Performance
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Fiber, Protein, Water, and Electrolytes for Heavily Exercised Horses
By KER Staff · May 10, 2013Without proper nutrition, horses are incapable of performing to today's exacting standards. As the intensity of the exercise increases, dietary considerations become more integral to whole-horse health.
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Arabian Gelding Too Thin
By KER Staff · May 3, 2013Is my 30-year-old gelding’s ration adequate? He is too skinny.
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Feeding Endurance Horses Before the Race
By KER Staff · April 23, 2013Because large sweat losses may affect the performance or health of endurance horses, strategies that assist the horse in maintaining fluid and electrolyte balance during endurance exercise may be beneficial.
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Feeding After Exercise: Effect on Glucose and Glycogen Responses in Horses
By KER Staff · April 1, 2013Using well-conditioned Thoroughbred geldings, the effect of feeding a carbohydrate source during the early or late post-exercise period on blood glucose and muscle glycogen responses was studied.
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Effects of Dietary Restriction in Horses
By KER Staff · March 21, 2013Horses evolved as grazers, programmed to eat more or less continuously on forage of varying quality without access to large meals of carbohydrate-rich grains. Modern management strategies have strayed from this pattern. Two recent studies have looked at the effects of dietary restriction on equines.
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Nutritional Ergogenic Aids in Horses: What Are They and Do They Work?
By KER Staff · February 12, 2013Dietary additives that claim to have a performance-enhancing effect fall into the category of nutritional ergogenic aids. Learn more about B vitamins and hematinics (blood builders), two of the more common nutritional supplements reputed to have an ergogenic benefit in horses.
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Evaluation of a Forage-Only Diet for Young Horses in Training
By KER Staff · February 1, 2013A recent study tested the idea that a diet of high-energy, high-quality forage without added grain could be the answer to providing enough energy for growth and exercise without inviting grain-related problems.
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Aerobic and Anaerobic Exercise in Horses
By KER Staff · January 29, 2013To allow the horse to exercise in comfort, owners need to be sure it is properly nourished and trained for the performance that is expected. Understanding aerobic and anaerobic exercise will help owners feed performance horses properly.
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Thin Thoroughbred Mare Needs Weight
By KER Staff · January 18, 2013I have a jumper mare that’s thin and weak-topped. What can I do to increase her condition?
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Electrolytes and the Performance Horse
By KER Staff · January 11, 2013In the exercising horse, sodium, potassium, chloride, and magnesium are lost in sweat and urine.Without replacement of these important electrolytes, performance horses are slowed by fatigue and muscle weakness.
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Barrel Racing Mare Needs Nutrient Boost
By KER Staff · January 10, 2013I’m not confident that my barrel racing mare is receiving adequate nutrition. She is getting cinchy and seems more flighty and nervous than ever when worked under saddle. I am looking for recommendations.
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Matching Horse Diets to Performance Demands
By KER Staff · December 27, 2012The specifics of feeding a performance horse--what they are fed, how much they are fed, and when they are fed--is tied directly to the length and intensity of the work it will be asked to do.
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Energy and the Performance Horse
By KER Staff · December 10, 2012Energy is a measure of a feed’s potential to fuel body functions and exercise. Various pathways and substrates are used by the horse to produce a chemical intermediate that fuels muscle contraction during exercise.
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Top Performance in Horses Involves Multiple Factors
By KER Staff · November 5, 2012To give a horse the best chance of performing at its maximal level, all systems must be supported and conditioned in order to meet the demands of training and competition.
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Electrolytes for a Barrel-Racing Horse
By KER Staff · November 2, 2012What are the advantages and disadvantages of using electrolytes in a barrel-racing horse during a double-header rodeo?
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Best Electrolyte for an Endurance Horse
By KER Staff · October 26, 2012I use my gelding for endurance. Can you help me choose the best electrolyte?
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Feeding Honey to Endurance Horses
By KER Staff · October 1, 2012Can you effectively preload energy for an endurance race by using honey?
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Protein Requirements of Performance Horses
By KER Staff · September 25, 2012The protein requirement of the mature performance horse is fairly low, primarily because protein requirements don’t increase as quickly as energy requirements in the exercising horse. Excessive protein in the diet of a performance horse may be detrimental.
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Forage-Only Diet Evaluated for Exercising Horses
By KER Staff · September 20, 2012Owners of top performance horses often run into a feed management dilemma. How do they feed sufficient energy to fuel performance while observing forage requirements and being aware of the risks associated with feeding too much grain?
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Difference in Powdered and Pelleted Electrolytes
By KER Staff · September 18, 2012What is the difference between powdered and pelleted electrolytes?
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Feeding Rice Bran Is Safe Year-Round
By KER Staff · July 20, 2012I’ve been told that rice bran causes problems in horses when fed in the heat. Is this true?
