As a nutritionist, a hay analysis helps me create a complete, accurate picture of a horse's diet. Sometimes, it is not practical for a horse owner to acquire a hay or forage analysis. In other cases, an owner just doesn't know what to do with the information that comes back to them. In this episode, I'll explain a bit about the characteristics of good vs. poor quality hay - important if a hay analysis isn't available or practical. Then, I'll dive in to what some of those terms and values on a report actually mean. The point is to provide some context to an analysis report. Remember, it's only one part of the big picture, but having an idea of what it means can help you make good decisions about what and how to feed your horse based on their needs.

This one is for the long ears! Donkeys are smart, loyal and wonderful companions. Many economies in the developing world depend on donkeys for income, transportation and ensuring basic needs for their human caretakers. In other parts of the world, donkeys provide friendship to horses, humans and other donkeys, and serve as excellent guard animals.

Donkey nutrition is not the same as that for horses, and in this episode I'll discuss some of the basics for feeding donkeys. Links for more information and sources by the Donkey Sanctuary are below.

The Donkey Sanctuary Links:

Feeding Straw to Donkeys:

https://www.thedonkeysanctuary.org.uk/for-owners/owners-resources/feeding-straw-and-other-forages

Monitoring Your Donkey’s Weight:

https://www.thedonkeysanctuary.org.uk/for-owners/owners-resources/monitoring-your-donkeys-weight

General Resources for Donkey Owners:

https://www.thedonkeysanctuary.org.uk/for-owners

Recently, a friend reached out to me because her 19-year-old easy keeper is now showing ribs coming out of a very cold winter. This is a horse who is well-attended to and requires very little to keep his weight on, but as he's shedding, it seems he has lost a bit of weight. This is a relatively common occurrence, particularly as horses age, but there are some steps to take. In this episode, we'll review some weight-gain tips, along with suggestions for determining why weight loss happens in the first place. As promised, below are some helpful links for additional information.

Body Condition Scoring video with Dr. Bob Colemam of the University of Kentucky: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bq0ZXnSlsNQ

All About Body Condition Scoring (with pictures) from Iowa State University Extension: https://www.extension.iastate.edu/equine/body-condition-score#:~:text=Horses%20are%20scored%20on%20a,ribs%2C%20and%20behind%20the%20shoulder.

Need to buy a weight tape? Here's one place online (also check your local feed / tack store): https://a.co/d/j2wPmrK

Measuring tape long enough for horses: https://a.co/d/2IVae0e

Also, the "Healthy Horse" app is highly recommended for estimating a horse's body weight!

Recently, a barn mate asked me to help with her horse who had lost weight en route to a competition after a 14-hour trailer ride. Since many horses migrate for competition and other reasons, I wanted to discuss why a horse might lose weight on a long trip and what nutritional support helps support recovery. Weight loss is not the only physiological change that can occur during transport, but it is the focus of this episode. Note that any signs of distress should always be discussed with a veterinarian immediately. A nutritionist can help you get the diet on track for recovery of weight loss.

References for this episode:

Marlin & Nankervis, 2002. Transport. In: Equine Exercise Physiology. pp. 276-284. Blackwell Science. Oxford, UK.

C. L. Stull and Rodiek, A. V. 2000. Physiological responses of horses to 24 hours of transportation using a commercial van during summer conditions. Journal of Animal Science, 78(6): Pages 1458–1466, https://doi.org/10.2527/2000.7861458x

To celebrate the arrival of spring here in North America, we've got to talk about the coming bug season! If you haven't listened to the episode about healthy skin (Season 3, Episode 8), be sure to check that out as well, it covers the basics of healthy skin in general. This episode, we will focus on the many horses who suffer from itchy skin and allergic reactions to bug bites. There are plenty of things you can do to help reduce the irritation. Yes, there is a supplement you can feed to help as well!

One major management tip to help: STOP BATHING WITH DISH SOAP!!! It's too harsh for any horse's skin, especially those who are sensitive. Alternatives are discussed in this episode.

Listen in for advice on how to keep the bugs at bay and dietary options to help support your horse. Happy Spring!!

