Nutrition

From AAEP’s Ask the Vet: The Skinny on Grain

Hello, we own a 5 year old thoroughbred and he is not picky about what he eats. His weight is good and is in good condition. We feed him regular old grain and hay. We also have him on Platinum Performance. I have read many articles about grain, and it’s not good for horses. What should I look for when picking out what is good grain? (I need a simple way to check what to look for in grain)…

Pony Gaining Weight – What Do I Feed My Pony?

Hello. I have a large pony that is Insulin Resistant. He foundered 3 years ago – August and come to find out he’s Insulin Resistant but not Cushings. Because I caught it so quickly we were able to “cure” him and to this day he is SOUND! He hardly rotated. I noticed he was getting QUITE fat and saw a beautiful cresty neck (to which I thought I was training him SO well, and that’s why he had such a beautiful neck!) He is on a VERY strict diet – beet pulp, cinnamon, rice bran, vitamin E and salt…

From AAEP’s Ask the Vet: Adjusting My Draft Horse’s Diet

I am in Pennsylvania and have a 6 year old, 16.2 h., athletic, Percheron x Paint/TB mare (Kit) who is an extremely easy keeper. I have had Kit for a little over a year but due to my current time constraints and the fact that she is boarded 25 miles away, I have trouble getting there consistently and thus, she is receiving very little organized exercise. She is turned out 23 hrs/day in rotated lush grassy (seasonal) pastures w/ access to the barn and plenty of water at all times…

From AAEP’s Ask the Vet: Post Colic Surgery Diet

What would you recommend for grain/hay and/or probiotics for a 15 yr old mare that has tied up before, ulcered and just had colic surgery. Her intestines were impacted with Corn Cob bedding. She is not forming manure yet, still cow patty style, she will be home a week March 3rd. Thanks, Brenda

Does Your Overweight Horse Need to Lose A Few Pounds?

I have acquired an overweight horse that needs to lose approximately 150 pounds. I plan to feed him mixed and grass hay with minimal to no grain. Because of this I feel he needs a vitamin/mineral supplement to make up for any deficiencies due to hay quality. Any suggestions? L.S.

Does a Bale of Hay a Day Keep the Vet Away?

How much hay should one feed a Morgan/Friesian horse? He is 15.2 hands in height and weighs about 1250 pounds. I have been giving him some Remission as a preventative due to his weight being close to 1400 lbs when purchased last August. We have not seen any issues though with foundering. I currently give [...]

Transitioning from Pasture: What are the Risks?

I have just moved my horse from Missouri to Oklahoma. He is going from full time, lush pasture that received a great deal of rain to turn out with occasional grain (a scoop 2-3 times per week). Now he is in a stall with 1/2 grain and full hay, with a daily turn-out from 9-3. [...]

Changing Your Horse’s Diet from Growth to Maintenance

How long should a horse be on a growth type feed? I have a 2 year old QH filly, and she’s in training full time now, going to be a reiner. I’m bringing her home in a few weeks to give her a rest, and I need to purchase some grain for her – my [...]

Feeding a Young Horse

What is the best feed for a 4 year old Thoroughbred that is turned out several hours in a grass pasture? Horse is not excerised by means of lungeing or riding and is a little on the rounder side. I plan to do pleasure riding and some dressage about 3 times a week, for 30 [...]

Is My Horse Getting All of His Vitamins?

I bought two Thoroughbreds from the racetrack in Oct ’09. I began by feeding a store brand sweet and SafeChoice pellets and fed on the maintenance level. I switched to Purina brands-Strategy Healthy Edge (texturized) and Omolene 100 or 200 (sweet) whichever I could get. I feed according to the recommended exercise level printed on [...]