Move over, alfalfa. There’s a new legume in town — and it’s not just another pretty pink flower. Sainfoin hay (Onobrychis viciifolia) is making a comeback in equine nutrition for good reason. Once called “holy hay” by 16th-century horsemen, sainfoin was prized for its digestibility, palatability, and health-promoting properties long before bagged feeds and synthetic … Read more
Horses aren’t designed to digest fat the way humans or dogs are. Their entire digestive system evolved on a trickle of coarse, low-fat forage, not a daily dose of liquid oil. Yet somehow, throwing vegetable oil into a feed bucket has become mainstream advice—for weight gain, for coat shine, or for “energy.” Horses Can’t Digest … Read more
Horses are hindgut fermenters, they are built to chew on mature, fibrous grasses for 18+ hours a day. This grass feeds the gut microbes that power everything from energy production to immune function. Grass hays fall into two main types: cool-season and warm-season. Cool-season grasses — like timothy, orchardgrass, ryegrass, fescue, and meadow grass — … Read more
Alfalfa is one of the most debated forages in the horse world — and for good reason. While it can support muscle, milk, and growth, it’s also been linked to laminitis, hoof sensitivity, kidney stress, and behavioral reactivity in sensitive horses. This guide will walk you through the nutritional science, risks, benefits, and best practices … Read more
What Is An “Easy Keeper”? Easy keepers are horses that maintain or gain weight easily—sometimes too easily. While that may sound like a blessing, it can be a real challenge to keep these horses healthy without overfeeding them. Improper feeding can lead to obesity, insulin resistance, laminitis, and other metabolic problems. Research shows that up … Read more
We have all had that horse that makes you feel that no matter how much it eats, it doesn’t seem to put on any weight. Let me help you with the most important things every horse owner should know when having a hard keeper. What Is a Hard Keeper? A “hard keeper,” also called a … Read more
What Are Ration Balancers? A ration balancer is a highly concentrated, protein-rich vitamin and mineral supplement in pelleted form, designed to balance forage-based diets—not provide extra calories. Let’s be clear: A ration balancer is not a complete feed. It’s not a performance feed. And it’s definitely not meant to be fed free-choice or by the … Read more
Analyzing your horse’s forage is one of the smartest things you can do to improve their nutrition and add or avoid adding supplements. Here’s a reliable, step-by-step breakdown. Why Analyze Hay? Even if it “looks nice” Horses are designed to live on forage. Hay and pasture should make up the bulk of your horse’s diet … Read more
If you’ve ever owned or cared for a horse, chances are you’ve heard about beet pulp. Maybe a barn mate swears by it, or you’ve seen all the buzz online. But is it actually worth feeding? And more importantly—is it right for your horse? Over the years, I’ve worked with a wide range of horses: … Read more
I’ve spent years caring for horses with stiff joints or those just starting to feel their age. The benefits of Omega-3 fatty acids for equine joint health are more than just hype— Research has demonstrated that Omega-3 fatty acids can reduce inflammation markers in arthritic horses, supporting their role in joint health (Manhart et al., … Read more