Horse Nutrition Articles

Sulfur Over Supplementation in Horses. Sulfur is abundant in the hoof. The “rotten egg” odor produced during hot-shoeing is the smell of sulfur gas resulting from burning the sulfur – rich connective tissue proteins of the hoof. Why is Sulfur Important for Horses? The connective tissues of all mammals are rich… Read More

Farrier's Formula® Double Strength Plus JointQuestions and Answers Thank you so much for your support for our new product, Farrier’s Formula® Double Strength Plus Joint! There have been many questions about this revolutionary product and its benefits, and we’d like to share a few of the answers here. QUESTION Is… Read More

The hot and dry days of summer typically bring a rise in dry hooves. Dry and brittle hoof walls will often crack and chip, especially with horses that work on hard surfaces. Read More

Trailers can be scary to a horse that has not become accustomed to loading. Anything that horses perceive as potentially harmful activates their flight mechanism. It’s the nature of a horse to not only run from predators but also avoid being cornered – and an enclosed trailer certainly does not provide… Read More

Hoof quality can be influenced by many factors, such as: • Genetics • Farrier work • Type of environment • Work intensity • Microbial invasions • Nutrition In this article, we want to focus on the role that nutrition plays in hoof health. Read More

‘Insulin resistance’ is the accepted term for increased blood glucose in combination with normal to increased levels of blood insulin. In a normally functioning system, glucose in the bloodstream is transported into the cells by the action of insulin. In the case of insulin resistance, this glucose transport funct Read More

White Line Disease: Definition, Causes and Suggestions White Line Disease is caused by bacterial and fungal invasions that damage the medial (middle) hoof wall. These organisms require a nutrient-rich environment that is lacking oxygen to flourish. They are often introduced into the hoof wall at the junction of the sole… Read More

Laminitis in its most simple definition is inflammation of the sensitive laminae of the hoof wall. The cause however can vary from trauma, to grain overload, to toxins, and beyond. This case study is meant to show that even the most severe of cases have a chance of survival and… Read More

Thrush is a common bacterial infection of the sole and frog of a horse’s foot. The infection “eats away” at the tissues of the frog, sole and heel and if untreated will eventually result in loss of foot structure, increasing sensitivity, progressive lameness, and bleeding. Read More

Sedation of a horse undergoing a procedure often results in a calmer and safer environment for the horse and the handlers. However, there is also the chance of a drug reaction or profound sedation leading to injuries to the horse or handlers due to the horse falling. The invasiveness of… Read More

Guidelines for Feeding a Senior Horse As horses age they usually require increased medical and dental care from your veterinarian. The best senior horse feeding program will improve the nutrient balance and increase the feed efficiency of the natural hay and pasture diet. Hay and pasture nutrient balancers furnish the… Read More

Allergies in people usually create respiratory symptoms; however dog allergies usually create skin rashes, smelly skin, ear infections, oily flakey skin, chewing, scratching and feet licking. In medical terms, an allergy is due to an immune mediated response to an antigen that makes its way into the body. Read More

The nutritional demands of domesticated modern horses are much different than the nutritional demands of wild horses. A myriad of feed stuffs and supplements have been developed and marketed in reaction to these changing needs. While proper supplementation can provide numerous benefits, insufficient or excessive supplementation of any nutrient can… Read More

It’s during the hot and dry days of summer that we typically see a rise in dry hooves. Dry and brittle hoof walls will often crack and chip, especially on solid surfaces. Then a thunderstorm arises and forces the horse to stand in mud for a prolonged time, making the… Read More

Tryptophan is an essential amino acid that is converted to a chemical responsible for nerve transmission and brain health. It can be found in pasture grasses but often in marginal or deficient levels. Unlike drugs that take effect immediately, nutrients such as tryptophan may not be directly active but are… Read More

Hoof wall defects can develop as a result of one or more contributing factors. To name a few, hoof wall quality can be influenced by genetics, environment, microbes, trimming, and nutrition. Genetics: Breeds such as Thoroughbreds are genetically predisposed to have thin hoof walls and thin soles, which have an… Read More

The mud and muck that comes along with the rainy season can wreak havoc on horse’s hooves. The resulting softening of the hoof capsule not only leads to increased wear and tear but also creates an ideal environment for the invasion of “hoof eating” microbes that cause thrush and crumbling… Read More

Salt, or sodium chloride, is a necessary component of a horse’s diet and metabolism. However; too much salt will increase thirst and urination. Hoof quality can deteriorate from the additional urine and moisture in the environment. Horses that are confined for periods of time are primarily affected. Read More

