Equine Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis

11/09/2025

10/09/2025

IS IT SAFE TO ADD IRON TO YOUR HORSE'S FEEDS?

I am testing many horses with an an excess of iron. Almost all of these particular cases are feeding a currently very popular feed that promotes their products on podcasts. Many of their feeds and vitamin/mineral supplements contain iron.

Excess iron, iron toxicity or iron overload in horses is a very serious condition that is often ignored by vets, horse practitioners, feed companies, nutritionists etc. It is largely undiagnosed due to a lack of information and knowledge about mineral excesses, toxicities and environmental impacts.

Most of Australian soils have iron in varying levels. The grasses that grow on that soil uptake the iron, hence hay also contains a level of iron. Water from dams, bores and rivers also have a level of iron. It is unusual for an Australian horse to need supplemental iron.

IRON IS NOT SAFE to add to your horse's daily ration unless your horse is iron deficient WHICH IS RARE. Iron supplementation in excess to what your horse needs will create an overload or toxicity quite quickly more so if you have soils and water with elevated iron.

Common symptoms...again mostly ignored by equine health professionals. Stiffness and inflexibility usually in the hind (struggle with basic shoulder in movement), stiff joints, shuffling of hind legs, unable to engage hind properly, tripping, back pain, stiff back, general stiffness, liver stress/pain muscle loss in hind. THIS IS AN INTERNAL ISSUE that no amount of body work can correct.

Seriously..... do not swallow all the hype about podcasts promoting feeds containing iron. Clearly, there is a distinct lack of knowledge. READ THE LABELS OF EVERYTHING YOU FEED. Know how much iron is in your soil, know how much iron is in the horse's water source. MINERAL TEST your horse to determine the iron level, it's just the same as doing a soil test.

MINERAL Testing your horse will identify the level of iron and what other minerals have been affected and provide a diet to lower iron excess Do not add iron to your horse's feed unless you know for certain it is required.

PS. Excellent article in the Esteemed journal Animals about using HAIR MINERAL ANALYSIS. " Hair and blood trace Elements (Cadmium, Zinc, Chrome, Lead, Iron and Copper) Biomonitoring in the Athletic Horse: The Potential Role of Haematological Parameters as Biomarkers" Francesa Aragona et al. ANIMALS 2024.

Kerry Marsh BAgrSc htma.com.au

03/09/2025

DO NOT ADD ORGANIC SELENIUM TO YOUR HORSE'S FEEDS WITHOUT KNOWING YOUR HORSE'S SELENIUM LEVELS.

In the past month I have had 3 different messages about very unwell horses where the vets failed to find a diagnosis. The horses are from different locations but all suffering from similar symptoms; such as off feed, weight loss, shocking coat, hoof abnormalities and tail hair loss. The owners wanted to know if I could assist as expensive vet interventions and tests had not found a cause.

After lengthy discussions via phone, it was revealed that the owners had been dosing their horses with organic selenium without knowing exactly how much to add or what their current horses's selenium levels were. They had been advised of a dosage by the seller of selenium who is GUESSING THE DOSE. THIS IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS. One of the owners of the horses was already feeding an inorganic selenium in a premixed feed and the others wanting organic selenium without knowing what status selenium was in their horses.

Selenium poisoning in extreme cases can make your horse's hooves slough off and the hoof wall separates!!!! Chronic selenium poisoning symptoms may include: off feed - anorexia, emaciation, hair loss, rough, shocking looking coat, gradual weight loss, swelling of the coronary band, hoof abnormalities, weakness, loss of performance, fatigue. It can take many, many months for a horse to recover from selenium poisoning. " The small difference between a deficiency and toxicity in terms of dietary intakes makes the risk of ACCIDENTAL SELENIUM POISONING HIGH"

The most accurate assessment of selenium levels in horses is hair MINERAL ANALYSIS where results can identify the past three years of selenium exposure. If you are going to mix your own feeds and add minerals ESPECIALLY SELENIUM without knowing what you are doing you will harm your horse. SERIOUSLY, why would you risk the health of your horse by allowing a reseller of minerals to GUESS the selenium dose for your horse?

