentrations of energy, in the form of carbohydrates and starches, ... Read full story
 6/4/2008
The Seized Horse  *
The economy is hurting and many horse owners have lost their jobs, homes, and, in some cases, their horses. Drought, pressure to raise grain rather than hay, and rising fuel costs have pushed hay prices to unprecedented highs. In an ideal world, horse owners unable to care for their horses would sell or surrender them before their health was jeopardized. ... Read full story
 6/1/2008
Gastrointestinal Disease and Carbohydrate Nutrition in Horses  *
How is feeding carbohydrates related to gastrointestinal (GI) disease? Ray Geor, BVSc, MVSc, PhD, Dipl. ACVIM , professor, Paul Mellon Distinguished Chair, and director of research at Virginia Tech's Middleburg Agricultural Research and Extension Center in Middleburg, Va. began his discussion of this topic at the 2007 American Association of Equine ... Read full story
 5/5/2008
Weight Loss in Horses  *
Thin body condition of a horse might represent true "weight loss," or, more likely, it might be secondary to inadequate calorie intake over a period of time. The identification of a thin horse is usually not difficult--the horse's owner, stable manager, and veterinarian can clearly see that a horse is underweight. For a time, weight loss or poor condition ... Read full story
 5/1/2008
Fiber in Hay: What's the Magic Number?   *
Horses evolved to eat a lot of fiber, spending up to 17 hours a day grazing various forage plants. But not all fiber is created equal, especially when it comes to hay. Hay carries a few challenges compared to living forages. One, compared to fresh forage, dry hay lacks the moisture needed to move fiber along the digestive tract. Unlimited access ... Read full story
 5/1/2008
Feeding Senior Horses  *
A horse that is kept healthy and disease-free in its younger years has the potential to live well into its 20s and 30s, stated David Pugh, DVM, MS, Dipl. ACT, ACVN, of Fort Dodge Animal Health in his presentation on feeding the geriatric horse at the 2007 American Association of Equine Practitioners Convention, held Dec. 1-5 in Orlando, Fla. In the ... Read full story
 4/20/2008
Mare Seized in South Carolina Abuse Case Delivers Healthy Foal  *
Caretakers of the horses seized in a recent South Carolina abuse case got some good news last month, when one of the mares delivered a full-term foal. "She's just beautiful," said Kelly Graham, director of public relations for the Richland County, S.C., Humane Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. "And she's completely healthy." Born ... Read full story
 4/14/2008
GetSmart Series: Managing Insulin Resistance   *
Does your horse have a cresty neck? Does he gain weight on air? Does he develop laminitis at the mere sight of spring grass? If so, your horse could have insulin resistance. Lydia F. Gray, DVM, MA, medical director/staff veterinarian for SmartPak presented a lecture on managing this condition at the SmartPak retail store in Natick, Mass., on March ... Read full story
 4/7/2008
Feeding Horses with Endocrine Disorders   *
Nicholas Frank, DVM, PhD, Dipl. ACVIM, associate professor of large animal clinical sciences at the University of Tennessee, spoke about equine endocrine disorders that are the most manageable by dietary control. There are two main endocrine disorders to address: equine metabolic syndrome (EMS) and equine Cushing's disease (ECD or pituitary pars intermedia ... Read full story
 4/5/2008
100 Horses Seized from Alberta Farm, Recovering   *
Officials removed a herd of 100 horses from a farm near Edmonton, Alberta, Feb. 26, after the Alberta Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) received complaints about the animals allegedly being without food or shelter. The animals are recovering in the care of area volunteers and veterinarians. According to Morris Airey, director ... Read full story
 3/20/2008
Needing a Pick-Me-Up
Q: I have a 20-year-old Quarter Horse, and I have had trouble putting weight on her for the past few years. I have had her teeth done and a veterinarian has ruled out any major issues, such as cancer, system shutdown, etc. She has been vaccinated against the usual threats. Her eyes are still bright, but she has no energy. She also sleeps a lot. When ... Read full story
 12/1/2007
Adipobiology (The Study of Fat in the Body): An Emerging Field  *
What exactly does stored fat do to a horse's body? It wreaks serious havoc on at least 11 vital body functions. Nat Messer, DVM, Dipl. ABVP, an associate professor of equine medicine and surgery at the University of Missouri (UM), presented a compelling discussion at the 2006 AAEP Convention of the relatively new field of adipobiology--the study of ... Read full story
 7/2/2007
Slimming Down  *
