There are, however, many other types of mineral blocks that are made for cattle that are not suitable for horses (e.g., medicated, protein, phosphorus, or sulfur blocks, to name a few). What does a sulfur block do for horses? This special block contains 3% sulfur, which is a key element Read more…
Despite its scarcity in a horse’s natural diet of forage, fat has proven to be a useful additive in equine rations for two primary reasons: to bump up energy and to boost coat condition. What does high fat do for horses? High-fat diets enable horses in intense situations, such as Read more…
Honey can be substituted for molasses. Directions: Preheat oven to 300-325 degrees. What can I substitute instead of molasses? Honey. Generally speaking, honey is very sweet, floral in flavor, and golden in color. Sorghum. Sorghum is sometimes known as sorghum molasses, which tells you how similar these syrups are. Maple Read more…
Horses should not be offered raw soybeans because they contain a specific enzyme that acts as a trypsin inhibitor; trypsin is an important enzyme involved in the digestion of many proteins. Once soybeans are roasted or processed for meal, the inhibitor is denatured and does no harm, according to Crandell. Read more…
Horses are VERY food motivated animals, since they are designed to be seeking food the majority of their lives, it’s pretty much ALWAYS on their minds; think horse grazing/searching for grass 17 +/- hours a day. This makes food a powerful motivator and a fantastic “paycheck”/reward during training. Are horses Read more…
Due to the presence of pesticides on grapes, you should always wash the grapes before giving them to your horse. While you can feed them the stems and all, the grapes are typically easy to remove and much tastier without the woody bits! Why can’t horses eat grapes? You can Read more…
Equally toxic are cherry (black cherry, chokecherry, and fire cherry) peach and plum trees, all members of the Prunus species. These leaves also produce cyanide when wilted, affecting horses within a few hours of ingestion. What happens if a horse eats a plum pit? While they can eat the fleshy Read more…
Most cases of hyperthyroidism in horses are caused by tumors of the thyroid gland (1–4). However, adenomas and hyperplasia are not uncommon in older horses and most thyroid tumors in the horse do not cause alterations in serum thyroid hormone levels (4). What is the main cause of hyperthyroidism? Graves Read more…
Crimped oats are made by taking whole oats and partially flattening them, damaging the husk and making them slightly easier for horses to consume. Rolled oats have been completely flattened and are considered easier for horses to eat. Are steamed crimped oats good for horses? Crimped oats are high in Read more…
Hawthorns are great non-toxic plants for horses, and the berries and leaves are often used in some equine health supplements due to its circulation boosting properties. This makes them perfect hedgerow plants for horses. Is Hawthorne good for horses? Hawthorn berries feed supplements for horses are a good digestive aid. Read more…