This was a very expensive, stressful time for the horse owners who were thinking they were saving $350 by not doing a HTMA test before they started mixing their own feeds and dosing incorrect amounts of selenium.

kerrymarsh@htma.com.au

Bib: Veterinary Toxicology Basic and Clinical Principles. Ed. Ramesh C. Gupta 2007
References: Analysis in HORSE HAIR as a Means of Evaluating Selenium Toxicoses and Long Term Exposure. Thomas Zane Davis, Bryan Stegeimeier. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. May 2014

NOTE: Selenium is an essential trace element that needs to be added to the diet of Australian horses( at the correct dose) as our soils are selenium deficient.

27/08/2025

JOINT PROBLEMS IN HORSES - OCD (OSTEOCHONDROSIS): THE MINERAL IMBALANCE CONNECTION.

OCD is developmental disease that affects joints mostly in young horses. Some OCD lesions heal and some do not which can lead to permanent, ongoing health problems and a reduced, productive working life. Symptoms are joint swelling/pain and or lameness or no symptoms until horse begins training.

There are various reasons why horses develop OCD:
Excess sugar and starches in feeds
Genetic
Restricted movement
Rapid growth
Reduced blood flow
Pregnant mares and Recipient mares not fed adequate levels of minerals especially calcium and copper.

For the purposes of this post I am explaining the mineral imbalance connection which is well documented and proven. In addition, explaining that you need to know your horse's mineral levels and be able to provide dosages of minerals that are safe. Minerals are necessary if you want to have a healthy horse and prevent OCD and developmental diseases. The most accurate test for measuring mineral levels is hair mineral analysis. "Findings from our study confirmed the suitability of horse hair analysis for monitoring exposure and health" (3)

Various mineral imbalances have been found to be one of the causes of OCD. " High phosphorous diets did produce lesions of OCD in young foals and low copper levels are implicated as a cause" (1) Copper levels can be impacted by an excess of iron in the diet or from soil and water high in iron. Iron excess lowers copper stores. In Australia we have many soils that have iron in excess.

COPPER is an ESSENTIAL trace element required for connective bone and tissue structure, needs to be supplemented daily at the correct dose to prevent a deficiency as horses cannot gain sufficient levels from feeds/forages.

PHOSPHOROUS is a macro mineral and a major component of bone. Found in brans, pollards, grains and proteins, some hay varieties but usually locked up in soil profiles, added as a supplement to feeds. Phosphorous levels need to be lower than CALCIUM levels or the Calcium/Phosphorous ratio (Ca/P is affected.

The Ca/P ratio can only be ACCURATELY measured on a HTMA test. This ratio indicates the bone density health of your horse. A low ratio will affect bone health and integrity. In a young horse it will cause developmental disease which OCD is a specific type. A pregnant mare must have an adequate Ca/P ratio or the foal will be at risk of DOD and various other bone abnormalities. "Mineral and trace element imbalance such as low copper or an improper Ca/P ratio can impact bone metabolism while excessive Phosphorous can contribute to OCD" (2)

Knowledge of your horse's mineral levels and Ca/P ratio will help keep your horse healthy and working, act as a preventative and limit the risk of OCD. Mineral imbalance can easily be avoided. A HTMA test is $350, is non invasive and is an excellent investment which will save you money on feeds and vet bills.

Kerry Marsh - Agricultural Scientist specialisng in mineral analyses in horses and feeds. kerrymarsh@htma.com.au

Bibliography: (1) Possible Causative Factors of OCD in Horses. KER July 2013.
(2) Osteochondrosis Dissecans in Horses. Lauren Luedke 2025 Colorado State University.
(3) CONCENTRATION OF SELECTED ESSENTIAL AND TOXIC TRACE ELEMENTS IN HORSE HAIR AS AN IMPORTANT TOOL FOR THE MONITORING OF ANIMAL EXPOSURE AND HEALTH. Dorota Cygan Szczegielniak and Karolina Stasiak. ANIMALS Journal 2022
References: A Guide to OCD in Horses. National Assoc of Veterinary Physiotherapists June 2022
Lameness Diagnostic Treatment and Followup in Adult Sport Horses with Hock OCD. Crecan Mihaita. 2022. Univertsity of Agricultural and Veterinary Medicine of Cluj Napoca (Romania)
Image: istock free images

21/08/2025

BEWARE: DO NOT ADD OTHER FEEDS/SUPPLEMENTS/TONICS ETC TO HTMA DIETS.

