Grass: It's What's For Dinner For Your Horse
Can horses really be kept with grass as their only food? The answer is a qualified "yes." In many instances, a well
maintained pasture is the perfect way to feed an adult horse. After all, horses
didn't evolve with grain and baled hay on the menu. Horses browsed for
their meals, and the... | read »
Health: Feeds
from the pages of Horse Journal
Equine Food Pyramid
Nearly everyone has seen or heard of the USDA's food pyramid for
people. The original food pyramid gave recommendations for carbohydrates,
proteins and fats in "servings," and it was heavily geared to carbohydrates. The
newest version, called "My Pyramid" has switched the emphasis to fruits... | read »
Health: Feeds
from the pages of Perfect Horse
Is Alfalfa a Wise Choice?
Few things create more arguments and opinions when it comes to
feeding horses than whether alfalfa should be a part of the equine diet. Some
say there's nothing better. Others view it as a kind of poison. The truth, of
course, lies somewhere in between.
Let's look at the pros and cons of... | read »
Health: Feeds
from the pages of Horse Journal
Finding Baled Hay When It's Scarce
Many state agriculture departments, state university agriculture
departments, state farm bureaus and local forage growing organizations maintain
a list of hay auctions and, in times of scarce supply, can help you locate both
private and auction sources of hay. If you're buying in small... | read »
Health: Feeds
from the pages of Perfect Horse
Changing Feeds & Forage Safely
Horses have evolved to handle a wide variety of vegetation in their diet, but with a few key differences
between the feral horse and the domesticated horse. A horse ranging freely in search of food
consumes nutrients such as
carbohydrates and fats in a very
diluted form because grasses... | read »
Health: Feeds
from the pages of Perfect Horse
Weanling and Yearling Diets Require Feed in Addition to Mare's Milk
It's absolutely essential to provide foals with balanced, nutritious feed. After all, young horses can't manufacture what
they need out of thin air! Young Horse bones and tissues don't just magically get bigger.
They have to be built from the nutrients supplied in the foal's... | read »
Health: Feeds
from the pages of Trail Rider
On-the-Road Nutrition
Your
traveling horse needs optimal feed and water, whether you haul your horse across time
zones or just a few hours away from home. A high-quality diet and ample water
help your horse keep up his energy, fight travel stress, fend off disease, and avoid
colic (a potentially... | read »
Health: Feeds
from the pages of Horse Journal
Safety In Equine Feeds
No
one can guarantee the safety and wholesomeness of every bag of feed produced by
every feed mill across the country. Although equine feeds are less regulated
than pet foods and other livestock feeds--remember, horses are legally considered
livestock, but they aren't a food animal nor... | read »
Health: Feeds
from the pages of Horse Journal
Foals Require Special Horse Grain and Horse Feed for Healthy Diets
There's no time in a horse's
life when diet is more important than when they are growing. In nature, foals grow and
mature normally on nothing but their dam's milk and grass. However, the trend
over the last several decades with domestic horses has been to rely heavily on
grain and to... | read »
Health: Feeds
from the pages of Perfect Horse
Feeding Horses Hay Free-Choice
The horse is a grazing animal, designed to spend most of his
waking hours eating. Feeding hay free choice can duplicate this to some extent,
and it definitely has a favorable impact on behavior. Horses who are allowed to eat as much hay as they want are generally more relaxed and content, and... | read »
QUESTION:
We
travel all over with our horses. For years, we’ve heard about equine distemper,
also known as strangles. Please tell us more about the strangles, how to prevent
it, and what to do about it should one of... | read