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Feeding to Avoid Problems at Endurance Ride Checkpoints
By Dr. Peter Huntington and Scott O'Brien · July 5, 2012Poor scores at the vet gate during an endurance ride can be the first indication of trouble in some cases, but there are a couple of problems that can be rectified nutritionally if noticed early enough.
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Feeding an Athletic Horse on Stall Rest
By KER Staff · July 3, 2012How do I feed my injured event horse that's now on stall rest?
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The Best Time to Feed Before Competition
By KER Staff · June 25, 2012One of the most common question that is asked about feeding the performance horse is when to feed before a competition.
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Feeding During an Endurance Ride
By Dr. Peter Huntington and Scott O'Brien · June 4, 2012The actual amount and type of feed your horse should get through the ride will depend on the length and difficulty of the ride as well as the result you hope to achieve.
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Feeding Before the Endurance Ride
By KER Staff · May 17, 2012How to feed horses in endurance training and how to manage them after a competition is fairly well documented. But what happens before the ride itself, and how can this influence your horse’s performance?
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Electrolyte Selection and Use for Horses
By KER Staff · April 6, 2012Can you provide me some basic rules of electrolyte selection and use?
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Arthritis Treatment from Mint Extract
By KER Staff · March 14, 2012Research in Canada has indicated that rosmarinic acid, a substance found in some plants including mint, oregano, and rosemary, may be helpful in reducing pain and inflammation for horses with arthritic knees.
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Large Warmblood Gelding Needs More Calories
By KER Staff · March 8, 2012Am I offering my large Warmblood-cross gelding sufficient feed?
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Feeding Management of Athletic Horses in Stressful Conditions
By KER Staff · March 1, 2012Most performance horses train and compete under a variety of stressful conditions that adversely affect health and performance. Feeding management is of critical importance to reduce many of these problems.
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Electrolyte Supplementation of Endurance Horses
By KER Staff · February 28, 2012Electrolytes are a critical component of an endurance horse’s nutritional program since they play an important role in maintaining osmotic pressure, fluid balance, and nerve and muscle activity.
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Time of Feeding Before Competition
By KER Staff · February 24, 2012One of the most frequently asked questions regarding feeding performance horses is when to feed before a competition. Kentucky Equine Research (KER) performed three studies to evaluate if feeding hay with or without grain affects glycemic and hematological responses at rest and during exercise.
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From the Sales Ring to the Training Track: Feeding During the Transition
By KER Staff · January 25, 2012Feeding young racehorses is a challenge because nutrients must be supplied to support both growth and exercise.
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Feeding Protein to Performance Horses
By KER Staff · January 9, 2012Hard-working horses need dietary protein to increase muscle mass, maintain muscle fibers, and repair tissue damage caused by the demands of strenuous exercise.
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Practical Nutrition Management for Stables
By KER Staff · January 5, 2012Providing for the nutritional needs of many horses can be complex task. Here are a few tips that will help you provide simple, customizable rations to a diverse population of horses.
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Feeding Your Horse for Show Ring Success
By KER Staff · January 4, 2012There is no single secret formula for show ring success, as several factors are involved in getting your horse in prime condition. Feeding is a crucial part of having your horse look its best.
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Feeding Yearlings: Sales Preparation
By KER Staff · December 20, 2011When preparing a yearling for sale, it is important to understand the nutrient requirements of the horse and the critical balance between feed intake and exercise as they impact condition and soundness.
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Miniature Horse Feeding Guidelines
By KER Staff · December 19, 2011Despite their small stature, feeding guidelines for Miniature Horses diverge only slightly from those of their larger relatives. Requirements are simply scaled down.
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Nutritional Management of Draft Horses
By KER Staff · December 16, 2011How does the sheer bulk of draft horses affect how they’re fed? As it is, the nutritional management of draft horses differs little from that of their light-framed relatives.
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Feeding Your New Horse
By KER Staff · November 18, 2011Formulate a plan to make changes in your new horse's nutrition as smooth as possible.
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Antioxidants for Horses: Just the Basics
By KER Staff · November 17, 2011When a horse is exercising strenuously, natural stores of antioxidants have difficulty providing sufficient protection against the cascade of free radicals generated from aerobic metabolism.
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Starch and Fat Provide Extra Energy to Horses
By KER Staff · October 28, 2011Additional digestible energy (DE) is commonly provided by adding dietary starch, fat, or both to the horse’s ration.
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Fibre: The Basis of Feeding Horses
By KER Staff · October 26, 2011Roughage contains fibre, which aids digestion, satisfies hunger, and meets basic energy requirements.