There are so many supplements in the market. Unfortunately, it is easy for a manufacturer to enter the hoof supplement market with little or no credentials. That is why the following factors should be considered to choose a reputable nutrition supplement... Read More

Cushing’s Disease, Insulin Resistance, Metabolic Syndrome and Low Calorie/starch Feedstuff. Cushing’s disease is caused by a tumor of the pituitary gland. The resulting metabolic disturbances stem from excessive levels of a hormone secreted by the tumor, which in turn leads to high blood cortisol levels and the development of insulin… Read More

Over Supplementation of Nutrients in the Equine Diet Over-supplementing NutrientsExcessive supplementation of any nutrient, even if the nutrient is not toxic, requires metabolic and organ functions in order to eliminate the nutrient from the body. This is a waste of valuable resources whether in the form of enzyme activity, energy,… Read More

Feeding Whole Oats to Horses with a History of Laminitis Laminitis and colic are often the result of undigested starch entering the caecum of the horse where it is broken down and fermented by microbes. It is this fermentation process along with alterations in the gut flora that produces the… Read More

Feeding the Modern Horse, Properly. To understand how to feed and to manage equine nutrition, we must understand the digestive system of the horse and how the horse differs from other animals.  Horses are ‘hay burners’. This means horses can convert cellulose (fiber) to energy in the pouches of their… Read More

Feeding the “Polysaccharide Storage Myopathy” Horse Since Polysaccharide Storage Myopathy involves the deposition of a non-bioavailable form of glycogen into the muscle tissue, the best diet is one that minimizes glycogen formation. If the horse needs a calorie source in addition to the cellulose provided by pasture hay to maintain… Read More

Can You Love a Neglected Horse Too Much? The natural tendency is to over-feed the thin horse that has been neglected, especially if the horse is a Rescue and Rehab. It is important to note that these horses often have medical issues along with inadequate nutrition. The most common medical… Read More

Product Freshness Would you drink sour milk or eat stale bread? No, because product freshness is vital to the taste, safety and effectiveness of products consumed, not only for our families and ourselves, but for our horses as well. There are several ways to ensure freshness in the products we… Read More

Veterinarian and Farrier Relationship in Treating Laminitis and Founder “Laminitis and founder is a complicated systemic disease that severely affects a horse’s feet. For the best chance of success in the management and treatment of the disease, veterinarians and farriers must work together. The horse owner assumes the economic responsibility… Read More

Feed Supplementation for Laminitis and Founder Proper feed supplementation can help repair damage done during a laminitis/founder cycle. Many horses are being fed rations deficient in the nutrients necessary to maintain and rebuild their health after having suffered from laminitis and founder. Some hays are deficient in essential nutrients, especially… Read More

Vegetable Oil as a Source of Calories Vegetable oil may be fed to horses at the proper rates for the purpose of increasing calorie density for maintaining weight or energy levels. However, since the horse does not have a gall bladder he is unable to digest large amounts of oil… Read More

Guidelines for choosing Topical Hoof Dressings Many horse owners tend to overlook the fact that as tough as equine hoof horn may appear, it is 95% protein (similar to your own skin). One should avoid use of any product that will denature protein and affect the normal function of the… Read More

The amino acids Methionine and Cystine There are twenty amino acids known that make up the building blocks for mammalian body protein. Approximately one-half of the amino acids are essential (this means the body is unable to make those nutrients therefore; the nutrients must be ingested). Methionine is an essential… Read More

Recognizing Nutrition Related Hoof Problems I have worked with horses suffering from mild to serious hoof problems for the past 50 years. During that time I have determined that horses with hoof problems often are deficient in many nutrients that negatively affect changes in the dermal tissue structure. The hoof… Read More

Wet/Dry Hooves Summertime is when horses are most likely to be bathed and hosed off frequently. It is possible to keep your horse cool without damaging the hooves through the wet-dry cycle. Most importantly, do not use products on your horse’s hooves you would not use on your hands. Horse’s… Read More

Your horse needs to chew The mechanical action of chewing is the major stimulus for salivation in horses. Feeding your horse whole grains requires the horse to use the teeth as a grinder which not only helps to maintain proper dental health and reduce dental spurs, but also improves feed… Read More

  Thrush and White Line Disease   Thrush and white line disease develop in the equine hoof when anaerobic microorganisms populate “oxygen poor” environments. The bacterial and fungal organisms causing thrush thrive and rapidly divide in these environments that have little available oxygen. These microbes are opportunistic and common in… Read More