In this age of plenty, it is not uncommon to see horses carrying too much body fat. Such an individual exceeds what we might call pleasingly plump; in other words, he is fat. When running your hands across the horse's sides, you won't feel any ribs beneath his flesh. Often a fat horse has developed a cresty neck, and if you can stand on a fence ... Read full story
 7/1/2007
Equine Metabolic Syndrome and the Easy Keeper   *
If your horse gains weight eating air, founders on grass every spring, and has a cresty neck, he could be insulin resistant. Insulin resistance is part of an equine health issue called Equine Metabolic Syndrome (EMS). Equine Metabolic Syndrome is defined as a condition of: 1) obesity and/or patchy fat accumulation, 2) insulin resistance, and 3) chronic ... Read full story
 5/5/2007
Managing the Hard Keeper   *
Horses lose weight for a variety of reasons--some medical, some man-made. Learn why your horse might be underweight and what you can do about it. Have your veterinarian perform a complete physical examination to rule-out medical diseases or conditions. There are some common health reasons for horses to lose weight, like parasites, and there are some ... Read full story
 4/29/2007
Nutrition to Go  *
A group of veterinarians gathered at the Land O' Lakes Purina Mills headquarters in St. Louis, Mo., last fall to participate in discussions on subjects that ranged from Cushing's disease to proper nutrition for horses young and old. Nicholas Frank, DVM, PhD, Dipl. ACVIM, of the University of Tennessee, addressed the issues of Cushing's disease and ... Read full story
 3/1/2007
Sugars and Starches  *
The American public often is obsessed with fad diets and weight loss. Through the years, there have been diets for all occasions. For a time, the Atkins diet took the country by storm, with the low-carb diet taking center stage, and producers developing products ranging from cooking oil to beer, touting the low level of carbohydrates in their respective ... Read full story
 1/1/2007
4-H Members To Care For Neglected Horses  *
A group of 4-H club members are devoting their holiday break to helping two veterinarians and others feed and care for seven seriously malnourished horses rescued from a Dayton-area farm. Members of the Making Strides 4-H Club started preparing stalls Saturday morning to make a recovery ward at the Butler County Fairgrounds for the horses found Thursday ... Read full story
 12/25/2006
Fat Fillies and Slothful Stallions: The Obesity Epidemic Hits Equine Companions  *
An archive of Pet Columns from the University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine is available online at www.cvm.uiuc.edu/petcolumns/. Requests for reprints of this article may be directed to Mandy Barth, mandyb@uiuc.edu. The obesity trend is affecting every man, woman and child in America today. Unfortunately, pets are suffering the same ... Read full story
 11/6/2006
Pilot Study Shows Bee Pollen Product Increases Appetite  *
Keeping weight on a horse that's in intense training can be difficult; his appetite can fall off just as soon as you think he's reaching his athletic peak. Researchers at Michigan State University (MSU) have reported in a pilot study that a bee pollen-based product shows promise in improving athletic horses' feed intake, and it could be applicable ... Read full story
 10/12/2006
ACVIM 2006: New Nutrition Software  *
Researchers have completed the new National Research Council (NRC) report that describes nutritional requirements of the horse. The report is expected to be released this fall to update the previous publication, which was distributed in 1989. This new information will be used to predict the daily nutrient requirements of horses in various physiologic ... Read full story
 9/14/2006
A Better Weigh  *
We've all seen horses around the barn, on neighboring farms, or quite possibly in our own barn that are a little, shall we say--heavy. But what exactly is heavy? For that matter, what determines if a horse is thin? Sure, it's easy to point out those horses at either of the extremes, but for those in between there can be gray areas. In the early 1980s, ... Read full story
 8/1/2006
Overactive and Underweight  *
Sometimes it's challenging to keep weight on a horse. A hyperactive horse might burn off too many calories to stay in optimum body condition, while an old broodmare with digestive inefficiency can lose weight during the stress of lactation. In this article we'll look at ways to help get weight back on these problem horses. What's the Reason? "There ... Read full story
 8/1/2006
Progressive Nutrition to Offer Equine Nutritionist Blog  *
Progressive Nutrition has launched a new web site featuring the Equine Nutritionist Blog. Blogging is one of the newest tools in high-tech web marketing, now available to the horse community. The Equine Nutritionist Blog offers consumers an opportunity to communicate directly with the world renowned nutritionist, Don Kapper. The Equine Nutritionist ... Read full story
