Raising a healthy foal involves working closely with your veterinarian and equine nutritionist to make sure they are maintaining proper growth and development. Foals grow quickly in the first few mont...
Performance horses have higher energy and protein requirements than horses at maintenance (not exercising). Formulating diets to meet the requirements of horses in work should take into account their ...
Carbohydrates for Horses Nutrition Fibre Non-Structural Carbohydrates Sources Carbohydrates are the main energy source in an equine diet. These macronutrients are naturally abundant in forages, grains...
Adding fats and oils to your horse’s diet is a great way to increase calorie supply without relying on grains and high-NSC feeds. Fats can be added to the diets of underweight horses as weight gain ...
Magnesium supplements for horses come in many forms and are used to support muscle function and calming. This important macromineral is required in the equine diet to facilitate muscle contraction, ma...
Mad Barn’s equine nutrition modelling project at the University of Guelph is underway after being awarded several research grants to match our initial investment. Currently, there are large gaps in ...
Aloe vera (Aloe barbadensis) is a medicinal plant that is frequently used to soothe skin irritations. The gel of the inner leaf is also commonly fed to reduce or prevent gastric irritations and ulcers...
Up to 90% of horses treated for gastric ulcers with omeprazole can experience a recurrence of ulcers when they stop taking this drug. Horses can develop rebound acid hypersecretion (RAHS) after the di...
Iodine is an essential trace mineral required by horses and all mammals. It is used to make thyroid hormones that control metabolism in all cells of the body. Forages and grains are typically low in i...
In the last year, over six thousand horse owners from all over North America used Mad Barn to analyze their horses’ diets. We looked at diets for weanlings, broodmares, pasture […]...
Camelina oil is commonly fed to horses as an omega-3 fatty acid supplement. It is used to support weight gain, joint health, coat quality and general well-being. Camelina oil is extracted from the see...
While line disease is a hoof condition that can lead to pain and lameness. This condition affects the equine hoof wall in one or more hooves at a time. White line disease originates as a separation be...
Hyperkalemic periodic paralysis (HYPP) is a genetic condition in horses that affects how their muscles function and respond to signals from the nervous system. These horses have high levels of potassi...
Equine polysaccharide storage myopathy (PSSM or EPSM) is a genetic condition in horses that affects how muscle cells partition, generate, and store energy. This can lead to exercise intolerance, stiff...
Tying-up in horses is a colloquial term for Exertional Rhabdomyolysis, a condition involving exercise-related muscle cramping and damage. Some horses experience a single episode of tying up whereas ot...
Scott Cieslar of Mad Barn recently appeared on the Canada Horse Podcast by Informed Equestrian to discuss the ins and outs of equine nutrition. Scott chatted with hosts Nikki and Nadine about the hors...