I am repeating myself yet again but many HTMA customers feel the need to add commercial feeds/supplements/ tonics and similar to THE HTMA diet. THIS IS DANGEROUS as you WILL over supplement your horse. It is quite easy to create an excess of certain minerals by adding an extra product to my recommended diets. You will adversely affect the health of your horse.

The diets I have formulated are based on LAB REPORTS that have determined the levels of minerals in your horses AND THE STATE OF HEALTH OF YOUR HORSE. My diets are also based on your soil type and water sources, the size, age, breed, s*x, height and weight of your horse and workload. This level of detail and accuracy cannot be achieved by speculating on which commercial supplement, feed or tonic etc should be used.

Either stick with what you have paid for or stop using the HTMA diet. It is UNDESERVED when I hear the HTMA diet was a waste of money. The usual cause of this is horse owner wants a quick fix, did not provide the 10 week followup, fails to retest for serious cases, HTMA diet is altered or added to, horse owner cannot be bothered to mix own feeds, I am not asked for assistance. As I state to all my customers: if something is not working RING ME.

An excess of any mineral is dangerous, can make your horse very ill, can wreak havoc with liver function and can make your horse unsafe.

kerrymarsh@htma.com.au

18/08/2025

NEW REVEALING RESEARCH ON HEADSHAKING CAUSE FOUND IN A QH STALLION IN ITALY.

Those of you with HS horses may find this new, thorough investigation into HS helpful, insightful and worth mentioning to your vets. Seems this has not been considered or explored as a cause of HS. It may resolve HS in some horses.
Here is the link

14/08/2025

DO NOT ADD GARLIC TO YOUR HORSE'S FEED

There are a lot of myths about feeding your horse garlic. They include:
It will kill intestinal worms. This is a dangerous myth and absolutely no evidence at all to prove that garlic will rid your horse of worms.
It will repel flies and biting insects.
It will kill nasty bacteria in your horse's gut
It will act as an antibiotic and cure infections
It will stop all forms of itching.
Research on all of the above has detailed that garlic will not cure, improve or heal any of the above

FORCE FEEDING your horse garlic over a period of time will contribute to lower hemoglobin and red blood cell count. Symptoms of these are lethargy, weakness, reduced performance, weight loss, dull, rough coat, aversion to exercise, loss of performance, increased respiration and heart rate.

Research in the field showed that horses given the choice of grazing free range, fresh garlic avoided it.

Read labels of equine herbal concoctions/tonics/cures to ensure no added garlic. Read labels of all feeds and supplements

Just because garlic is good for humans, it is not good for horses. DO NOT FORCE FEED it to your horse as that is what you are doing.

References: Journal of Animal Science Sept 2022. "Effect of Supplementing Garlic on the Incidence of Heinz Body Anaemia in Non Working Horses". Phillip Gunter et al
"Effect of Supplemental Garlic on the Incidence of Anemia in Horses" Victoria Willis Western Kentucky University. Spring 2021

Kerrymarsh@htma.com.au

12/08/2025

WATER SOURCES FOR HORSES NEED TO BE MONITORED.

Mineral analysis can detect abnormal levels of minerals and which toxic metals may be affecting your horse. Can calculate how suitable your horse's water source is. Given that water contains minerals and the horse drinks approx 30-40 litres per day, a HTMA can ascertain if the water supply requires testing and which toxic metals that need to be tested. Illnesses from water sources are commonly overlooked.

We have half the country in drought and the other half in flood waters. If your horse is relying on water affected from drought or floods, you need to consider that water may contain contaminants that will affect the health of your horse.

A lot of horse owners take for granted that the water available to their horse is safe for the horse to drink. Water needs to be palatable, accessible, free from bacteria and not contain an excess of minerals or any toxic metals. Horses tend to drink less when any of the above are present. Less water intake causes a range of health problems.

DAM WATER: Contains organic matter. IN FLOOD- exposed to a range of run off from animal and bird manures, carcasses, fertilisers, pesticides, hay, contaminants from various sources including bacteria and pathogens, chemicals from dust, dangerous microbial material. Possible solutions: Silt traps at entrance to dam, skimming debris from water, aeration, chlorination. IN DROUGHT - Level of dam drops -risk of stagnation = algal blooms including blue green algae, minerals present are more concentrated, water can become anaerobic and smell, horses drink less, bacteria risks. Possible solutions: fence off dam, clean out silt, provide alternative water. Test after flooding.