 3/17/2006
Latest Nutrition Tools   *
Hot, dry Tucson, Ariz., doesn't conjure up images of equine nutrition research, but leading animal scientists convened there May 31-June 4 to present their latest findings on a variety of equine science topics. The following article highlights the equine nutrition portion of the 2005 Equine Science Society Symposium. Fat Supplementation "Not all ... Read full story
 11/1/2005
The Underweight Horse  *
Editor's Note: This is from Understanding Equine Preventive Medicine by author and veterinarian Bradford G. Bentz, VMD. The book is available from www.ExclusivelyEquine.com. Managing and caring for a persistently underweight horse can be difficult and frustrating for the owner and/or caretaker. A number of factors can be involved or contribute ... Read full story
 9/6/2005
Metabolic Syndrome and Obesity in Horses
Equine nutritionists and wise horse owners have long known that obesity in horses is not a good thing. The obese horse often is incapable of performing even moderate tasks without becoming exhausted and, as a result, placing itself in danger of injury. Now researchers are adding still another dimension to these concerns. That dimension involves laminitis ... Read full story
 3/3/2005
AAEP 2004: How to Manage Starved Horses and Effectively Work with Humane and Law Enforcement Officials  *
"The role of the veterinarian in the community is very important (in equine welfare cases)," said Julie Wilson, DVM, Dipl. ACVIM, head of large animal medicine at the University of Minnesota's (UM) College of Veterinary Medicine. "We're perceived as the experts on horse health and advocates for the welfare of the horse. In an ideal scenario, horses ... Read full story
 1/20/2005
Feeding in Winter  *
Editor's Note: This excerpt is from Chapter 7 of Care & Management of Horses by Heather Smith Thomas. The book is available from www.ExclusivelyEquine.com . A horse's nutrient requirements increase with cold weather; he needs more calories to generate heat to keep warm. Mature horses in good condition usually don't need grain, however, if they ... Read full story
 11/16/2004
Feeding the Problem Horse  *
Editor's Note: This excerpt is from Chapter 3 of Care & Management of Horses by Heather Smith Thomas. The book is available from www.ExclusivelyEquine.com. Some horses present special challenges, such as being too thin, too fat, or sick. Some horses are finicky and are hard to keep weight on, especially when working. The first option is to increase ... Read full story
 10/19/2004
Diseases of Dietary Origin  *
The axiom, "You are what you eat" does have relevance to horses with regard to health and well-being. Although horses have evolved to eat plant material, not all plants are safe to eat. Some food substances directly exert toxic effects, while others grow fungi that do so. Availability and type of food are important issues to intestinal health and nutritional ... Read full story
 3/1/2004
Purina Mills to Host Nation's Largest Horse Owner Educational Event, In Towns Across America  *
Officials for Purina Mills Horse Business Group announced plans to roll out their largest horse event of the year. The Purina Mills Horse Owner’s Workshop will give horse enthusiasts in markets across the country the opportunity to hear about the latest in equine nutrition, veterinary care, and training tips, from expert clinicians. The Workshops ... Read full story
 1/9/2004
Cutting Down on Carbohydrates   *
In an attempt to avoid the rich diets that can worsen obesity and laminitis in insulin-resistant horses (those said to be suffering from peripheral Cushing's disease), many owners feed hay instead of lush pasture or grain. However, Kathryn Watts, BS, director of research for Rocky Mountain Research and Consulting, has found that some hay isn't safe ... Read full story
 1/1/2004
Obesity is Dangerous, Warns UK Researcher  *
Laminitis specialist Robert Eustace, BVSc, Cert EO, Cert. EP, MRCVS, director of The Laminitis Clinic in Wiltshire, England, wants horse obesity to be declared a welfare concern. In a campaign launched at the annual meeting of the International League for the Protection of Horses (ILPH) at the end of 2002, Eustace directed sharp words at the horse ... Read full story
 5/7/2003
10 Tips on Getting Ready for Spring  *
You can feel it. You can smell it. Spring is in the air. Oh, to be sure, we aren't finished with cold weather in many parts of the country, but it won't be long before we will be ready to head out trail riding or be off on the spring horse show circuit. It's time to take a good look at our equine companion or companions and find out if they are as ... Read full story
