This week, we'll define what "as fed" and "dry matter" really mean, and why these terms are important for understanding your horse's forage intake. It's time to take a deep dive into weighing and managing forage intake - not only for horses that need a controlled diet, but also so you are an educated owner with a deeper understanding of what your horse consumes in a day. I'll give examples about how to manage a weight loss diet as well as how to start with maintaining ideal forage intake when a horse is at ideal weight. It will get a little technical this week, but I've got simple examples to walk you through. You may want to keep a pen and paper handy to write down some numbers and follow along, but it's not required and there's no test at the end!

Soaking hay properly is important when carbohydrate content needs to be controlled in the horse's diet. Soaking time, water temperature and hay variety all influence the outcome. While soaking can reduce carbohydrate content by up to 40%, you will also lose some soluble proteins and some dry matter as well. Listen for tips and techniques to soak properly and to ensure you are feeding your horse the proper amount after all the soaking and draining is done!

In this episode I'll talk about why it is very important to weigh your horse, and give you some tools on how to do so. Some helpful links are here too:Body Condition Scoring System, from Texas A&M University (where it originated!): https://vetmed.tamu.edu/files/vetmed/vmth/laminitis/Equine_Body_Condition_Scoring.pdfExcellent video by TheHorse.com and Dr. Bob Coleman from the U. of Kentucky about how to body condition score your horse: https://youtu.be/bq0ZXnSlsNQ?feature=sharedThe "Healthy Horse" app is available where you get your apps at a nominal cost, and guides you through measuring your horse to estimate body weight. Equation used to estimate horse's body weight:For an adult horse : (Heart Girth x Heart Girth x Body Length) / 330Measure heart girth behind the shoulders in inches. Body length is point-of-shoulder to point-of-rump (should be a smaller measurement compared to a blanket size).

In this episode I'll define ration balancers, and give examples of when they may or may not be appropriate for a horse's diet. Additional references are promised, including links with information on how to read a hay analysis:Equi-Analytical Laboratories: https://equi-analytical.com/resources/glossary-of-nutrient-terms/From U. of MN: https://extension.umn.edu/horse-nutrition/understanding-your-hay-analysisFrom Penn State U.: https://extension.psu.edu/understanding-a-hay-analysisAnd more information about ration balancers, with my colleagues over at Tack Box Talk: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/tack-box-talk/id1492355719?i=1000604138859

Horse owners are often not sure where to turn for real information about equine nutrition. The internet is full of both good and bad information, and I'll give you tips about how to find the right consultant. In this first episode, I'll talk about how to find a qualified equine nutritionist, questions to ask and resources available to you right now.