BORE WATER/GROUND WATER: IN FLOOD - Run off /soaking issues: Bacterial and chemical, contamination, decayed animal carcasses, toxic metals, high levels of minerals, various debris, risk of E Coli, sediment buildup, no control over inflows into artesian basin. Solution: prevent flood water from entering bore, clean bore. Test after flooding. IN DROUGHT: , high salinity, excess of toxic metals and minerals, tastes metallic and unpalatable, leaves scum and coloured tinge on water troughs. Test in drought especially for toxic metals.

RIVER, STREAM AND CREEK WATER: IN FLOOD - Pollutants flushed from a range of sources; bacterial from animal carcasses and human sewerage, agricultural activities - pesticides, herbicides, nitrogens and fertiliser pollutants, various forms of debris and industrial waste, heavy metals. algal blooms, excess of sediments, hazardous materials. Possible Solution: Put a filter on outlets. IN DROUGHT: Increased levels of toxic metals and minerals, unknown levels of pollutants, increased risks of bacteria and algal blooms. Solution: Find another source of water

TAP OR TOWN WATER: Often not affected by floods due to stringent daily testing and monitoring. May impose water restrictions in drought. Overall, fluoride and chlorine additives considered safe in Australia.

RAIN WATER: IN FLOOD AND DROUGHT: Polluted from bird manures, animal carcasses,creosotes (only if have wood heating), silt build up, organic material, airborne pollution in urban areas, contains various microorganisms and bacteria, parasites. Possible solution: clean roof and gutters before rain, clean tank (read guidelines), filter water, apply chlorine or powdered calcium to disinfect water, clean grate at top of tank regularly.

Our horses rarely get to chose which water source they prefer. If you would not drink your horse's water it may not be suitable for your horse. Do not overlook a health issue that has no explanation, it may well be from contaminated or unsuitable water. Test your horse's mineral levels to check for a heavy metal burden and identify excesses that are impacting horse performance and health. Test the water. Heavy metals are not on a standard water profile test. In some cases testing needs to be done seasonally due to rainfall fluctuations. Know what is in the water your horse is drinking - it is as important as what you are feeding

kerrymarsh@htma.com.au

References: Water: An Oft Forgotten Nutrient for Horses. KER 2022
Contaminated Farm Dams Dept. Primary Industries & Regional Development WA Govt. 2023
Your Dam: Your Responsibility Environment, Land, Water, Planning Vic Govt. 2021
Water Safety Around Flood Water. NSW EPA 2025
Managing Farm Water Supplies in Drought. NSW DPI 2019
Veterinary Toxicology:Basic and Clinical Principles. Ed. Gupta, 2007

07/08/2025

ENTEROLITHS: IS YOUR HORSE AT RISK?

An enterolith is an intestinal stone that forms from a foreign object being ingested such as sand, pebbles, twine or anything quite small that the gastrointestinal tract then coats the object in layers of minerals known as struvite. Most enteroliths will be excreted without issue but in some horses they continue to be coated and grow in size and cause serious colic which can lead to death.

"It is not known the exact cause of enteroliths" No one knows why some horses develop them and some do not. All of the research states that feeding an excess of lucerne hay, a diet high in magnesium and too much protein contributes to the forming of enteroliths.

Other causes are water that is high in pH which produces an alkaline environment in the gut. Genetic predisposition, environmental factors, lack of exercise age of horse.

PREVENTION strategies are mostly all the same across the research. AVOID: feeding bran, diets high in magnesium, limit lucerne hay, avoid excesses of protein. do not limit access to grazing. Know the pH of horse's water source, provide horse with regular exercise.

ADD psyllium husk to at risk horses. allow as much grazing as possible. ADD apple cider vinegar to the horse's diet. This is said to create a more acidic gut environment thus preventing the stones from forming. Most of the research states the apple cider vinegar lowers gut pH and some research stated it did not but recommended adding regardless.