 3/1/2003
AAEP 2002: Recent Developments in Equine Nutrition  *
A lot has happened in the field of equine research in the last five years. Ginger Rich, PhD, of Rich Equine Nutritional Consulting in Eads, Tenn.; and Leslie Breuer, PhD, of LH Breuer and Associates, updated veterinarians and others who attended the Current Concepts in Equine Nutrition in-depth session at the 2002 American Association of Equine Practitioners’ ... Read full story
 2/4/2003
Resuscitating Foals  *
Cardiopulmonary cerebral resuscitation (CPCR, previously called CPR) is the restoration of spontaneous circulation (a heart beat) with the preservation of neurologic (brain) function. The most common and immediate problem requiring CPCR is an asphyxiated foal (one with inadequate oxygenation of tissues prior to and during foaling). Clinical signs that ... Read full story
 2/1/2003
AAEP 2002: Feeding the Geriatric Horse  *
With more and more horses reaching geriatric status (over 20 years of age), it’s important to understand how their nutritional needs might change. Diets should be adjusted if necessary to help old-timers live long and healthy lives. David Pugh, DVM, MS, Dipl. ACT, Dipl. ACVN (nutrition), professor at Auburn University, presented “Feeding the Geriatric ... Read full story
 12/19/2002
Putting Weight on Hard Keepers   *
Is your horse a "hard keeper?" If so, you are well aware of how difficult it is to maintain adequate or desirable body condition in this type of horse. The reality is that no two horses are the same when it comes to the amount of feed (and number of calories) required to maintain body condition, which is a reflection of differences in genetics, digestive ... Read full story
 9/1/2002
Restricting Grazing  *
There are some food needs that just can't be argued against: 1) Humans need popcorn plus a cola at the movies; 2) Women need chocolate anytime; 3) Horses need forage at all times. While these combinations aren't equal in terms of supplying nutritional value, we know as humans that life certainly can be more satisfying when we have our treats. And we ... Read full story
 4/1/2002
Matching Diet to Activity Level  *
When it comes to extracting the maximum effort out of your performance horse, there is no doubting the importance of a sound feeding program. He needs a balanced diet to replenish fuel reserves, repair tissue, and provide a foundation for training and competing successfully. All too often there is a tendency for us to focus on the latest and greatest ... Read full story
 12/1/2001
How Does Your Horse Score?  *
Keeping a close eye on your horse's body condition and weight is perhaps the best way to gauge the effectiveness of a feeding program. We all want our horses to be in tip-top shape, well-muscled, and neither too fat nor too thin. The problem? Just what is the ideal body condition (and weight) for a horse, and how can body condition be reliably assessed? ... Read full story
 11/1/2001
The Gastrointestinal (GI) Tract  *
Then there is the matter of the large colon, with its sacculated construction that seems made to order for twisting or strangulating when the pouches become distended by gas during a bout with colic. There is also the matter of length. If the horse's entire digestive tract were stretched out end to end, it would measure nearly 100 feet. Despite this ... Read full story
 10/16/2001
Dietary Needs: Striking a Balance  *
You can't watch TV for more than half an hour these days without viewing at least one ad preaching the virtues of a balanced diet. Public service announcements emphasize the value of getting enough servings of fruits and vegetables. Cereal companies tout their boxes of sweet flakes and squares as "part of a balanced breakfast." Vitamin manufacturers ... Read full story
 10/1/2001
Shaping Up Your Overweight Horse  *
When preparing a horse for athletic events and sporting activities, whatever the discipline or level of difficulty, an important consideration is finding the horse's "ideal" body weight. This concept is well recognized in human athletics. For weight-bearing competitive sports like racewalking, running, and cross-country skiing, the amount of energy ... Read full story
 2/1/2001
Weighing In  *
Accepted wisdom in the horse world tells us that an "average" light horse weighs about 1,000 pounds, or 450 kg. A draft horse, upwards of double that. But does that rather arbitrary figure really mean anything? After all, what is an "average" horse? To a dressage competitor, it might be a 17-hand warmblood, while to a cutting horse enthusiast, it might ... Read full story
 10/1/2000
Feeding Beet Pulp
