Although often considered a solution for overweight equines, the truth is, slow feeders can offer enrichment to all horses. By helping to mimic more natural grazing behaviours these feeders can be a tool to help combat boredom as well as to help manage calorie intake. Making horses work a little harder for their food has many benefits but not all e…

Gastric ulcers can be a frustrating and costly burden for horse owners to manage, which is why any experienced equestrian who has had to deal with this debilitating condition is highly motivated to prevent them from reoccurring. For those who have been fortunate enough to avoid this affliction thus far it makes sense to take steps to try to avoid h…

In this episode we delve into one of the most pressing concerns for horse owners: managing equine gastric ulcers. Many owners reach out to Dr. Clair for help managing their horses diagnosed with equine gastric ulcers, especially chronic and recurrent cases. In this episode we are joined by guest Dr. Phoebe Smith DVM DACVIM, Veterinarian and Interna…

Feeding senior horses especially over the winter can be a challenge as many lose condition over these colder months. Some senior horses require different approaches to feeding to ensure their needs are met as what worked in their younger years may not work any more. Chewing can become a challenge requiring frequent dental care and the possibility o…

Feed labels are the informational panels found on the backs of feed bags or seen in to the bottom seem. These labels provide a wealth of important details about the contents and composition of the feed, allowing horse owners to make informed decisions about how the feed might meet the nutritional needs of their horse. While the majority of these la…

Many horses are fed hay at some point during the year. Whether only in winter when pastures are sparse or year round due to lack of pasture access, hay is a vital source of nutrition for your horse and a major investment for you. This is the time of year when many owners are making decisions on the type of hay they will feed for the next year and a…

With more and more knowledge of the importance of gastrointestinal health on our horse's entire health, an ever increasing number of feeds and supplements on the market claim to support gut health. Prebiotics, probiotics and postbiotics have become commonly utilized ingredients but what exactly are they and does your horse need them? In this episod…

Maintaining optimal weight and peak performance in horses, especially those used for high-intensity athletic activities, can be a delicate and ongoing challenge for even the most experienced equestrian. Throughout the various seasons and demands of the competition calendar, a horse's nutritional and exercise needs are in constant flux, requiring vi…

In part 2 of our 2 part series Behind the Scenes at the Summer Games Dr. Clair talks to Dr Joe Pagan owner and President of Kentucky Equine Research (KER). In addition to doing equine nutrition and exercise physiology related research work, KER have also sourced the feed for the last 7 Summer Games. They discuss: - how teams coordinate getting the …

Wonder what goes on behind-the-scenes and what it takes to get horses to major international competitions? In this episode Dr. Clair and Michelle are joined by Max Corcoran, a freelance groom, equestrian event organizer, and former longtime member of the O’Connor Event Team. Max shares what it’s like to manage horses on the U.S. Equestrian Team as …

Equine feed labels and hay analysis results are full of abbreviations such as ADF, NDF, CP, NSC, and WSC and together they make up an alphabet soup. Ever wonder what they all mean and whether they are important to your horse? And what about gas? Has your horse ever passed gas while being ridden? In this episode Dr Clair and Michelle answer some, li…

Fly management is a crucial aspect of horse barn management this time of year. Flies—here we're talking about stable flies, horse flies, gnats, mosquitoes, and more—​are a nuisance to horses and humans alike. They cause our horses discomfort, stress, and even the spread of diseases, such as Potomac horse fever, West Nile virus, pigeon fever, and ve…

Temperatures are starting to rise across the country! We start to think about ways of keeping our horses cool in the summer months. Switching turn out times to overnight hours, hanging fans and adding electrolytes are some of the common things that people do. Horses rely heavily on sweating to keep cool. In this episode, we talk to Dr. Samantha Bro…

As we start our second season of the podcast, Dr. Clair takes time to answer listener questions. In this episode Dr. Clair answers questions about: -the difference between dry milled flax and flax oil; -feeding instructions on feed bags; -adjusting feed based on exercise; -and more! If you have questions about feeding your horse, please email us at…

Do you have an easy keeper? Dr. Laura Javsicas, a board-certified internal medicine specialist with Rhinebeck Equine, in New York, joins Clair and Michelle to talk about insulin resistance and dysregulation in horses. In this episode, you'll learn about: Insulin’s relationship to equine metabolic syndrome and pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction (…

Horse show season is here! And, while showing is mostly fun, the travel and work intensity competition requires can cause stress for horses and humans. We know stress impacts horses’ digestive health and immune systems, which can set them up for colic, gastric ulcers, and diarrhea. In this episode, Dr. Clair and Michelle discuss ways to prepare and…

While forages can be assessed visually, the only way to accurately know the nutrient content of your forage is to have it tested by a lab. This is easier and cheaper to do than many people realize and is worth considering if you buy large quantities of forage at a time. In this episode we talk about hay analysis with Cassy Streeter, NIR Services Ma…

As the cold and snowy winter turns into a bright green spring, we all dream about turning our horses out on a picturesque landscape to graze, but should we? Is it safe? The fear of fat ponies, laminitis and other metabolic diseases haunt us. Dr. Clair and Michelle discuss the importance of being proactive and cautious when transitioning from winter…