Bib: Diseases Associated with Colic in Horses by Anatomic Location. Madison Ricard 2021
References: Investigations into the Risk Factors, Etiology and Pathogenesis of Enteroliths in Horses. DFiana Hassel DVM 2003
What are Enteroliths. U.C. Davis Veterinary Medicine July 2019
Obstructive Enterolith in a Horse. Indian Journal Veterinary Pathology 30 2006. Vb Chaturvedi et al
Enteroliths in Horses: Causes and Prevention. The Horse May 2025. Alicia Long

K. Marsh 2025

11/07/2025

This is Australian feeds tested in a lab by AXLR8 Equine Theraputics who are one of the very, very few supplement suppliers that provide independent analysis of their products.

After putting up the study about contaminated Eurpean premixed feeds, the analysis of 5 well known Australian feeds is shocking. For all those individuals who disputed my claims about Australian feeds not delivering what is claimed on the label. I feel vindicated. As for how nutritious premixed and processed feeds are..... I rest my case

🧪 𝐁𝐞𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐁𝐚𝐠: 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭’𝐬 𝑹𝒆𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒚 𝐢𝐧 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐇𝐨𝐫𝐬𝐞’𝐬 𝐅𝐞𝐞𝐝?
Did you know that what’s printed on a feed label might not reflect what’s actually in the bag?
𝐔𝐧𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐡𝐮𝐦𝐚𝐧 𝐟𝐨𝐨𝐝, 𝐡𝐨𝐫𝐬𝐞 𝐟𝐞𝐞𝐝 𝐥𝐚𝐛𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐬 𝐛𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐲 𝐫𝐞𝐠𝐮𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐢𝐧 𝐀𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐚. There’s no legal requirement to disclose energy, protein, sugar, starch, or even mineral levels. Each brand chooses what to report; and as our testing shows, many figures are missing or very different from what's actually in the bag.
This lack of consistency makes it nearly impossible for owners to confidently compare feeds or make informed decisions based on their horse’s true needs.

𝑾𝒆 𝒊𝒏𝒅𝒆𝒑𝒆𝒏𝒅𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒍𝒚 𝒕𝒆𝒔𝒕𝒆𝒅 𝒇𝒊𝒗𝒆 popular commercial hard feeds, comparing what was declared by the manufacturers vs what was actually present in the feed.
The results? Notable variations in key nutrients — and some feeds not declaring major components at all.

𝐋𝐞𝐭’𝐬 𝐭𝐚𝐥𝐤 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐰𝐡𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬 👇
🔥 𝐃𝐄 (𝐃𝐢𝐠𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐄𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐠𝐲): 𝐇𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐫 𝐋𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫?
DE (measured in MJ/kg) is the amount of energy a horse can extract from the feed. Think of it like calories in human food.
Higher DE = more energy-dense — suited to performance horses, poor doers, or horses in heavy work.
Lower DE = ideal for good doers, spelling horses, or metabolic types needing controlled energy.
But beware — a feed that’s low in sugar/starch can still be high DE due to fat or fibre content. Always consider your horse’s workload and metabolism.
💪 𝐂𝐫𝐮𝐝𝐞 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐢𝐧: 𝐈𝐬 𝐌𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐀𝐥𝐰𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝐁𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫?
Crude protein is calculated based on the percentage of nitrogen in a feed, which gives us an estimate of protein content. But here's the catch: crude protein says nothing about protein quality.
High crude protein doesn’t guarantee digestibility or usable amino acid content. It could be from inferior or indigestible sources. What matters more is the amino acid profile, particularly lysine, methionine, and threonine — the building blocks your horse actually uses for muscle development, immune support, and recovery.
Protein when fed in excess can contribute to energy issues, insulin sensitivity, high urea smell in urine & manure, stocking up when stabled, kidney strain – even respiratory flare ups.
So when you see 18% vs 12% crude protein, don’t assume the higher one is better, context is key.
🍬 𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐛𝐨𝐡𝐲𝐝𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐬: 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭’𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐃𝐞𝐚𝐥 𝐖𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐍𝐅𝐂, 𝐍𝐒𝐂, 𝐄𝐒𝐂, 𝐖𝐒𝐂 & 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡? 𝐴𝑙𝑙 𝑜𝑓 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑠𝑒 𝑎𝑏𝑏𝑟𝑒𝑣𝑖𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛𝑠!
These acronyms confuse even seasoned owners. Let’s compare it to human food labels:
𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐛𝐨𝐡𝐲𝐝𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐬 = the broad category that make up the below “sub-categories”.
𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡 = complex carbohydrates (like bread/pasta). Starch is digested in the small intestine but if too much is fed, can spill into the hindgut causing acidosis, colic or laminitis. “Too much” starch can be completely individual to the horse, which can make managing this challenging!
𝐄𝐒𝐂 (𝐄𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐨𝐥 𝐒𝐨𝐥𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐛𝐬) = simple sugars, readily digestible and can impact blood glucose and insulin levels.
𝐖𝐒𝐂 (𝐖𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐒𝐨𝐥𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐛𝐬) = sugars (in ESC) + fructans.
𝐍𝐒𝐂 = 𝐍𝐨𝐧-𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐜𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐚𝐥 𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐛𝐬 = Combined Starch + WSC
𝐍𝐅𝐂 = 𝐍𝐨𝐧 𝐅𝐢𝐛𝐫𝐞 𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐛𝐬 = All non-fibre digestible carbs, including:
ESC, WSC, Starch, Organic acids, Pectins, Some fermentation products

