Mad Barn

Mad Barn Every horse deserves a balanced diet. On the exterior, we may look like a lot of other supplement companies, but let us assure you, we are not.

Like Mad Barn for science-backed nutrition, expert support, and free tools and education to help your horse feel and perform their best. Our primary purpose is not to convince you to buy products, it’s to advance the practice of equine nutrition by:

- Funding research to better understand how nutrition impacts the health of your horse.

- Developing technology and feeding solutions to make it eas

ier to feed your horse what he or she needs.

- Providing education and support to horse owners and the broader equine community. Nutrition is the cornerstone to equine health, well-being and optimal performance. Our nutritionists are always available to answer your questions or help you formulate a balanced feeding program for free. We fund all of our activities through product sales. So if you feed your horse Mad Barn, thank you for helping us achieve our mission.

05/25/2026

In eventing, every detail matters, especially when horses are asked to perform at a high level across all three phases. 🐎

For Canadian eventer Karl Slezak, supporting digestive health is an important part of keeping horses comfortable, consistent, and ready to perform. With the physical and mental demands of training, travel, and competition, maintaining a healthy digestive system can make a big difference in overall wellness and recovery.

Visceral+ has become a valuable part of Karl’s feeding program, helping support gastric and hindgut health in hardworking performance horses. Combined with thoughtful management and quality nutrition, targeted digestive support helps his horses feel their best both at home and in competition.

We’re proud to support Karl and his team with nutrition designed to help horses thrive from the inside out. 💙

05/25/2026

🐴 Did You Know?!

🤯 A 1,200 lb (500 kg) horse only has a 2-4 gallon (8-15 L) stomach ! Despite their size, a horse's stomach is surprisingly small, and its completely shapes how they're meant to eat.

🌿 Horses evolved to graze continuously, keeping a steady flow of forage moving through the digestive tract. This continuous intake supports healthy digestion, maintains gut balance, and helps reduce the risk of issues like ulcers and colic.

⚠️ When horses go long periods without forage or are fed large, infrequent meals, it can disrupt this natural system.

👉 Remember: A small stomach means steady intake.

📓To learn more about the horse's digestive system click the link below:
🇨🇦CA: https://madbarn.ca/horse-digestive-anatomy/
🇺🇸US: https://madbarn.com/horse-digestive-anatomy/

☀️🐴 Does your horse struggle with sun bleaching in the summer?Sun bleaching is common in horses during the warmer months...
05/24/2026

☀️🐴 Does your horse struggle with sun bleaching in the summer?

Sun bleaching is common in horses during the warmer months, especially in horses with dark coats. Prolonged UV exposure can cause the coat to fade, leaving black coats looking reddish or brown over time.

While sunlight plays a major role, nutrition also contributes to coat quality and pigmentation. Nutrients such as copper, zinc, amino acids, and omega-3 fatty acids are important for supporting healthy skin, hair growth, and coat color.

Supporting overall nutrition, along with providing shade and minimizing excessive sun exposure, can help maintain coat condition throughout the summer season.

💬 Does your horse’s coat change color during the summer months?

05/24/2026

🐴 Is alfalfa a good choice for your horse?

Alfalfa is a highly nutritious legume forage that can be an excellent addition to many equine diets when fed appropriately.

Compared to most grass hays, alfalfa is typically higher in protein, calories, and calcium, making it a useful option for horses with increased nutrient demands.

Growing horses, broodmares, senior horses, underweight horses, and performance horses may benefit from the additional energy and high-quality protein alfalfa provides.

Despite common myths, alfalfa does not “make horses hot.” In many cases, excess energy intake, starch and sugar from any feed source, rather than alfalfa itself, is the cause of increased excitability.

Because alfalfa is naturally high in calcium and energy, it’s important to feed it as part of a balanced diet. Feeding too much without balancing other nutrients may contribute to mineral imbalances or excess calorie intake in some horses.

Combining alfalfa with grass hay is often a practical way to improve protein and nutrient intake while maintaining dietary balance.
Working with an equine nutritionist and evaluating your forage can help determine whether alfalfa is a good fit for your horse’s individual needs.