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Feeding After the Finish Line
By KER Staff · October 24, 2011Retired racehorses can present some nutritional challenges to their new owners. While no single approach will be the magic solution for every horse, some general guidelines can help your recently retired athlete flourish.
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Factors Affecting Spontaneous Activity in Young Horses
By KER Staff · October 21, 2011Have you ever wondered if the type of feed your horse eats affects how much he moves during the day? Little research has been done on the effects of diet on behavior, and specifically on spontaneous activity.
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Feeding Endurance Horses: Competition Day
By KER Staff · October 20, 2011Here’s how to plan your endurance ride competition day so that your horse has the best chance, from a nutritional management standpoint, of giving you his maximal performance when the time comes.
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Feeding Endurance Horses Before Competition
By KER Staff · October 13, 2011Getting to the race with a horse in great condition depends on the preparations made over the days just prior to the event. Here are four nutrition tips.
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Feeding Endurance Horses Day to Day
By KER Staff · October 10, 2011 -
Vitamin K Supplementation for Horses
By KER Staff · September 19, 2011New research has shown that the most effective way to supplement horses with vitamin K is in the form of K3, or menadione.
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Fish Oil Reduces Inflammatory Joint Compounds in Horses
By KER Staff · September 14, 2011Researchers investigated the intra-articular production of a potent inflammatory compound following 90 days of oral supplementation with two different types of omega-3 fatty acids.
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Feeding Horses During Travel
By KER Staff · September 9, 2011Careful management of horses’ nutrition while on the road can help to alleviate some potential causes of stress.
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Feeding Horses Before Travel
By KER Staff · September 7, 2011A little pre-planning can help your travelling horse to remain healthy and well-fed.
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Timing of Feeding Affects Energy Level of Horses
By KER Staff · August 29, 2011Timing of feeding can affect the horse’s energy level during exercise and can be critical to performance.
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Why Isn’t My Horse Gaining Weight?
By KER Staff · August 25, 2011It seems like your thin horse is constantly eating, but he just doesn’t seem to hold any weight. What might be going on?
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Feeding Ponies
By KER Staff · August 4, 2011The basic principles of feeding horses can be applied to ponies, but there are a few simple points to consider.
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Event Horse Is Too Lethargic
By KER Staff · July 28, 2011<p> Could there be a nutritional basis for my event horse’s lack of energy?</p>
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Omega-9 Fatty Acids for Horses
By KER Staff · July 26, 2011Many horse owners and managers know that omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids play important roles as precursors in the production of local hormones known as eicosanoids. But what about omega-9 fatty acids?
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Endurance Horse with Shivers
By KER Staff · July 11, 2011<p> I have an endurance gelding whose hindquarters shiver after an endurance ride. What could be going on?</p>
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Prohibited Substances, Feed, and the Performance Horse
By KER Staff · June 22, 2011A list of common sources of inadvertent contamination of performance horse diets with substances that may produce a positive drug test, and tips to to avoid or minimise the risk of contamination.
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Nutritional Requirements of an Easy-Keeping Performance Horse
By KER Staff · June 17, 2011<p> How can I be sure my easy-keeping performance horse is getting a sufficient volume of feed with appropriate nutrient levels?</p>
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Optimal Nutrition for a Young Equine Athlete
By KER Staff · June 7, 2011<p> What do you recommend feeding young horses to build muscle and strength?</p>
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Feeding Show Horses: A Matter of Balance
By KER Staff · June 3, 2011Nutrition plays a vital part in getting the ideal performance from your equine athlete.
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Feeding and Fitting Young Horses for Show and Sale, Part One: Nutrition
By KER Staff · April 26, 2011To be successful in preparing sales horses and halter horses, the fitter must be able to differentiate fat from fit.
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Forage for Endurance Horses
By KER Staff · April 5, 2011Forage is perhaps the single most important ingredient in an endurance horse's diet.
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Supplements for the Endurance Horse
By KER Staff · March 31, 2011Supplements may help to fill in the gaps by providing certain nutrients required by the endurance horse.
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Fat as an Energy Source During Injury Recovery in Horses
By KER Staff · March 30, 2011Fat is an important energy source for nearly all equine athletes, and it can be used to maintain a positive energy balance after an injury.
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The Role of Energy in the Healing Process
By KER Staff · March 17, 2011Meeting energy requirements is one of the most important steps in promoting rapid healing after a musculoskeletal injury.
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Feeding Before an Event
By KER Staff · March 17, 2011<p> What is the best way to feed my event horse prior to competition?</p>
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Fit to be Tied: Part Three
By KER Staff · March 9, 2011Polysaccharide storage myopathy is a glycogen (muscle sugar) storage disorder that is characterized by the accumulation of an abnormal polysaccharide in muscle.