📉These values are interrelated. But in the horse world? Not every feed manufacturer even discloses them — and our testing reveals discrepancies.
Carbohydrates are important to be aware of, as some can bypass the small intestine & ferment in the hindgut which can disrupt microbial balance, contribute to hindgut acidosis or even trigger laminitis.

👻 𝐅𝐞𝐞𝐝 𝐒𝐞𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬 – 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞?
The list here can be long, so please bear with us. The consistency and smell of your horse’s manure tells a story on their internal health, relevant to their gut. If you’re walking into your horse’s stable and immediately smell their manure? You likely have feed sensitivities. Too loose, poorly formed and even well-formed but incredibly firm – are all cause for concern. Lying down after eating, flank watching, girthy under saddle, general spookiness, ongoing muscle tension that isn’t resolving, even stocking up when stabled overnight can all indicate feed sensitivities might be present. We'll even go as far to say that Headshaking can be linked back to feed sensitivities in some cases!

🧾 Coming next: We’ll be using each Test Product Feed as a specific scenario breakdown of how actual nutrient content stacks up against recommended feeding rates — and how this may impact your horse’s overall diet.
Because feeding your horse shouldn’t be a guessing game. Foundational nutrition is key to a happy, healthy athlete.

Looking to get your feed tested? We utilised Feed Central's "Equi-Trainer" tests. 🦄

11/07/2025

🧪 𝐁𝐞𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐁𝐚𝐠: 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭’𝐬 𝑹𝒆𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒚 𝐢𝐧 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐇𝐨𝐫𝐬𝐞’𝐬 𝐅𝐞𝐞𝐝?
Did you know that what’s printed on a feed label might not reflect what’s actually in the bag?
𝐔𝐧𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐡𝐮𝐦𝐚𝐧 𝐟𝐨𝐨𝐝, 𝐡𝐨𝐫𝐬𝐞 𝐟𝐞𝐞𝐝 𝐥𝐚𝐛𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐬 𝐛𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐲 𝐫𝐞𝐠𝐮𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐢𝐧 𝐀𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐚. There’s no legal requirement to disclose energy, protein, sugar, starch, or even mineral levels. Each brand chooses what to report; and as our testing shows, many figures are missing or very different from what's actually in the bag.
This lack of consistency makes it nearly impossible for owners to confidently compare feeds or make informed decisions based on their horse’s true needs.

𝑾𝒆 𝒊𝒏𝒅𝒆𝒑𝒆𝒏𝒅𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒍𝒚 𝒕𝒆𝒔𝒕𝒆𝒅 𝒇𝒊𝒗𝒆 popular commercial hard feeds, comparing what was declared by the manufacturers vs what was actually present in the feed.
The results? Notable variations in key nutrients — and some feeds not declaring major components at all.