Read more below:
CA: https://madbarn.ca/alfalfa-for-horses/
US: https://madbarn.com/alfalfa-for-horses/

05/23/2026

🐴 What vitamins & minerals does your horse actually need?

Vitamins and minerals are essential nutrients that support nearly every function in your horse’s body, including metabolism, immune health, muscle function, hoof quality, growth, reproduction, and performance.

While forage should always form the foundation of the equine diet, hay and pasture alone won't provide a fully balanced diet.. The vitamin and mineral content of forage can vary significantly depending on soil conditions, plant maturity, harvest timing, and storage methods.

Key minerals horses need in their diet include calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, sodium, potassium, copper, zinc, selenium, and iodine. Important vitamins include Vitamin A, Vitamin D, and Vitamin E,.

Deficiencies or imbalances may affect your horse’s health and performance over time, even when they appear to be eating a forage-based diet.

That’s why balancing your horse’s diet based on forage analysis is so important. Feeding a concentrated vitamin and mineral supplement can help fill nutritional gaps without adding unnecessary calories or excess sugars and starches.

Products like Omneity and AminoTrace+ are formulated to provide balanced vitamin and mineral nutrition to support overall health, performance, and wellness in forage-fed horses.

Read more below:
CA: https://madbarn.ca/vitamin-requirements-for-horses/
US: https://madbarn.com/vitamin-requirements-for-horses/

🐴 Breed of the Week: French TrotterBred for speed, stamina, and an unmistakably powerful trot, the French Trotter has be...
05/23/2026

🐴 Breed of the Week: French Trotter

Bred for speed, stamina, and an unmistakably powerful trot, the French Trotter has been a staple of harness racing in France for over a century 🇫🇷

Developed in Normandy, these athletic horses were selectively bred to excel at trotting races while maintaining endurance and durability. Although closely related to the Standardbred, French Trotters are specifically bred to trot, not pace.

Most French Trotters compete in harness racing, but many go on to successful second careers in riding, driving, jumping, trekking, and combined driving.

✨ French Trotter Highlights:
• Typically stand 15.1–16.2 hh
• Known for their stamina and strong work ethic
• Powerful hindquarters support long, efficient trotting strides
• Common coat colours include bay, chestnut, brown, and black
• Athletic, energetic, and best suited for experienced handlers

Like many performance breeds, French Trotters can be prone to developmental orthopedic issues, gastric ulcers, and respiratory challenges associated with racing careers. Proper nutrition, management, and conditioning play an important role in supporting long-term soundness and health.

Have you ever seen a French Trotter in person? 👀

Learn more about this unique breed below:
CA: https://madbarn.ca/french-trotter-horse-breed-profile/
US: https://madbarn.com/french-trotter-horse-breed-profile/

05/23/2026

🐴 We’re excited to be at Salon du Cheval & Cie, Quebec’s premier equine showcase, this week at Espace Saint-Hyacinthe!

This three-day event brings together the equine community for expert conferences, equine demonstrations, and industry exhibitions celebrating all aspects of the horse world.

📍 Stop by and see the Mad Barn team at Booth #500 in the Jefo Building to chat with our expert staff about your horse’s nutrition program, ask questions, and enter our giveaway!

Maia was also excited to catch up with The Real One, the accomplished Standardbred racehorse that has been supported by Mad Barn throughout his racing career and now into retirement. 💙

We look forward to connecting with horse owners, riders, and industry professionals all weekend long!



🐴 Nous sommes ravis d’être présents au Salon du Cheval & Cie, le plus grand rendez-vous équestre du Québec, cette semaine à Espace Saint-Hyacinthe !

Cet événement de trois jours rassemble la communauté équestre autour de conférences d’experts, de démonstrations équestres et d’expositions de l’industrie mettant en valeur tous les aspects du monde du cheval.

📍 Venez rencontrer l’équipe Mad Barn au kiosque #500 dans le Pavillon Jefo pour discuter du programme nutritionnel de votre cheval, poser vos questions à notre équipe d’experts et participer à notre concours !