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Fit to be Tied: Part Two
By KER Staff · March 7, 2011In the second part of a three-part series, another form of tying-up, recurrent exertional rhabdomyolysis (RER) is discussed in detail.
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Think Energy When Feeding the Racehorse
By KER Staff · March 7, 2011While racehorses certainly have a requirement for other nutrients, diet formulation for them usually begins and ends with energy.
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Bone-Building Supplements for Two-Year-Old Riding Horses
By KER Staff · February 25, 2011<p> How can I be sure I am properly nourishing the immature skeletons of two-year-old performance horses?</p>
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What Are Electrolytes and Why Are They Important?
By KER Staff · February 24, 2011Electrolytes are a necessary addition to the diets of exercising horses.
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Supporting the Equine Athletes at WEG
By KER Staff · February 18, 2011With international expertise in feeding sport horses, nutritionists from Kentucky Equine Research helped the world's best equine athletes feel at home one meal at a time.
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Horse Weight Loss: Environmental Factors
By KER Staff · February 8, 2011Numerous causes can account for a horse's inability to maintain weight aside from not consuming sufficient calories.
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Establishing Work Intensity in Horses
By KER Staff · February 8, 2011Determining work intensity is essential in estimating nutritional needs.
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Imported Jumper Refuses to Gain Weight
By KER Staff · February 3, 2011<p> I recently imported a jumper, and she won't eat. What can I do to stimulate her appetite?</p>
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Feeding Horses Before Competition
By KER Staff · January 28, 2011Studies have been performed to assess the effects of feeding hay and concentrates at different times prior to exercise, as well as feeding only hay or allowing pasture access.
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Forage Key when Feeding Horses in Stressful Conditions
By KER Staff · January 27, 2011Horses in training and competition must often be maintained in environments and systems that are not complementary to their natural needs.
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Roping Horses Tying-Up on Forage Pellets with Added Corn
By KER Staff · January 11, 2011<p> What can I feed my roping horses that are tying-up?</p>
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Broodmare Diets are Critical for Health of Mare and Foal
By KER Staff · December 29, 2010Proper feeding of broodmares during pregnancy is an essential part of producing healthy foals.
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Increase Calories to Add Condition
By KER Staff · December 22, 2010<p> How can I get my mature Arabian gelding to gain weight after a dropoff?</p>
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Antioxidants for Tip-Top Performance
By KER Staff · December 14, 2010In instances of strenuous exercise, natural stores of antioxidants have difficulty providing sufficient protection against the cascade of free radicals generated from aerobic metabolism. Supplementation of antioxidants is therefore necessary to help ward off the ill effects of mass-produced free radicals associated with intense exercise.
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Electrolytes and the Endurance Horse
By KER Staff · December 14, 2010Every endurance competitor appreciates that electrolytes are a critical component of a horse's nutritional program. Electrolytes are mineral salts that play an important role in maintaining osmotic pressure, fluid balance, and nerve and muscle activity.
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Nutrition of the Breeding Stallion
By KER Staff · December 14, 2010During the breeding season, the addition of energy-dense feeds, usually grains may be necessary to satisfy calorie requirements for the increased workload of breeding. No more than 0.75 pounds of grain per 100 pounds of body weight should be fed to a stallion per day, and no single meal should weigh more than five pounds.
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Does My Horse Need a Vitamin E Supplement?
By KER Staff · December 14, 2010A superior nutritional plan is one key to turning that dream into reality, and natural vitamin E is one of the crucial elements in the equine athlete's dietary regimen. Whether a horse's work involves racing, eventing, endurance, trail riding, or reproduction, vitamin E plays a huge role in both overall health and specific performance.
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Feed to Succeed: Supplements to Help the Endurance Horse
By KER Staff · December 14, 2010Keeping an endurance horse fit and healthy involves more than just putting in a large number of miles on trails. The work required of these horses is quite different than that of any other equine athlete. The challenge is to provide the correct combination of nutrients that will support the special needs of these athletes during both training and competition.
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Equine Nutritionist Q&A: Thumps in a High-Performance Endurance Mare
By KER Staff · November 8, 2010<p> My Arabian mare was recently diagnosed with thumps, can you give me some information on the disease and any feed suggestions?</p>
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Future Hunters Require Balanced Nutrition
By KER Staff · November 8, 2010For those patient, forward-thinking individuals that seek satisfaction in creating the next generation of hunters, regardless of their future use, there exists the hunter breeding division at shows sanctioned by the United States Equestrian Federation (USEF). Entries are judged on conformation, way of moving, quality, substance, soundness, and suitability to become hunters, according to USEF rules.
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Refeeding Malnourished Horses
By KER Staff · November 8, 2010Understanding the effects of starvation, the likelihood for recovery, and basic principles of refeeding will help horse owners should they encounter a horse that requires a nutritional overhaul.