When we refer to “topline,” we’re talking about the entire upper line of the horse’s body. That includes how the neck ties into the shoulder and the development of the back muscles under the saddle area, across the loin, and over the rump. When horses lack musculature over those areas, they are said to “have a poor topline.” Many things can cause p…

Getting a new horse is exciting! But, for the horse, a new owner can mean lots of change and stress. As herd animals that prefer routine, horses become stressed when moving to a new home with new horses, people, and expectations. Dietary changes during transitions can also cause stress. Combined, these changes increase a horse’s risk of serious hea…

Who doesn’t love a horse with a shiny haircoat and long, full mane and tail? While some horses are more genetically blessed than others in the hair growth and shine department, all healthy manes and tails and glowing coats start with a balanced diet. Grooming can help, of course, but no amount of elbow grease can correct poor nutrition. In this epi…

You see a sweet old horse on the bag, and the name clearly says “senior” in it. So that’s the right feed for your aged equine, right? Not necessarily. The horse feed industry doesn’t have a standard for what makes a senior feed a senior feed. And, in fact, some products marketed as senior feeds are Dr. Clair’s favorite recommendations for horses re…

Equine ration balancers are multipurpose horse feeds that pack big benefits in small portions. As the name implies, they are meant to “balance” horse diets by providing essential nutrients hay and forage might lack. Ration balancers are typically lower calorie than other concentrates but still designed to meet horses’ basic vitamin, mineral, and pr…

How and what we feed horses with equine asthma matters. Barn air quality is also a major factor in equine respiratory health, especially during the winter months when horses spend more time inside. Dr. Clair and Michelle talk about the importance of lower respiratory system health in performance horses and ways to support horse's with respiratory a…

With Thanksgiving behind us we are now in the Christmas/Hanukkah/Kwanzaa Countdown. To keep you company while you slowly lose your mind, we decided to do our favorite things episode. Michelle and Clair share a few products that bring them delight, everything from hoof picks to hay balls to saddles and masterclasses! Whether you are buying a gift fo…

In this episode, Clair and Michelle get more than a little nerdy about equine supplements! They are joined by Dr. Lydia Gray to talk about supplement regulations and how new products come to market. Dr. Gray spent 16 years at SmartPak, where she served as Staff Veterinarian and Medical and Research Director. She has also worked in equine welfare an…

Proper hay and feed storage saves money, keeps horses safe, and gives rodents one less reason to move into our barns during the cold winter months. In this episode, equine nutritionist Dr. Clair Thunes and horse owner Michelle Anderson discuss hay and feed storage strategies, health risks related to horses accidentally accessing and gorging on feed…

Thanks for riding along with us!By Michelle

In this episode internal medicine specialist Laura Javsicas, VMD, Dipl. ACVIM, of Rhinebeck Equine, in New York, joins us to discuss pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction (PPID, or more commonly “equine Cushing’s disease”). This syndrome results from an enlargement of the middle lobe of the pituitary gland, which leads to elevated levels of cortiso…

Join us for a walk down the supplement aisle as we discuss what horses might—and might not—need added to their diets. It seems like there's a supplement for just about anything your horse might need. In this episode, we cover: The difference between food supplements and health supplements; The types of supplements you might find (hoof, digestive, c…

It's hot outside! As the U.S. faces extreme heat advisories across the country, ensuring your horses stay hydrated is critical to support their natural evaporative cooling systems (that's sweating). In addition to water consumption, electrolytes are an important part of the cooling equation. But knowing if your horse is getting enough, or selecting…

Have you stood in your feed store staring at shelves of bagged horse feed and felt overwhelmed by the options? You are not alone! In this episode we cover: The differences between ration balancers, concentrates (aka performance or "life stage" feeds," complete feeds, and bagged whole grains. How to properly weigh and measure feed. The reasons you s…

Hay, equine nutrition gets complicated quicky! So, to keep things simple, we're taking a step back and covering the basics. In this episode, we discuss why forage is the most important part of a horse's diet. Forage comes in several forms. Most commonly, horses consume forage as baled hay or grass pastures. But beet pulp, alfalfa pellets, hay cubes…

It's Kentucky Derby time and the beginning of Triple Crown season, a five-week stretch when horse-related searches online surge and the general public's interest in horses peaks. In honor of the horses, we took this episode as an opportunity to talk about feeding Thoroughbreds as they transition from life on the track to their second careers and be…

Welcome to the first episode of the Scoop & Scale podcast! We're excited to start off with a topic we know horse owners will eat up: Alfalfa! We'll cover why to feed it, or not, and common questions we often hear about this popular legume. Learn about: Which horses might benefit from alfalfa. The differences and similarities between alfalfa hay, cu…

Does it seem like you've been hearing a lot recently about vitamin E in equine diets? That's for a good reason. This antioxidant is essential for horses' muscle and neurologic health. Fresh grass provides a natural source of vitamin E, but we all know year-round pasture access isn't always an option. And now researchers are discovering genetic reas…