Vitamin K is one of the fat-soluble vitamins, meaning it can be stored up in the body. The main function of this vitamin is for blood clotting to occur, which we all know is critical to our accident-prone horses! Why is vitamin K important in horses? Vitamin K not only Read more…
Fibre sources such as hay, haylage and grass are vital for a healthy digestive system and should always form the majority of the diet. Fibre also provides the horse with excellent levels of slow release energy and a good source of calories and heat as it is fermented in the Read more…
Vitamin A can be toxic because excesses will accumulate in the liver. Toxicity includes bone fragility; developmental orthopedic disease in growing horses; areas of abnormal bone growth; itching, peeling skin and birth defects. Symptoms of bone disease include swelling, pain and fractures. Can a horse overdose on vitamin A? Vitamin Read more…
Horses with malabsorption due to a disease process or after small-bowel resection must be fed a diet that optimizes digestion of feeds in the large intestine. The diet should provide easily absorbed protein, carbohydrates, fat, and water-soluble vitamins and maintain mineral balance. What is the best treatment for malabsorption? To Read more…
Generally speaking the best thing to promote good gut health for horses is a high fibre, low starch diet. You could also add yeast which has been shown to improve fibre digestion and/or prebiotics which are substances that aid the microbial population living in the gut. How do I know Read more…
They need fiber. Fiber keeps things moving in the digestive tract. Horses that are lacking in fiber may eat dirt, chew on rails, or strip bark from trees. Ensure that your horse is getting enough roughage in his diet to keep things moving along and prevent colic. What does it Read more…
Diarrhea, weight loss, abdominal pain, and protein loss are common signs of intestinal disorders in horses. These signs can be caused by many different disorders, including infectious diseases, parasites, inflammation, tumors, reactions to poisons or drugs, stress, changes in diet, and certain types of colic. What are the common digestive Read more…
Horses only possess one stomach chamber, mean their manure has been less processed. For gardeners, this can mean that the manure is too strong, and can be full of viable weed seeds. Can you put horse manure straight on the garden? Horse manure can also be used in throughout the Read more…
Tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, aubergines, root vegetables, and “mid-season” veggies are examples of plants that don’t like horse manure. What veg should you not manure? Mainly the root vegetables such as radish, carrot, beetroot, and potato. It can burn and damage your crops. But, this is not the case for composted Read more…
Overview of equestrian activities They are also used in competitive sports including dressage, endurance riding, eventing, reining, show jumping, tent pegging, vaulting, polo, horse racing, driving, and rodeo (see additional equestrian sports listed later in this article for more examples). What activities can you do with a horse? Things You Read more…