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Managing Horses with Exercise-Induced Pulmonary Hemorrhage
By KER Staff · October 25, 2010<p> Can exercise-induced pulmonary <span id="main" style="visibility: visible"><span id="search" style="visibility: visible">hemorrhage </span></span>(EIPH) be helped from a nutritional standpoint?</p>
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Racing-Related Equine Deaths
By KER Staff · February 17, 2010In a lecture at the Gluck Equine Research Center at the University of Kentucky, Dr. David Nunamaker of the New Bolton Center cited the following statistics: In California, 83% of racing-related equine deaths result from musculoskeletal injury.
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Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Medications
By KER Staff · February 17, 2010Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications are effective in relieving pain, but extended use of bute and other common NSAIDs frequently causes irritation of the horse's gastrointestinal tract.
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Performance Limited by Genetics
By KER Staff · February 17, 2010In a lecture at the 2007 Alltech conference, Dr. Ernie Bailey of the University of Kentucky explained that about 30% of racing performance in Thoroughbreds is due strictly to genetic make-up, leaving about 70% influenced primarily by other factors (age, track surface, training, nutrition, and so on).
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Stereotypies and Learning Rates
By KER Staff · February 15, 2010Stereotypies are repetitive behaviors like weaving, stall walking, head bobbing, and cribbing that are often seen in horses that spend a great deal of time confined to their stalls.
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Link between Gastric Ulcers and Exercise
By KER Staff · February 15, 2010A study at the Island Whirl Equine Colic Research Laboratory at the University of Florida has uncovered information showing a possible link between gastric ulcers and exercise.
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Radios Causing Gastric Ulcers
By KER Staff · February 15, 2010Should you keep a radio playing in the barn to keep the horses company?
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Weight Calculation
By KER Staff · February 15, 2010Don't know how much your horse weighs? Here's a formula from Equus that may give you a rough idea.
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Getting Horses Back into Condition
By KER Staff · February 15, 2010Once a horse is in fit athletic condition, taking a week off now and then won't bother him. However, if he's idle for a longer period-three months, for example-how do you begin getting him back into condition, and how long will the process take if you want to avoid injuring him by asking too much?
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Cardiac Disease Causes Poor Performance
By KER Staff · February 8, 2010An article in Hoof Beats indicates cardiac disease is the third most significant cause of poor performance in horses, following problems with the respiratory or musculoskeletal systems.
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Foals Need Exercise
By KER Staff · February 8, 2010At Colorado State University, researchers studied the effect of galloping exercise in addition to turnout for Thoroughbred foals.
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Feeding Laminitic Horses
By KER Staff · February 8, 2010Horses recovering from an acute case of laminitis must have a carefully designed feed management plan in order to avoid a recurrence of the problem.
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Hot Horse: Cool Him Down with Water
By KER Staff · February 8, 2010The best way to cool a hot horse is to hose or sponge cold water over him, scrape the water off with a sweat scraper, and repeat the process until the horse is cool.
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Acetate for Muscle Glycogen Replacement
By KER Staff · February 8, 2010During prolonged moderate exercise, horses deplete muscle glycogen which needs to be replaced after the exercise period ends.
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Stretching: Does It Help?
By KER Staff · February 8, 2010A note in Equine Science Update says that passive stretching exercises may or may not help your horse move more freely, and could even produce the opposite result.
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Omega-3 Benefits in Horses
By KER Staff · February 3, 2010In a presentation at the recent Veterinary Sport Horse Symposium, Dr. Kyle Newman indicated supplementing horses with omega-3 fatty acids could have a positive effect on their health and endurance during exercise.
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Rotary Gallop May Be the Fastest Gait
By KER Staff · February 3, 2010Quarter Horses can reach speeds of about 45 miles (72 km) per hour in short bursts. What gives cheetahs the ability to run so much faster--about 70 miles (112 km) per hour? Several factors of conformation are responsible, but part of the answer is that cheetahs use a rotary gallop, while horses and a number of other mammals prefer a transverse gallop. Many animals, including horses, use both forms in some instances.
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Weaning: Stress Can be Minimized by Management
By KER Staff · January 27, 2010Every foal has to go through it; every owner admits to some worries about it; and almost everyone survives it. For something that happens every year, weaning never seems to take on the status of "just another day's work." Separating a foal from its dam is guaranteed to produce some anxiety in both animals.
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Equine Nutritionist Q&A: Feeding Horses Recovering from Exercise
By KER Staff · January 24, 2010<p> What should you feed your horse when your trail ride ends up being longer and harder than you expected and the horse gets back to the trailer pretty tired?</p>
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Equine Glycogen Replacement After Exercise
By KER Staff · January 24, 2010Glycogen is a large, highly branched sugar molecule that is stored in muscle and the liver, and is used by the body as an energy source. Made of long chains and branches of glucose, glycogen is used for quick, high-intensity exercise. Depleted muscle glycogen and buildup of its end products, lactate and pyruvate, contribute to muscle fatigue.