Research Reference:

O'Neill, et al. 2002. Flaxseed (Linum usitatissimum) supplementation associated with reduced skin test lesional area in horses with Culicoides hypersensitivity. Canadian Journal of Veterinary Research. 66: 272-277. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC227015/

Check out this bonus episode of the "Farm To Stable: An Equine Nutrition Podcast" in collaboration with Dr. Kris Hiney, Extension Horses and the Tack Box Talk Podcast! As part of the Extension Horses Working Group, I'm fortunate to work with land-grant university experts from across the USA who are teachers, researchers and horse lovers from all disciplines. The purpose of university extension is to conduct research that helps the community, make that knowledge accessible and facilitate putting information to work.

Dr. Hiney invited me to be a guest recently (Feb. 2025) to talk about basic nutrition of the equine breeding herd, since foaling season is in full swing. So I'm sharing that discussion here!

Please check out Tack Box Talk for more fun, practical and interesting topics, and share this one as well. Here's a link: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/tack-box-talk/id1492355719

Happy riding!

Carbohydrates are the main energy source used by muscles (and the brain!) for work. Horses need more time to replenish energy stores compared to a human. Can feeding a diet that is low in carbohydrates affect performance? Listen in this week to find out!

Scientific references used in preparation for this podcast are listed below.

Lacombe, V., Hinchcliff, K.W., et al. 2003. Effects of feeding meals with various soluble-carbohydrate content on muscle glycogen synthesis after exercise in horses. American Journal of Veterinary Research. 65(7).

https://doi.org/10.2460/ajvr.2004.65.916

Mesquita, V.S., Pagan, J.D., Valberg, S.J., Waldridge, B.M. and Whitehouse, C. 2014. Effect of non-structural carbohydrate, fat and fiber intake on glycogen repletion following intense exercise. Equine Veterinary Journal. 64(S46): 33. https://doi.org/10.1111/evj.12267_99

Cover Illustration Art Credit: Merck Veterinary Manual (link below)

Many of us are in the throes of winter and the start of shedding season. Winter dryness also contributes to dry skin. Can nutrition help? As always, nutrition is supportive of skin health. While it can't cure everything, some key nutrients can help give your horse's skin and coat a boost for overall health.

Links of Interest this week:

Merck Veterinary Manual: Structure of Skin in Horses: https://www.merckvetmanual.com/horse-owners/skin-disorders-of-horses/structure-of-the-skin-in-horses

Essential Fatty Acids and Skin Health (human focus): https://lpi.oregonstate.edu/mic/health-disease/skin-health/essential-fatty-acids

This episode talks about why Vitamin E is an important part of a horse's diet, and covers the difference between natural and synthetic Vitamin E. Discussion also includes general scenarios in which supplemental Vitamin E should be considered, what form may be appropriate and why. Vitamin E is always a popular topic, so enjoy!

Haynets are a common site in horse barns, but have you ever thought about why there are there? Are they stressful for horses? Do they have nutritional benefits? Do they really work to reduce waste? We’ll answer these questions and more in this episode, and talk about where the research came from.

Cover Art Photo: iStock, Anja Janssen

Links to research and more information:

Extension Horses Fact Sheets: 5 Benefits of Slow Feed Hay Nets - https://horses.extension.org/5-benefits-of-slow-feed-hay-nets/

Extension Horses Fact Sheets: Do hay nets impact horse health? https://horses.extension.org/do-hay-nets-impact-horse-health/

DeBoer, et al., 2024. Effect of hay nets on horse bodyweight, body condition score, hay usage, and dental health in mature adult horses. Journal of Equine Veterinary Science. Vol. 136. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jevs.2024.105051

Glunk, E., et al., 2014. The Effect of Hay Net Design on Rate of Forage Consumption When Feeding Adult Horses. Journal of Equine Veterinary Science. Vol. 34, pp. 986-991 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jevs.2014.05.006

Glunk, et al., 2015. The effect of a limit-fed diet and slow-feed hay nets on morphometric measurements and postprandial metabolite and hormone patterns in adult horses. Journal of Animal Science. Vol. 93, pp. 4144–4152.

https://doi.org/10.2527/jas.2015-9150

Ivester, et al., 2014. Environmental Exposures and Airway Inflammation in Young Thoroughbred Horses. Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine. Vol. 28, pp.918-924. https://doi.org/10.1111/jvim.12333

Locke, et al., 2023. Effects of prolonged hay net feeding on equine behavior. Journal of Equine Veterinary Science. Vol. 124. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jevs.2023.104529