Maia était également heureuse de revoir The Real One, le célèbre Standardbred soutenu par Mad Barn tout au long de sa carrière de course et maintenant durant sa retraite. 💙

Nous avons hâte d’échanger avec les propriétaires, cavaliers et professionnels de l’industrie tout au long de la fin de semaine !

❓Do Nasal Strips for Horses Really Work👃 Nasal strips are designed to help support airflow by reducing collapse of the n...
05/22/2026

❓Do Nasal Strips for Horses Really Work

👃 Nasal strips are designed to help support airflow by reducing collapse of the nasal passages during exercise. Horses are obligate nasal breathers, meaning all airflow during exercise must pass through the nostrils, making efficient airflow especially important for performance horses.

🫁 Research suggests nasal strips may help reduce respiratory effort and support recovery in some horses during intense exercise. By helping stabilize the nasal passages, strips may decrease airway resistance and potentially improve breathing efficiency.

🏇 Nasal strips are commonly used in racing and other high-performance disciplines, but results can vary between individual horses and workloads. While they may help support respiratory function during exercise, they are not intended to treat underlying respiratory disease or replace proper veterinary care and conditioning.

🤓 To learn more about nasal strips for horses, click the link below:
🇨🇦CA: https://madbarn.ca/nasal-strips-for-horses/
🇺🇸US: https://madbarn.com/nasal-strips-for-horses/

📢 Equestrians in the U.S. are being invited to participate in a new research survey from Hartpury University focused on ...
05/22/2026

📢 Equestrians in the U.S. are being invited to participate in a new research survey from Hartpury University focused on head injuries in equestrian sports.

This study aims to investigate the frequency, causes, and perceptions of head trauma among leisure, recreational, and competitive riders across disciplines, as well as explore helmet culture within the United States equestrian community.

Researchers hope the findings will help improve understanding of injury patterns, increase awareness surrounding head injuries, and contribute to future equestrian safety practices.

To participate, riders must:
✔ Be 18 years of age or older
✔ Be located in the United States
✔ Have previously sustained a head injury related to equestrian activities

Participants can scan the QR code or visit the provided URL link to complete the survey.
https://forms.office.com/e/UCV6DqCKx7

Supporting research like this helps advance safety, education, and awareness within the equestrian industry. 🐴

05/22/2026

Topline Talk! 🐎✨

We’ve partnered with Farmhouse Chiropractic and owner/founder Dr. Jillian Johnson to bring you an educational series focused on equine topline health.

This week, Dr. Johnson talks about how butt tucks are great to open up the pelvis and encourage full range of motion. That is particularly important for jumpers like Callie here.

Next week, Dr. Johnson talks through how to perform carrot stretches!

👉 Drop your topline questions in the comments so we can cover them in the series!

🐴 A recent study found that carrot stretches to the hip and therapeutic trunk exercises can help activate important back...
05/22/2026

🐴 A recent study found that carrot stretches to the hip and therapeutic trunk exercises can help activate important back and core muscles in horses.

Researchers evaluated how different dynamic mobilization exercises, commonly known as “carrot stretches,” along with therapeutic trunk exercises (TTEs), affected muscle activity in horses.

The study found that carrot stretches directed toward the hip resulted in greater activation of key muscles involved in spinal stability and back support. Researchers also found beneficial effects from therapeutic trunk exercises, such as pelvic rounding, which activated important muscles associated with posture, core stability, and movement.

These findings support the use of targeted exercises in programs designed to improve:

• Back health and mobility
• Core strength and stability
• Rehabilitation and conditioning
• Functional movement and performance

As always, exercises should be performed correctly and introduced gradually, especially in horses recovering from injury or dealing with pain or dysfunction.

📖 Read more about the study here:
👉 https://madbarn.com/research/the-effect-of-dynamic-mobilization-exercises-and-therapeutic-trunk-exercises-on-superficial-epaxial-and-hypaxial-muscle-activity-in-horses/

Address

1465 Strasburg Road
Kitchener, ON
N2R1H2

Telephone

1-833-623-2276

Website

https://madbarn.ca/

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