The old adage says that when the going gets tough, the tough get going. So when the sister of an employee at Waller Equine Hospital, in Texas, found herself with an orphaned foal, unable to secure a nurse mare and unable to easily provide the frequent feedings the foal needed to thrive due to a busy schedule, the clinic staff got going.
Tradition in many breeds holds that all horses have the same birthday: January 1. But when it comes to feeding young horses, it might be better to do so according to each horse's individual birth date, a Japanese research team recently concluded.
Your horse just had a fabulous workout, got really sweaty, and used up a lot of energy. Now what does he want you to do?
Are you having trouble getting a mare in foal? Try ensuring she has constant access to forage. Recent study results suggest that broodmares appear to have better fertility levels if allowed to nibble on hay or grass continuously day and night.
A series of studies by researchers in the department of animal science at Texas A&M University suggest prevention is the best solution to prevent arthritis in young horses.
If your broodmare has a “bun in the oven,” that bun might benefit from some live yeast, French researchers say. No, the yeast isn’t meant to make the bun rise, but it could give your foal's digestive system a better start in life.
More than 20% of aged horses are known to suffer from equine Cushing’s disease (also known as pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction, or PPID), a harmful endocrine condition that can carry with it a host of other dangerous health problems. To give our elderly equids their best chance at comfort, one researcher recently described best practices for di...
Young horses are considered weanlings from the time they're separated from their mothers until one year of age. This is a critical time in the young horse's life, and nutrition plays an important part. Here are five important points to consider when feeding a weanling:
Proper foal nutrition is critical for adequate growth and development. A foal’s main source of nutrients is his dam’s milk, but in some cases this alone won't meet his high nutritional demands. What should you do?
Does your performance horse need to pack on a few more pounds? Here are some tips to consider when managing a hard-keeping equine athlete.
The senior horse population is, and has been, on the rise. But with increasing age comes the potential for health problems. So what are the best ways to ensure senior horses stay healthy all through their golden years?
When it comes to caring for insulin-resistant (IR) horses, diet plays a very important role in managing insulin levels and preventing associated diseases such laminitis. Insulin resistance and hyperinsulinemia are key features of equine metabolic syndrome (EMS) and can also occur in horses with pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction (or equine Cushing'...
Does your otherwise healthy horse have trouble keeping pounds on? Here are some tips to consider when feeding the mature, healthy hard keeper.
During pregnancy, a broodmare's body and hormones go through many changes: Her belly swells, and her insulin and glucose levels vary. When you consider the association between obesity, insulin resistance, and laminitis, this becomes a health concern beyond just delivering a healthy foal. The endocrine changes associated with pregnancy might actually i...
Young horses require specific levels of amino acids, vitamins, and minerals for proper development, and researchers know that zinc, in particular, is vital for growing horses' enzyme and immune function. However, there's been little research done in horses evaluating the relationship between zinc and the equine immune system. So researchers from A...
Equine insulin resistance—a condition in which cells fail to respond normally to the hormone insulin—requires careful dietary management to prevent laminitis and other complications from developing. So it's no surprise that both veterinarians and horse owners are on the lookout for new ways to help manage this disorder.
Horse owners are continually looking for ways to reduce feed costs without disturbing their horses' health, and a group of French equine nutritionists have some good news in this department: According to recent study results, lactating saddle horse mares on good quality pasture didn’t need to be fed grain to maintain their weight or their foals&...
Many horse owners understand the important role nutritional building blocks, such as protein and minerals, play in young horses’ growth, but they might not consider the endocrine or metabolic consequences of their feed choices. In a recent study researchers compared the differences between a low glycemic (LG) and high glycemic (HG) meal’s effe...
Your foal has finally arrived, and he and mom appear healthy and happy. But don't let your guard down just yet: The mare's continued health dictates her milk production and whether the foal will not only grow but also thrive during his first few months. Supporting her overall and nutritional health becomes especially crucial.
On the surface foal nutrition might seem simple: foal nurses mare, nutritional needs satisfied. But in reality foal nutrition is much more complicated, making it important for individuals to understand newborn nutritional needs.
A foal's suckle-swallow reflex is vital to life, allowing him to access the colostrum, and later milk, he needs to thrive. But sometimes this reflex doesn't function properly for a variety of reasons. These foals, called dysphagic, require immediate and specialized care to ensure they begin life without a nutritional deficit.
It's an unfortunate reality that at one time or another, most veterinarians and breeders will face caring for an orphan foal. Whether a foal was orphaned because the dam did not survive parturition or because she rejected him, he requires special care from the very beginning. One aspect of his care that requires the most attention is his nutrition.
Research shows that adult performance horses can subsist on a quality forage-only diet, but what about their younger counterparts? Recent study results from a Swedish research team indicate that a high-energy, high-quality forage diet is not only adequate for growing horses, but can also reduce their risk of several health problems associated with a conce...
Outside of the breeding season, most stallions are fed according to their maintenance requirements or slightly above that amount. However, as breeding season approaches, stallion owners might consider a few key points about their studs' nutritional needs.
University of Kentucky (UK) Ag Equine Programs will host a UK Equine Showcase Jan. 18 and the 4th Annual Kentucky Breeders' Short Course Jan. 19, both at the UK Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, 1490 Bull Lea Road, Lexington.
Afraid your stallion is a dud at stud? Well, don't be so quick to judge: Many factors influence stallion fertility, say our sources, and a good number of these can be managed and improved.
Editor's note: This article is part of TheHorse.com's ongoing coverage of topics presented at the 2012 International Society of Equitation Science conference, held July 18-20 in Edinburgh, Scotland.
The micromineral selenium plays a vital role in equine immune function, especially in the mare and foal. Selenium transfer through the placenta and milk has been shown to influence neonatal selenium status in livestock, but it remains unknown if the selenium source affected transmission from mare to foal.
If you look in a field of older horses, chances are you'll see some skinny ones, some fat ones, and some that look just right. Every horse ages differently and, thus, their nutritional needs vary.
Editor's note: This article is part of TheHorse.com's ongoing coverage of topics presented at the 2012 Kentucky Equine Research Conference, held May 17-18 in Lexington, Ky.
Off-the-track Thoroughbreds (OTTBs) are popular mounts for riders of many disciplines. But when feeding an OTTB, it's important to understand how he was fed during his time on the track, and how his nutritional needs differ once he begins his new life.
Editor's note: This article is part of TheHorse.com's ongoing coverage of topics presented at the 2012 Western Veterinary Conference held in February.