𝐋𝐞𝐭’𝐬 𝐭𝐚𝐥𝐤 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐰𝐡𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬 👇
🔥 𝐃𝐄 (𝐃𝐢𝐠𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐄𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐠𝐲): 𝐇𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐫 𝐋𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫?
DE (measured in MJ/kg) is the amount of energy a horse can extract from the feed. Think of it like calories in human food.
Higher DE = more energy-dense — suited to performance horses, poor doers, or horses in heavy work.
Lower DE = ideal for good doers, spelling horses, or metabolic types needing controlled energy.
But beware — a feed that’s low in sugar/starch can still be high DE due to fat or fibre content. Always consider your horse’s workload and metabolism.
💪 𝐂𝐫𝐮𝐝𝐞 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐢𝐧: 𝐈𝐬 𝐌𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐀𝐥𝐰𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝐁𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫?
Crude protein is calculated based on the percentage of nitrogen in a feed, which gives us an estimate of protein content. But here's the catch: crude protein says nothing about protein quality.
High crude protein doesn’t guarantee digestibility or usable amino acid content. It could be from inferior or indigestible sources. What matters more is the amino acid profile, particularly lysine, methionine, and threonine — the building blocks your horse actually uses for muscle development, immune support, and recovery.
Protein when fed in excess can contribute to energy issues, insulin sensitivity, high urea smell in urine & manure, stocking up when stabled, kidney strain – even respiratory flare ups.
So when you see 18% vs 12% crude protein, don’t assume the higher one is better, context is key.
🍬 𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐛𝐨𝐡𝐲𝐝𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐬: 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭’𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐃𝐞𝐚𝐥 𝐖𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐍𝐅𝐂, 𝐍𝐒𝐂, 𝐄𝐒𝐂, 𝐖𝐒𝐂 & 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡? 𝐴𝑙𝑙 𝑜𝑓 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑠𝑒 𝑎𝑏𝑏𝑟𝑒𝑣𝑖𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛𝑠!
These acronyms confuse even seasoned owners. Let’s compare it to human food labels:
𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐛𝐨𝐡𝐲𝐝𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐬 = the broad category that make up the below “sub-categories”.
𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡 = complex carbohydrates (like bread/pasta). Starch is digested in the small intestine but if too much is fed, can spill into the hindgut causing acidosis, colic or laminitis. “Too much” starch can be completely individual to the horse, which can make managing this challenging!
𝐄𝐒𝐂 (𝐄𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐨𝐥 𝐒𝐨𝐥𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐛𝐬) = simple sugars, readily digestible and can impact blood glucose and insulin levels.
𝐖𝐒𝐂 (𝐖𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐒𝐨𝐥𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐛𝐬) = sugars (in ESC) + fructans.
𝐍𝐒𝐂 = 𝐍𝐨𝐧-𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐜𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐚𝐥 𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐛𝐬 = Combined Starch + WSC
𝐍𝐅𝐂 = 𝐍𝐨𝐧 𝐅𝐢𝐛𝐫𝐞 𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐛𝐬 = All non-fibre digestible carbs, including:
ESC, WSC, Starch, Organic acids, Pectins, Some fermentation products

📉These values are interrelated. But in the horse world? Not every feed manufacturer even discloses them — and our testing reveals discrepancies.
Carbohydrates are important to be aware of, as some can bypass the small intestine & ferment in the hindgut which can disrupt microbial balance, contribute to hindgut acidosis or even trigger laminitis.

👻 𝐅𝐞𝐞𝐝 𝐒𝐞𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬 – 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞?
The list here can be long, so please bear with us. The consistency and smell of your horse’s manure tells a story on their internal health, relevant to their gut. If you’re walking into your horse’s stable and immediately smell their manure? You likely have feed sensitivities. Too loose, poorly formed and even well-formed but incredibly firm – are all cause for concern. Lying down after eating, flank watching, girthy under saddle, general spookiness, ongoing muscle tension that isn’t resolving, even stocking up when stabled overnight can all indicate feed sensitivities might be present. We'll even go as far to say that Headshaking can be linked back to feed sensitivities in some cases!

🧾 Coming next: We’ll be using each Test Product Feed as a specific scenario breakdown of how actual nutrient content stacks up against recommended feeding rates — and how this may impact your horse’s overall diet.
Because feeding your horse shouldn’t be a guessing game. Foundational nutrition is key to a happy, healthy athlete.

Looking to get your feed tested? We utilised Feed Central's "Equi-Trainer" tests. 🦄

14/06/2025

🐴🪱 How Well Do You Know Your Worms?

Not all worms are created equal—and they don’t all affect horses the same way!
From small strongyles to tapeworms and bots, knowing what you're dealing with is key to effective parasite control.

👉 Did you know older horses may be more vulnerable to parasite burdens due to a changing immune system?
Regular worming, dental care, and targeted health plans are essential—especially for your golden oldies. 💛

Find out more about how to care for your senior horse via the link below.

https://bit.ly/seniorhorsecare