Feed & Nutrition

Bellyaches, Blockages, & Bloating in Horses: Colic Causes & Recovery

Chances are very good that anyone who keeps horses for several years will encounter colic at some time. Mild episodes may resolve on their own before a veterinarian can arrive and more serious equine abdominal discomfort can often be managed with medication.

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Do you know the first signs your horse’s digestive system is in danger? Diarrhea, upset stomach, or the worst scenario — colic — can all be caused by changing from one type of forage to another too quickly. Whether it is moving barns, moving to a new batch of hay from the supplier, or switching from a lush, moist, grassy paddock to a dry sandy sacrifice paddock and dry hay, the importance of switching forages slowly cannot be overstated. An adaptation period of 10 to 14 days to transition new feeds into your horse’s diet is recommended.

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Fat from any source will make your horse shiny. A fatty substance called sebum, secreted from the sebaceous glands in your horse’s skin, increases when the diet is higher in fat. It coats the hair, making it reflect the sun’s rays. Any fat will do; the type of dietary fat doesn’t matter when it comes to making the hair coat shine – but it sure does matter when it comes to your horse’s health.

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Why Are Feeding Guidelines So Important? You may have heard of the National Research Council (NRC) and the Nutrient Requirements of Horses - but what are they and why do they matter?

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Each season brings with it certain needs for equine care, and an annual horse health care agenda can help with some of the planning as the months rapidly roll by. Horse owners are good at knowing the value of organizing and preparing ahead to help their horses stay healthy, and to budget for the more expensive seasonal needs ahead of time.

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Equine Guelph Health Flash - Coronavirus (COVID-19) - The situation that we are currently facing world-wide not only impacts people but also our horses (and other animals) in our care.

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How old is a senior horse? The answer is different for each equine. Some horses seem old and feeble at age 15; others are still going strong well into their 20s. As with human beings, many things, including health history, use, care, conformation, and genetic factors, can influence the condition and overall well-being of aged horses.

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How do we see our industry? How would equine industry members describe the welfare status of Canadian horses? Which horses do they believe are the most at risk? And what do they believe threatens horse welfare?

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Equine laminitis has been with us for a long, long time. Fortunately, in the last 10 to 20 years there have been great strides in understanding the causes of this terrible condition. Laminitis is now regarded as a syndrome that occurs secondary to something else, rather than a discreet disease all in itself. This has allowed much more focused research and effort in treating the cause rather than treating just the symptoms that occur in the hoof. It doesn’t matter how great the trim is, or what shoes are used, or how deep the bedding. If initiating causes such as EMS (Equine Metabolic Syndrome – see Equine Metabolic Syndrome & Equine Cushing’s Disease, Early Summer 2018 issue of Canadian Horse Journal) or PPID (Cushing’s disorder) are not addressed, the laminitis and the pain will continue.

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Horse owners in Canada know that opportunities for finding the perfect feed for their horse have probably never been better. Canadian horse owners have a multitude of feed manufacturers utilizing superior nutritional expertise to formulate an array of feeds designed to meet just about every equine need. With our increasing comfort using the internet and social media, all we need to do is sit down at the computer to find a feed that appears to best meet the needs of our horses.

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