HSF Equine Nutrition

09/26/2025

Friday focus…it’s the weight of the feed that matters…not the volume!

When nutritionists calculate feed amounts and what the individual horse or pony will receive from this, it is the weight of the feed that is accounted for in our calculations, not the volume!

So if I am trying to help a greedier horse or pony feel fuller and more satisfied, or if they are on restricted forage rations, their feeds can be bulked out really well with low calorie chaffs and mashes. The feeds may look large, but the amount of calories (digestible energy) they will receive, will be minimal when using the right products!

Having the right feeds and forage amounts for those that get ‘hangry’ can really make a huge difference to them and it help can reduce or eliminate their grumpiness. Feeding behaviour is an extremely important consideration when formulating the ration for an individual. I am all for bulking out rations and getting the best balance I can for the horses I see. This makes a huge difference to them, which in turn makes a huge difference to their owners; a happy horse or pony = a happier, less stressed owner!

What I do find quite frustrating is when others comment on feed sizes without knowing what is in the bucket and how many calories this contributes to the diet as a whole. In the case of those on weight loss programmes, the amount of calories this will contribute will be minimal. So unless the person commenting on your horses feed knows what is in the bucket, the weight of the feeds, what this contributes to their overall daily nutrient and calorie intake, and are qualified to know if this is correct for the individual, I would not worry about their comments!

It is all about balance and there has to be one!

09/24/2025

Grass is short of minerals for horses 🌱🌱

The very nature of the plants in grass pasture means it does not supply enough minerals for horses.

This is regardless of how you nurture it.

This doesn't mean we should ignore our horses pasture and use/abuse it - we can still nuture the soil and care for the environment our horses live in.

But no amount of nurturing of the soil or plants will create a pasture that supplies all our horse's nutritional needs.

And, lowland pasture, no matter how healthy, diverse or nurtured, is still a calorific feed for horses with relatively low energy requirements.

It's just the nature of grass pasture.

🐴🍏

09/24/2025

I'm so excited for our Free Virtual Event this Saturday 9/27 @ 5pm!

Equine Supplements: Feed Enhancements or Marketing Ploys?

I hope you'll join me via Zoom to talk all about supplements, including Q&A style discussion 🐴

Link is on the event page!

09/21/2025

A super cool comparison of my girl Emma, 12 years apart!

She's 30 now, making her 18 in the first photo. It's been such an honor to watch her grow up (I've known her since she was 9, and have friends who knew her as young as 4/5)) and to have spent the last 12+ years as each others♥️🐴

I'll have to pull out some of her older photos too, but she truly is my poster pony for senior care and I love sharing her story, which is also the story of my journey learning about true horse care through our total of 20 years of knowing each other.

My oldest forever friend, the reason I specialize in senior care 🥰

09/21/2025

Top picture: Wild horses grazing

Bottom picture: Domesticated horse grazing

What's the difference?

#1 THE GRASS ITSELF

In the top picture the grassland is long, stalky and sparse and low in sugar.

In the bottom picture the grass is shorter, greener, higher in sugar and starch and overseeded with higher sugar and starch grasses.

#2 MOVEMENT

In the top picture horses travel miles per day between resources.

In the bottom picture horses go into a small paddock and then a stable resulting in very limited movement.

#3 HERD MEMBERS

In the top picture the horses live in a herd.

In the bottom picture the horse is turned out alone. As is common practice.

#4 TERRAIN

In the top picture the horses travel over varied terrain during their miles of travel. Stimulating their hooves and creating natural wear.

In the bottom picture the horse only travels from field to stable on soft ground and is traditionally shod, restricting the expansion of the hoof to absorb impact and blocking any conditioning over terrain.

NATURAL HORSE VS DOMESTICATED HORSE

Physically, mentally and emotionally? No difference.

And we wonder why horses don't thrive on traditional keeping?

This is why we have health conditions such as laminitis, EMS, obesity, colic etc, and diagnosis' that are better managed on track such as Cushings or arthritis that are commonly a struggle to manage on traditional set ups. Also, behavioural conditions such as weaving, cribbing, box walking, being difficult to handle, explosive, rearing/bucking etc under saddle and in hand are all caused by either/and, incorrect or limited turnout, high sugar feed/forage and a lack of herd turnout.

This. is. why.

*Both images are from Google images and I do not own them.

09/20/2025

09/20/2025

🌿Your Hay – Palatability, maturity, Nonstructural Carbohydrates (NSCs), digestible energy (DE) and nutrient/protein content of the forage being fed.

➕Your Supplements – Meeting vitamin/mineral requirements (in proper ratios) to ensure proper hormone/thyroid, immune and neurological function.

⚖️Feeding the recommended minimum amount of grass hay (less than 10% NSC's) at 1.5% of your horse's current body weight or 2% of ideal weight, whichever is more (according to the ECIR group) to prevent their metabolic rate slowing to a famine level.

🕰️ Avoid periods of fasting exceeding 4-5 hours to prevent a decrease in insulin sensitivity.

🤓Learn more about how to choose hay that allows you to provide more bulk/chew time, naturally encourages a slower rate of consumption and self-regulation without adding calories🍟 https://www.thehaypillow.com/blogs/news/can-horses-eat-more-hay-without-weight-gain-the-surprising-factors

09/19/2025

🌻🍁The seasons are starting to change, are your horse's needs? Take a look at our Fall Horse Care Checklist below and share with your barnmates to make sure everyone is asking all the right questions!

💊 Nutrition
1. With forage supplies dwindling, is your horse getting enough hay?
2. Does your horse drink enough? Have you looked at adding salt to their diet?
3. Is your horse grazing on fall grass? With fall grass NSC levels being higher, do they need their grazing time restricted or even completely cut?

🧘‍♂️ Excercise
1. Are you making any changes to your horse's workload? Do you have a plan to leg up or leg down gradually?
2. Have you started to plan what your horse's winter routine will look like?

🩺 Check Up
1. Does your veterinarian do fall wellness exams and/or physicals?
2. Have you spoken with your horse's health care team about any deworming, dentals, or vaccinations your horse might need?
3. Can you get your blankets out of storage to make sure they're all clean and repaired before winter?

What other routine checks do you do to prepare for the seasons changing?

09/19/2025

NSC Levels and Fall Grazing: Does your horse need a routine change?

🌱 Did you know? Non-structural carbohydrates (NSC) are a natural part of your horse’s diet. They’re found in pasture, hay, and grain. Plants make NSC during the day when the sun is shining, and normally use them up overnight for growth. That’s why NSC levels are usually highest at the end of the day and lowest early in the morning.

🍂 But here’s the catch: in the spring and fall, when nights are cool (around 40–45°F), plants don’t use up as much NSC overnight. After a few sunny days and chilly nights, pastures can hold onto unusually high NSC levels, even first thing in the morning, which means horses that have an abnormal insulin response (such as those with Equine Metabolic Syndrome) may need their grazing time restricted or even completely cut in the fall when grass NSC levels are high.

09/19/2025

Who Benefits From a Ration Balancer?

Not every horse needs extra calories — but EVERY horse needs the right nutrition. 🫶🏼

That’s where Unbeetable Balance comes in. It’s ideal for:
🐴 Easy keepers who maintain weight on forage alone
🐴 Horses on limited or no grain diets but needing key vitamins, minerals & amino acids
🐴 Horses on high-quality hay or pasture that just need the missing pieces filled in

Concentrated nutrition, without unnecessary calories. That’s Balance. 🌱 In store November 1st.