Q: I've been told I should feed beet pulp to help put weight on my skinny Thoroughbred. But I'm worried about the stories I've heard about beet pulp expanding in the horse's stomach and causing colic -- or worse! Is beet pulp a good addition to my horse's diet, and if so, how can I feed it safely? A: Beet pulp is the fibrous material left over ... Read full story
 5/1/1999
Stormy Weather  *
Brace yourselves, folks. Old Man Winter's on his way again, and that means horsekeeping is about to get a good deal less pleasant. Between the snow, the ice, the mud, and the howling winds, you and your horse are going to have a lot to contend with. ANNE M. EBERHARDT Many farmers place round bales of hay outside in paddocks for their horses' ... Read full story
 12/1/1998
A Humane Use of the Equine Athlete: Endurance Riding  *
Similar to the increase in number of marathons and ultramarathons for human athletes, equine endurance competitions in distances of 50-100 miles have become increasingly popular over the past couple of decades. The growing interest in endurance riding has encouraged participants with different levels of prior horse experience to become involved with ... Read full story
 11/1/1998
Strategies for Keeping Weight On Horses  *
A skinny horse is not a pretty sight. With ribs protruding, and hip bones threatening to serve as a hat rack for the next passerby, he gives an immediate impression of ill health... and it's no illusion. A too-thin equine is one who has no energy reserves on which to draw, and when push comes to shove, will not be able to perform to the best of his ... Read full story
 10/1/1998
Feeding The Geriatric Horse  *
Rusty's been your faithful companion for many years, and he never seemed to show any signs of getting older...until this past winter, that is. One morning, you looked at him and noticed that he had dropped some weight, and that he didn't demonstrate his usual enthusiasm for his breakfast. What grain he did sample, he tended to dribble out of the corners ... Read full story
 10/1/1998
Older Horses at Work  *
The aging process takes its toll on all working horses, but the rate of attrition can vary significantly. In this, horses are similar to humans. We all have met the person who is barely past middle age and because of mental, emotional, or physical impairment or stress is ready for retirement. ANNE M. EBERHARDT Mr. Prospector, one of the ... Read full story
 10/1/1998
The Aging Equine  *
We've all heard the statistics about aging America--as the population of baby boomers rounds the curve of 40, the average age of our society is inching its way up. In recent years, horses have experienced a similar population shift. While 100 years ago they were primarily beasts of burden, seldom kept around once their most productive years were over, ... Read full story
 10/1/1998
Feeding the High-Octane Horse  *
The tightly packed field of Thoroughbred racehorses, straining every muscle for a few more inches of gained ground on the final turn...the Arabian endurance horse, with 89 miles of hard, mountainous terrain behind him and 11 more to go before he can rest...the Olympic three-day event horse, summoning up all his courage, agility, and speed to answer ... Read full story
 8/1/1998
The Fat Farm: Nutrition for the Overweight Horse  *
Is your mare looking a bit rotund lately? Does her gait have a waddling roll to it? Has her spine disappeared in a dimpled groove along her back? Has she outgrown her girth, her winter blanket, and the stall door? If she’s not due to foal, then she’s definitely suffering from an expanding waistline. Now, we all like to see our horses in good flesh, ... Read full story
 5/1/1998
Electrolytes and Endurance Horses  *
Not all horses are alike in their needs for electrolyte replacement after strenuous exertion. Some deplete their body supplies more quickly or more extensively than others. Endurance horses generally have different needs for electrolyte replacement than do sprinters or cutting horses, and there also are individual differences among horses in any given ... Read full story
 11/1/1997
Feeding Fat for Energy and Performance  *
If there was a nutritional buzzword that was started in the '90s, it was fat. We fitness-conscious (and frequently overweight) North Americans still might not fully understand the differences between "good" cholesterol and "bad" cholesterol, but we all know how to count our fat grams! While we struggle to keep our diets as low-fat as possible, fat ... Read full story
 7/1/1997
Understanding Fitness  *
A person who loves horses and spending a lot of time in the saddle can gain a great deal of satisfaction from competing in endurance races. It is a special feeling when you know you have partnered well with your horse and that the two of you have completed a 50-mile or longer ride none the worse for wear. By the same token, failing to complete a ride ... Read full story
 7/1/1996




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