Cool as a cucumber … but what if you are a horse!  Summer heat and humidity can be a dangerous combination for active horses.“Heat and humidity affect the horse, and with intense exercising, the excess heat has difficulty dissipating,” notes Dr. Glennon Mays, clinical associate professor […]
When a horse is too thin, what is the best way to help him gain weight?  The answer may not be the same in every situation so we need more information to make a good recommendation.  First, we need to know if the horse truly does […]
Water is the main component of a horse’s body. In fact, an average 1000-pound horse is made up of roughly 660 pounds (80 gallons) of water. About two-thirds of this water […]
Unfavorable weather conditions last fall and winter meant more hay was fed than normal causing last year’s hay supplies to be running short.  Unprecedented weather extremes through the spring are affecting the quality and availability of new hay for 2011.  Whether you are suffering through the extreme drought in south Texas, excessive rainfall in the [...]
Spring and summer months bring an increase in horse activities and the end of hibernation for rattlesnakes. As they begin to emerge and leave their dens, until their return during cooler fall weather, this movement and activity increases the incidence of horses bitten by rattlesnakes. Of the 27 species of rattlesnakes in the United States, [...]
By Tina M. Anderson, PhD A horse in its teens may typically be thought of as “old”, but the reality is that the genetics of the individual, plus how it was cared for during its life, will dictate when the nutritional needs begin to shift from that of an adult mature horse to that of a [...]
Water is the main component of the body. In fact, an average 1000 pound horse is roughly 660 pounds (80 gallons) of water. About two-thirds of this water is inside cells, called intracellular fluid, and one-third is outside cells or extracellular fluid. To function normally, the body must keep the amount of water in these [...]
Now that the weather has finally warmed up, horse owners are starting to spend more time with their horses, and are looking forward to even more enjoyable riding weather. There are some nutritional concerns, however, during this season, and some management issues we should address to ensure the […]
When a mare foals, her daily nutrient requirements increase significantly, nearly double that of early gestation. These nutrient needs must be met for […]
In the past several years, multiple sources have recommended yeast products for inclusion in equine diets for many purposes, including improving fiber and phosphorus digestibility, increase […]