Nutrition

On the eve of the big equestrian festivals, make plans to strengthen and maintain your horse’s gastrointestinal health. Winter is in the air, and soon the “snowbirds” of the hunter/jumper and dressage worlds will be flocking south to Florida for the prestigious WEF and AGDF. That means three months of nonstop, high-caliber competition: a lot of fun, but also a lot of potential stress for your horse.

How conditions during conception and pregnancy can influence your foal.

Researchers discovered that providing horses with frequent meals—a task that can be aided by automatic feeders—can help reduce the occurrence of gastric ulcers.

The latest research has shown that a high-energy diet could increase a foal's chances of developing a developmental joint disease.

The art of feeding performance horses comes in finding the best combination of dietary energy sources to meet a horse’s individual nutrition needs.

Demystify that bale of hay to make sure your horse is getting the nutrition he needs.

Determine how to keep your horse's electrolytes in balance to maintain his well-being and maximize his performance.

Getting fit may improve your horse's digestion so he gets more energy and nutrients from his food.

A reader asks if it's safe for her horse to drink beer.

Determining whether your horse is getting the right nutrients doesn't need to be complicated.

Learn about the equine digestive system to make the best choices in what and how to feed your horse.

Readers divulge which goodies bring their horses running.

Experts and riders share their best treatments to get a horse back to work in this excerpt of Chapter 5 from the book Back to Work.

Grain and forage meet your horse's energy needs by supplying a variety of carbohydrates. Understanding how your horse processes and puts them to use can help you make smart feed choices.

Whether you need to know how much dewormer to give your horse or how much you should feed him, knowing how to estimate his weight in pounds is helpful. Use Practical Horseman's handy online weight calculator to do the math for you.

Wrap up a holiday barn party that includes horseback caroling with yummy, warming eats for both humans and horses. By Melissa Marshall exclusively for Practical Horseman magazine and EquiSearch.

You can determine whether your horse is too fat, too thin, or just right using these weight guidelines from Dane Frazier, DVM, a past president of the American Endurance Ride Conference. Produced for Practical Horseman magazine.

Your horse will love this winter treat, a top groom's recipe for a flaxseed mash that simmers all day in a slow cooker and warms him from the inside out. By Lori Green and the editors of Practical Horseman magazine.

Advice on hot-weather electrolyte use. Written by equine veterinarian and endurance-ride competitor Jeannie Waldron for Practical Horseman magazine.

What causes choke, and what can I do to prevent it? By Bob Brusie, DVM for Practical Horseman magazine.