Tips and Topics
What does the guaranteed analysis really tell you? If you have looked at a feed tag you have seen a guaranteed analysis (GA) of nutrients. It is full of minimums and maximums, crude this and that, and lots of numbers. But what does the GA really tell you about the feed you are considering for your horse? A lot! The GA gives you a tremendous amount of information about the nutrients in the feed. Once you understand how to decipher the GA, it will be... Read More »
Category : Other Topics of Interest | Tips and Topics
Most of us know that horses can suffer from equine gastric ulcers syndrome (EGUS), a condition where horses develop ulcers in their stomachs. Horses can also develop ulcers in their large intestines. This condition is referred to as colonic ulcers or right dorsal colitis (RDC). In a recent study of 545 horses tested for RDC, 44% of nonperformance horses and 65% of performance horses had colonic ulcers. Although they are not as prevalent as gastric ulcers,... Read More »
Category : Digestive Health | Nutritional Minutes | Tips and Topics
Hey everyone! I hope you all are doing well and staying warm! I say this from sunny Florida, where even though it was 32 degrees this morning it should warm up to 70, so I can’t complain too much. I’m not really sure where to start this blog because I have had so much happen in the past few weeks and have had a blast every second of it. The trailer ride down went smoothly but it was a LONG haul. Poor baby Zeke was over it by the time we made it to... Read More »
Category : Team Have At It Blog | Tips and Topics
When the temperatures drop below freezing, opt out of strenuous work and choose other activities for your four-legged partner. Research showed horses that galloped in temperatures below 40 degrees Fahrenheit presented with lung inflammation. Horses exposed to the same temperatures and not exercised presented with no evidence of inflammation. Horses suffering from heaves are at greater risk of lung inflammation in cold weather. Article... Read More »
Category : Health & Management | Other Topics of Interest | Tips and Topics
The Purpose Statement Long gone are the days of feeding every horse in the barn a scoop of oats and a flake of hay. Decades of equine nutrition research have shown us that not all horses can or should be fed in the same manner. Life stages, workload, and overall health dictate the nutrients required by each individual horse. Modern commercial feed manufacturers invest a lot of research and technical expertise into developing feeds that meet the unique... Read More »
Category : Other Topics of Interest | Tips and Topics
This winter Yogi has spent the wet days covered in mud. He wears a turnout blanket that is muddy, just like his mane, tail and legs. He loves to roll outside. And chase our other horses around the paddock or pasture. Yogi thinks he is the boss. I have been practicing roping on the calf and steer head dummies, mostly on the calf. Speaking of calf dummy, for Christmas my Grandma got me a big plastic calf size dummy called "Charlie the Smart Dummy". My... Read More »
Category : Caden’s Awesomeness Blog | Tips and Topics
What’s in a name? Feed manufacturers are required by law to put the name of a feed on each feed tag. The name should describe the type of feed contained in the bag. In many cases you may find a brand name and a descriptive name, for example, LovingCare™ complete pellets. The creative brand name is a marketing tool meant to convey a message to the horse owner and make it easier for you to identify a specific brand of feed, while the descriptor... Read More »
Category : Other Topics of Interest | Tips and Topics
Wet feet are a common problem Poor hoof quality can be the result of multiple factors, including poor nutrition, lack of proper trimming and shoeing, excess moisture, and genetics. One of the more common causes of hoof problems is too much moisture in the hoof. Horses that live in wet, humid environments, those that are bathed repeatedly, and horses that are kept on damp bedding or stand in the mud for long periods of time are at the greatest risk. Too... Read More »
Category : Health & Management | Tips and Topics
Who is AAFCO and what do they have to do with my horse’s feed? AAFCO is the Association of American Feed Control Officials. It is a voluntary association whose members are made up of local, state and federal agencies that are charged by law to regulate the sale and distribution of animal feeds. While AAFCO has no regulatory authority on its own, it does provide federal and state regulatory offices with information they then use to develop their own... Read More »
Category : Other Topics of Interest | Tips and Topics
May 2009 Horse Health Article American Association of Equine Practitioners The number one killer of horses is colic. Colic is not a disease, but rather a combination of signs that alert us to abdominal pain in the horse. Colic can range from mild to severe, but it should never be ignored. Many of the conditions that cause colic can become life threatening in a relatively short period of time. Only by quickly and accurately recognizing colic –... Read More »
Category : Digestive Health | Health & Management | Tips and Topics
Gas colic is one of the more common types of colic and one of the least serious. It is caused when excess gas collects at some point in the horse’s intestinal tract, causing it to become distended. The distended gut stimulates pain receptors within the intestine, which then signals the horse’s brain that trouble is brewing. During a bout of gas colic, the abdominal pain may come and go, causing the horse to exhibit severe discomfort for... Read More »
Category : Digestive Health | Health & Management | Tips and Topics
Anyone who has had a horse choke can tell you, it is not a pleasant experience. Horses “choke” when a mass of partially chewed feed becomes lodged in their esophagus. In an effort to dislodge the offending mass, the horse coughs repeatedly and sometimes violently. He stretches out his neck and struggles to swallow. Green watery snot and food particles spew out of his nostrils because it has nowhere else to go. Some choking horses become so stressed... Read More »
Category : Health & Management | Tips and Topics
Hey everyone! I bet you all are getting excited about Christmas and the end of another year and the beginning of a new one. This time of year most people are getting excited about seeing family members they don’t see often, stuffing their faces with delicious food, and last but not least sitting around the Christmas tree opening gifts. I look forward to all that fun stuff too, but this is also my time of year that I get to start planning a show and... Read More »
Category : Team Have At It Blog | Tips and Topics
Here are five tips to make sure your feed room and hayloft are ready for winter. 1. Clean out your feed room. A clean feed room will help to reduce feed losses due to insect and rodent damage. It will also give you more room to store and properly manage your feed, hay, and supplements. Toss any feed or supplements that are out of date, moldy or that rodents or insects have damaged. Clean up any spilled feed that may attract hungry... Read More »
Category : Digestive Health | Essential Vitamins | Fat & Fiber | Health & Management | Tips and Topics | Valuable Nutrients
Hey everyone! I hope you all are getting ready for Christmas! And as well all know one of the best parts of the holidays is food, food, and more food. So my question to you is: How are you staying fit this winter? As an eventer, I am an athlete and it is very important for me to stay fit during the off-season. During the show season the importance of being fit is even more critical. One of the hardest things for me is to watch a horse out on... Read More »
Category : Team Have At It Blog | Tips and Topics
