My mare is a hard keeper. How can I maintain her weight easily? – via HorseChannel.com Unfortunately, there may not be an “easy” way to maintain your mare’s weight. That’s why they call them “hard” keepers! But I can give…
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Blog Archives
Pop Quiz: Make a Muscle
Muscle Health Which of these does a horse need to develop strong, healthy muscle tissue? Amino acids Exercise A diet high in sugar a and b In order to build muscle, your horse needs a combination of both amino acids…
Tagged with: Exertional Rhabomyolysis, Muscle, SmartMuscle, SmartSupplements, Supplements, Tying Up
Posted in Equine Health, Muscle & Weight Management
Posted in Equine Health, Muscle & Weight Management
Checking Your Horse’s Winter Weight
I have an 18-year-old off-track Thoroughbred who lives on pasture. His weight is normally pretty steady, but as he ages, I worry about him dropping weight. The problem is, he grows a super thick winter coat, and I have trouble…
Posted in Muscle & Weight Management, Seasonal Horse Care
Under, Over, or Ideal
You be the judge It’s hard to resist the urge to squeal over how adorable a chubby pony is, but unfortunately, overweight horses and ponies aren’t cute — they’re unhealthy. Being too thin also comes with risks and health concerns.…
Tagged with: Easy Keeper, Hard Keeper, Metabolic, SmartGain, SmartMetabo Lean, Weight
Posted in Equine Health, Muscle & Weight Management
Posted in Equine Health, Muscle & Weight Management
Benefits and risks of working my horse on hills
My Quarter Horse mare has done most of her training in arenas and flat areas. I’ve heard that hill work can be helpful for improving a horse’s condition, but I don’t want to cause an injury. Is it safe to…
Exercising the Easy Keeper
I have a 15-year-old mare who is a very easy keeper. I manage her diet pretty carefully, but I’m wondering how much of a role exercise can play in managing her weight. I usually ride four days a week for…
Feeding the Easy Keeper
My horse is a very easy keeper. He lives outdoors 24/7 and doesn’t get any grain. He wears a grazing muzzle in the spring and summer which seems to keep him from getting too fat, but is he getting all…
Hard Keepers: Filling out in the Hip
My 8-year-old Quarter Horse is on high-quality grain and a regular deworming program, but he’s just not filling out in the hip area. He’s at a good weight otherwise, possibly even a bit overweight. He’s started regular training and is…
Posted in Muscle & Weight Management
Ulcers and The Hard Keeper
I have a 15-year-old gelding that I acquired last year. When I first brought him home he was very underweight. I have been giving him grain and senior feed along with his hay to get his weight up but nothing…
Tagged with: Colic, Digestion, Foregut, Gastric, GI, Hindgut, Stomach
Posted in G.I. Health & Conditions, Muscle & Weight Management, Nutrition
Posted in G.I. Health & Conditions, Muscle & Weight Management, Nutrition
Fat Supplements with Grain (from AAEP Ask A Vet)
We are currently feeding Safe and Easy pellets at our barn and everyone is torn as to which fat supplement is best fed along with their grain. Would Ultimate Finish 40 vs Ultimate Finish 100 be better for the horses…
Ask the Vet: Insulin Resistance, Cushing’s Disease, & Equine Metabolic Syndrome
Understanding each condition, and the relationships between them My friends and I have a small wager resting on your answer to: Can Insulin Resistance be present in both Cushing’s Disease AND Equine Metabolic Syndrome? Also any advice you can share…
Tagged with: Cushings, EMS, Equine Metabolic Syndrome, Insulin Resistance, Senior Horse
Posted in Diseases & Conditions, Muscle & Weight Management
Posted in Diseases & Conditions, Muscle & Weight Management
Ask the Vet: Choosing a Muscle Supplement for Your Horse
I’m looking to help my horse build muscle along his topline and hindquarters for show season this year. I’m very confused by all of the different muscle supplements on the market and I’m not sure what is important? What ingredients…
Posted in Muscle & Weight Management
Solving the Weight Loss Mystery
I have a 10 yr warmblood/thoroughbred. I got him last fall and he was on high fat high fibre. His weight went down so we have switched him to purina trimex which is supposed to give him all the calories…
Posted in Muscle & Weight Management
Putting Weight on a Rescue Horse
I rescued three starved horses, two 12-year-old Percheron geldings and a 23-year-old QH mare. My vet told me to put them on some high fat high fiber, I was also told senior would be the best as its HF-HF, and…