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Researchers Take a Closer Look at Teff
By KER Staff · January 21, 2010Teff hay is a warm-season grass that thrives in a variety of climates and soil types. Despite low resistance to frost and pests, researchers have recently tested teff to see how the grass stacks up against cool-season standbys, timothy and orchardgrass.
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Training and Bone Development
By KER Staff · November 15, 2009The main role of the equine skeleton is to provide structural support. In addition to bones, the skeletal system also includes tendons, ligaments, and cartilage. Each element of the musculoskeletal system must be functioning correctly in order for the horse to travel soundly.
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Feeding Performance Horses
By KER Staff · October 21, 2009The inherent athletic ability of the horse is impressive. However, to achieve optimal performance in any equine sport, a conditioning program must be designed that improves cardiovascular function, capillary density in muscle, flexibility, bone strength, increased muscle mass, increased energy substrate storage, and more efficient utilization.
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Surveying Sport Horses
By KER Staff · December 20, 2008The sport in which horses participate often dictates the body condition in which they are maintained. Polo ponies are typically sleek and trim their fitness evident in a tight, tucked-up appearance. The same can be said of most racehorses. Pleasure horses, those mounts used to poke around trails and forests, are sometimes softer and less muscular, carrying more body fat.
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Horses’ Weight-Carrying Ability Studied
By KER Staff · September 15, 2008A horse's weight-carrying ability depends on a number of factors.
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Thoroughbred Growth and Future Racing Performance
By KER Staff · November 17, 2007The racing success of a Thoroughbred horse is determined by a multitude of factors, many of which are impossible to evaluate. Thoroughbreds destined for the racetrack are often sold at weanling or yearling sales where buyers must rely on subjective methods, rather than performance history, to select future athletes.
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Growth of Thoroughbreds Around the World
By KER Staff · November 17, 2007One of the most important goals for Thoroughbred breeders is to produce a fully-grown, sound, and top-performing athlete. Rapid growth in horses has been associated with compromised skeletal growth; however, horses that grow too slowly may not reach optimal size, possibly reducing their sales value and lessening their chances of becoming elite athletes.
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Conformation in Thoroughbred Yearlings Studied
By KER Staff · November 15, 2007There is a belief among many people that defects in conformation predispose racehorses to poor performance and injury, and horses with obvious conformation problems tend to bring lower prices at public auction.
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Equine Nutritionist Q&A: Conditioning Young Horses
By KER Staff · October 27, 2007<p> How can I condition young show horses without pouring grain into them?</p>
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Salmonella Infection is something to Avoid
By KER Staff · October 26, 2007The bacteria produce toxins that irritate the intestinal lining of the animal they infect. Some strains cause illness in horses, and others are responsible for infections in cattle and other animals.
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Acidosis and Starch Fermentation Studied
By KER Staff · October 21, 2007Digestibility of various grains was quantified and fecal analyses were conducted to establish which grains held the greatest risk of hindgut starch fermentation and acidosis. Hindgut acidosis can impair performance, and could be career-threatening if it leads to laminitis.
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Horse Splints
By KER Staff · November 15, 2006To understand splints, we need to remember that prehistoric ancestors of the modern horse had multiple toes on each foot. The horse of today walks on the tip of its middle toe, but vestigial traces of the other toes are still present. Two of these leftover toe bones, called splint bones, lie along the inner and outer sides of each cannon bone beginning just below the horse's knee or hock and tapering to an end above the fetlock.
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Feeding Management Tips for Freshly Retired Racehorses
By KER Staff · September 15, 2006Lives of Thoroughbreds in race training differ greatly from those of most sporthorses.
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Equine Nutritionist Q&A: Electrolytes in the Performance Horses Diet
By KER Staff · December 20, 2005<p> My jumper sweats heavily when I work him in the middle of the day. Is he receiving adequate electrolytes in his diet?</p>
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Synchronous Diaphragmatic Flutter
By KER Staff · December 1, 2005It is most commonly seen as a sign of dehydration and electrolyte depletion among horses performing in endurance races.
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Ground Line: Building a Base for Grand Prix Performance
By KER Staff · October 19, 2005Grand Prix show jumper turns to careful equine management in his quest to qualify for the Olympics.
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Evaluating Feeding Practices at Boarding Facilities
By KER Staff · November 4, 2004The most important component of any feeding program is forage, be it pasture or hay. Without question, a survey of the paddocks, pastures, and other turnout areas in which your horse may reside is in order before finalizing a boarding arrangement.
