While we have become increasingly aware of the special needs of horses with sensitivities to starch and sugar, there remains a large population of our performance horses that can benefit from moderate inclusion of NSC (non-structural carbohydrates: starch and sugar) in the diet. Non-structural carbohydrates are found in varying amounts in all feed ingredients, with the exception of ingredients that are solely comprised of fat. The largest source of NSC in most horses’ diets is forage. Hay and pasture particularly can be very high in sugars depending on the variety and growing conditions.

At Tryon 2018 FEI World Equestrian Games - Hurricane Florence continues to challenge riders and organizers at the FEI World Equestrian Games 2018 (WEG) in Mill Spring, North Carolina. The extreme weather has played havoc with the 13-day event at the Tryon International Equestrian Center (TIEC) since it got underway on September 11.

Horses, Hurricanes, and World-Class Competition - As organizers and competitors stared down the threat of Hurricane Florence, the prestigious FEI World Equestrian Games 2018 (WEG) got underway on September 11. The WEG is held every four years in the middle of the Olympic cycle and is the go-to event on the global equestrian sporting calendar. This year, it is being hosted at the Tryon International Equestrian Center (TIEC) in Mill Spring, North Carolina, and the schedule includes the disciplines of jumping, dressage, para-equestrian dressage, eventing, driving, endurance, vaulting, and reining. Also featured are equestrian-focused demonstrations, exhibitions, and the inaugural annual World Equine Expo™ all showcased in the 13-day event ending September 23.

Topline is the term used to describe the muscle coverage over the top of the horse’s neck, withers, back, loin, and croup. Because topline is muscle, a horse with a good topline will be stronger and more athletic, and will present a more pleasing appearance. What should we feed to develop the perfect topline? First we must understand that the shape of the back can vary greatly from one individual to another, and so the topline will vary in length and in curvature, with some relationship between the two. Horses with toplines that are sunken in over their withers, concave along the back and loin, or dished in around their hip bones and hindquarters will have diminished strength in those areas.

In recent years, the popularity of hemp as a feed supplement for horses has been growing remarkably. Although it belongs to the cannabis family, hemp is most commonly known as an industrial plant for textiles, rope, clothes, paper, plastics, biofuels, animal bedding, and sail canvases. Its seeds, oil, and leaves are all food and feed options, and hemp has found its way into the equine industry as an excellent nutritional supplement.