Over recent years, much more research has focused on the nutritional requirements and feeding management of the broodmare. Inadequate nutrition can have a direct influence on the fertility, conception and foaling rate of mares. Poor nutrition is a major factor that can reduce reproductive efficiency, despite good breeding management and veterinary care of otherwise healthy mares. An adequate and well-balanced nutrient intake and feeding management program is paramount to fertility and breeding success.
Grass…sweet, fresh, appetizing…it seems like the perfect food for equines. Indeed, it’s hard to find a horse, even a picky eater, that won’t dig right in when given access to pasture. So how can this readily available, appealing, natural forage be dangerous for some horses and ponies? A closer look provides an answer: it’s not the grass itself, but the amount of a specific type of sugar within the plants, that’s the problem.
Feeding horses a limited number of meals each day can lead to health problems, including increased incidence of gastric ulcers and hindgut acidosis. Recent research revealed another concern related to meal feeding: decreased nutrient digestibility.
The common practice of deworming all horses at regular intervals using a rotational dewormer without performing diagnostic tests such as faecal egg counts is poor practice and could lead to devastating health consequences for your horse.
When it comes to avoiding deadly and devastating diseases in our horses, being well informed and proactive goes a long way. One of the best ways to be help protect against disease is to vaccinate.
Greasy Heel (or also known as Mud Fever) is an inflammatory condition of the skin (dermatitis) caused by bacteria, mites and fungi present in the soil or bedding. It is most commonly found on the lower limbs, particularly in the non-pigmented areas.
Taking care of your horse’s hooves, whilst not the easiest part of owning a horse, is vital to making sure your horse remains happy and healthy. Unhealthy hooves can not only lead to short term problems that can affect your riding plans, but could also lead to long term damage resulting in a horse that can no longer be ridden. A few easy steps added to your daily routine will go a long way to ensuring that your horse’s hooves are strong and healthy.
The equine digestive system is a unique and complex system. It is important to understand the function of the equine digestive system to provide a basis for formulating suitable diets, management practices and to avoid digestive upset for your horse.