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Mounted Police: A Horse on the Force
By KER Staff · November 1, 2004What makes a police horse's job unique is the variety of experiences and challenges that each day brings. While all horses are expected to respond to their riders' signals, it's of paramount importance that the mounted police officer can trust his horse to remain calm and obedient, no matter what happens.
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Equine Recurrent Exertional Rhabdomyolysis Studied
By KER Staff · October 27, 2004Recurrent exertional rhabdomyolysis, also called tying-up syndrome, refers to the severe muscle cramping and cellular damage seen in some exercising horses. Various forms of tying-up affect horses of several breeds and are caused by different metabolic processes.
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Roaring and Choking Down in Horses
By KER Staff · October 26, 2004These terms are common names for conditions that restrict airflow in the laryngeal area. In both cases, noisy breathing and exercise intolerance are probably the first signs that will alert an owner or trainer to the problem.
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Equine Grass Sickness
By KER Staff · October 25, 2004Equine grass sickness (EGS) is a mysterious and often-fatal disease that strikes down healthy young horses as they graze. Most cases have occurred in England, Wales, and Scotland, but EGS has also been seen in Europeand South America. Mal seco, an equine disease reported in South Africa, appears to be identical.
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Dorsal Displacement in Horses
By KER Staff · October 25, 2004Dorsal displacement of the soft palate (DDSP) is a misalignment of tissues in the horse's throat. This condition, which is common in horses that work at high speeds, causes a drop in performance because affected horses are unable to breathe freely.
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Protein and Fat in Horse Diets Studied
By KER Staff · October 21, 2004Exercising horses need a certain level of dietary protein to build and repair muscle tissue and to replace the protein lost in sweat. This study was designed to test whether decreasing dietary protein quantity, while increasing protein quality by supplementation with lysine and threonine, could reduce the negative effects of excess protein while providing sufficient amino acids to support tissue maintenance.
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Effects of an Aluminum Supplement on Nutrients and Minerals Studied
By KER Staff · December 6, 2003Studies in ruminants and ponies found that high levels of aluminum disrupted the use of calcium and phosphorus. On the other hand, one study found no adverse effects on macro- or micromineral digestibility and balance when small amounts of aluminum (less than 1500 parts per million) were ingested.
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Feeding After the Hammer Falls
By KER Staff · November 17, 2003Thousands of horses change hands annually at public auctions. While the most conscientious of buyers may flood the seller with innumerable questions regarding their most recent equine acquisition, many horses are shipped without feeding instructions. When they arrive at their destination, the horses are often placed immediately on the new owner's feeding schedule, which may be considerably different than the familiar one.
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Bran Mash: What’s it Really Good For?
By KER Staff · November 4, 2003Bran mashes remain a staple in the feeding regime of some horsemen and continue to be a traditional meal for horses recovering from sickness, for mares immediately following foaling, and for aged horses with dental problems. A bran mash is often the meal of choice for horses following an intense workout, especially for those that do not drink adequately during or after intense exercise and teeter on the brink of dehydration.
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Cutting Horse Feeds with Cereal Grains and Protein Supplements
By KER Staff · November 4, 2003Random blending of whole grains or protein supplements with commercially manufactured feeds can skew the nutritional balance of feeds and induce growth problems in young horses. The best way to ensure sound nutrition and thus favorable growth, performance, and production is to choose a fortified feed that best complements the nutritional profile of the intended forage and the proposed use of the horse.
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Out of Work: How to Let Your Horse Down in the Off-Season
By KER Staff · November 1, 2003Now you're planning to give your horse a well-earned rest. You know he'll enjoy a few months out of his stall, rolling in the grass and taking afternoon naps with his pasture buddies. You realize that you'll be modifying just about everything in your horse's day-to-day routine. How can you keep your horse healthy as he makes this change?
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Oxalates
By KER Staff · December 20, 2002The importance of calcium in the diet of horses and ponies is crucial. When coupled with phosphorus, the two minerals compose up to 70% of the total mineral content in the body. Calcium is necessary for skeletal, cardiac, and smooth muscle function, nerve conduction, and a host of other metabolic reactions.
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Why Horse Supplements?
By KER Staff · November 10, 2002Do not choose supplements on price alone, but look for economical products that meet actual needs. A concentrated, low inclusion product will be more expensive than one in which the dose is larger. Look at the weight of the pack and the dosage amount, not the size of the bucket.
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Supplements to Help the Endurance Horse
By KER Staff · November 10, 2002Keeping an endurance horse fit and healthy involves more than just putting in a large number of miles on trails. The work required of these horses is quite different than that of any other equine athlete. The challenge is to provide the correct combination of nutrients that will support the special needs of these athletes during both training and competition.
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Nutrition for Horses on Stall Rest
By KER Staff · November 3, 2002Horses recovering from colic, surgery, high fever, or colitis can present many challenges for their owners, but one that is frequently overlooked is how to feed horses through the illnesses. While countless researchers have devoted years of study to determine the proper nutritional balance for horses of different ages and workloads, little has been done to outline proper nutrition for the sick adult horse.
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Equine Arthritis, A Pain in the Joint
By KER Staff · November 2, 2002Acute arthritis can be caused by injury or by bacterial or viral infection. Chronic arthritis is often osteoarthritis that results from the cumulative effects of day-to-day activity and stress. Old injuries, joint infections, and years of training and performance can all lead to the development of joint pain and stiffness. Poor conformation, hoof deformities, and problems with trimming or shoeing are other contributing factors. Probably there is some genetic influence also.
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Preparing Young Horses for Sales
By KER Staff · November 2, 2002The polished weanlings and yearlings and the athletic two-year-olds that grace the sales rings throughout the world today are slightly different from the horses that went before them. Technology and research have combined to provide consignors and buyers with a slightly different opinion of what constitutes good health.
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Head Shaking May Have a Variety of Causes
By KER Staff · October 29, 2002Have an equine dentist do a thorough oral exam to make sure the teeth do not have sharp points or edges that are irritated by the pressure or position of the bit. In young horses, the shallow-rooted wolf teeth sometimes interfere with the bit and can easily be removed by a dentist or veterinarian.
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Is My Horse the Right Size?
By KER Staff · October 29, 2002How can a rider decide what size equine is right? To answer this question, it is necessary to consider several factors about both the rider and the horse.
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Equine Nutritionist Q&A: Water Consumption in Endurance Horses
By KER Staff · October 29, 2002<p> How can I get my endurance horse to consume more water while on the trail?</p>
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Equine Nutritionist Q&A: Adding Fat
By KER Staff · October 27, 2002<p> What are the benefits of adding fat to the diet of a performance horse?</p>
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Q&A: Training Endurance Horses
By KER Staff · October 27, 2002<p> How are endurance horses trained to compete in 100-mile races?</p>
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Warmbloods: Same Feeding Plan as other Horses?
By KER Staff · January 10, 2002Feeding well-balanced rations and attending to nutrition-related idiosyncrasies of warmbloods are the first steps in producing and maintaining sound athletes. The primary nutritional goal of managing young warmbloods should be ensuring slow, steady growth and reducing the risk of developmental orthopedic disease.
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Yeast Supplementation used in Horse Diets
By KER Staff · January 10, 2002In an effort to determine the effect of yeast on digestion in horses, researchers in France carried out a study to look at the influence of feeding a preparation of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, a strain of yeast, on microbial profiles and fermentation patterns in the large intestine of horses fed a high fiber or a high starch diet.
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Determining Work Intensity
By KER Staff · January 10, 2002Optimal nutrition of the performance horse hinges foremost on the exercise it performs. Just as the diet of a human bodybuilder is dissimilar to that of a marathon runner, horses are fed with performance goals in mind.
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Super Fibers
By KER Staff · January 10, 2002Forage is chock full of fiber, a dietary component that is subjected to microbial fermentation in the cecum and colon of the horse. This fermentative process produces volatile fatty acids, important sources of energy for horses fed high-forage diets. Fiber can supply a horse with 30-70% of its digestible energy requirements.
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Taking Care of the Senior Horse
By KER Staff · November 1, 2000As we become more aware of the problems facing geriatric horses, they have a much better chance at surviving into their golden years than they would have had 100 years ago. Strong emotional ties can motivate many owners to be observant of their beloved beasts and to take the extra steps it requires to maintain them in health and comfort.
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Preparing the Halter Horse
By KER Staff · November 17, 1999There are many additional "tricks of the trade" that can be applied to help the halter horse reach his optimum potential, but the successful basics remain the same. It is essential for halter horses to be on a properly balanced diet. Exercise must be carefully designed for each individual animal to avoid potential injury and build the valuable muscle tone that can make a difference between winning and being just another horse in the class.
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Vitamin E and the Performance Horse
By KER Staff · November 10, 1999Vitamin E is a non-toxic, fat soluble vitamin which has an important role in many physiological functions such as reproduction, immune response and nerve and muscle function. It also has overlapping yet independent roles with selenium, an essential trace mineral.
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Equine Nutritionist Q&A: Spring Training
By KER Staff · October 27, 1999<p> Are there any nutritional considerations that will make spring conditioning more efficient and/or get better results?</p>
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Equine Nutritionist Q&A: Feeding Horses while Traveling
By KER Staff · October 27, 1999<p> Can you feed your horses on the trailier, and when traveling, how often should you stop to water and exercise your horse?</p>
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