Led by industry-leading science and penned by our expert nutritionists and technicians, our nutritional articles strive to address the many equine health issues and challenges that exist. Explore for tips and advice alongside tailored equine supplements and feed solutions to support the best health and performance.
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Having put huge efforts into selecting horses for the sales, it is vital they are in optimum condition with great topline and coat shine to ensure they look their absolute best and stand out in the sales ring.
Correct nutrition is essential to maintain bone health in horses – particularly during skeletal growth and development. Consequently, a foal’s diet should be continually assessed and managed from in-utero development right through to training.
A foal’s early days can potentially shape its future health and performance for the rest of its life, so getting it right will pay dividends forever.
Exercise induced pulmonary haemorrhage is a condition of the lungs that can be found in horses undertaking high-intensity exercise. It is thought to affect up to 95% of racehorses, based on the detection of blood on endoscopy post-exercise.
Diarrhoea is commonly seen in foals and can range from being relatively harmless to fatal. Knowing when and how to intervene can make all the difference.
Colic is a relatively common condition in horses, with studies showing that 4-10% of horses are diagnosed with colic every year.1 However, it is important to be aware that some types of colic are more serious than others.
The needs of horses change over time and older horses often need extra care. Nutritional supplements can be one way to improve the overall performance and quality of life for the ageing horse.
Good hoof health is essential to the overall well-being of a horse. Hooves can be influenced by genetics, breed, weight, diseases, exercise, ground conditions, weather, and diet, and these factors should be continually assessed and managed to ensure optimum hoof quality is maintained.
Colostrum or “first milk” is the thick, yellow secretion from the mammary gland.
Two best-selling FORAN EQUINE supplements for transitioning smoothly to Spring.
Horse coughing can be harmless but sometimes it may be the first sign of serious trouble.
It is that time of year again, the summer is coming to an end and the yearling sales are fast approaching.
“No foot, no horse” – make sure this does not apply to your horses, get advice on caring for your horses hooves.
Hoof health can be affected by several different factors. Genetic influences, breed, weight, diseases, exercise, ground conditions and weather can all have negative influences on the horse’s feet.
A pre-season diet for horses should be part of the equine prep for summer competitions.
Mud fever treatment for horses is a challenge for owners, although this winter has been wet and mild.This winter has been one of the warmest and wettest recorded and rain scald and mud fever are particularly prevalent during wet weather.
Older horses may need some extra TLC during the winter months.
Preparing horses for winter is essential as the evenings are getting darker and with it the temperature decreasing.
On the day of an event, you want to see the culmination of all the training and preparation come to fruition at the perfect moment.
Perhaps one of the most important periods for sustained performance is during recovery from exertion.
Achieving top performance is all about balance. Every decision has its pros and cons, and it’s only when you find the sweet spot between them that you fly.
Muscle is the foundation of performance, powering all the competitive activity that we ask of equine athletes.
For years scientists have attempted to discover the causes of tying up in horses. One of the leading researchers in this field is Dr S Valberg.
The breeding stallion works hard throughout his reproductive life, starting early – some before they are even 3 years old – and, if successful, continuing well into his later years.
It is important to keep on top of shifting nutritional requirements as foals grow, develop, and become less reliant on their mother’s milk. The young equine gut also has to quickly adapt to utilising a solid diet and, being hind-gut fermenters, an increasing reliance on bacterial gut populations.
The key to successful breeding starts long before mating and it has been shown that nutrition plays a big role in the reproductive health of a broodmare. From broader aspects such as body condition, all the way down to specific macro and micronutrients, fertility is influenced by what is fed
Copper plays an essential role in the equine diet, particularly in youngstock.
Supplements can be a controversial topic on a racing yard, some trainers use copious amounts of products, while others use none.
We’ve had lots of great feedback on our Pre-Fuel and Refuel syringes, as well as some questions on how and when to use them.
When we think of copper we often think of industrial things like wires and pipes; we don’t really think about our horse’s diet.
The summer season is now getting into full swing whatever equestrian sport it is that you indulge in!
Hydrolysed protein contains pre-digested proteins, so they’re easier for the horse to absorb and use.
So, what makes for a healthy joint in a horse? You’d be hard pushed to find a horse owner that at one time or another hasn’t wondered how best to look after their horse’s joints.
The broodmare can provide all the foal’s nutritional requirements for growth, development and immune protection up to three months of life. Getting everything right for the mare and foal can be challenging
As a horse owner we are almost pre-conditioned to know that feeding an oil to our horses is a good idea, but when we delve into the reasons why, most come up short beyond the fact it is good for their coat.
When chosing a joint supplement, knowing your horse, researching and comparing supplement content and claims will serve horse owners well in making the best choice.
A recent article in a popular equestrian publication listed in excess of 20 different equine calmers available for horse owners to choose from.
We hear lots about vitamins and minerals when it comes to feeding our horses these days, they are an essential inclusion in any equine diet, but all the information out there can be a bit puzzling.
Sore shins, also referred to as bucked shins in some countries, is a condition which commonly occurs in horses in their two year old year of training.
Nutrition plays a very important role in hoof quality. Promoting hoof wall growth, integrity of the hoof tissues and maintaining structural integrity of the foot come from a well-balanced diet that meets the horse’s requirements for all nutrients. The horse’s feet are a sensitive indicator of overall nutrition.
Copper is one of the most important trace elements in the horse.
Horses lose ‘salts’ in their sweat. These salts, or as we should refer to them ‘electrolytes’, are essential minerals that function throughout the body in many physiological processes and, in particular, they enable muscle function.
Preparation is key to success when it comes to the foaling season, whether you have 1 mare to foal or 50, there are some basic elements that should be included in your foaling kit.
Studies show that 4-10% of horses are diagnosed with colic annually. However, some types of colic are more serious than others.
Following the coronavirus lockdown, the much-anticipated return of racing is now imminent, and some horses may need to be stepped up into harder/faster work quicker than normal.
Crib biting and chewing are undesirable behaviours which affect the horses health as it causes damage to teeth and increases risk of colic.
Vitamins are crucial for health and body function in the equine diet, with roles in performance, growth, reproduction, energy maintenance and immune system function.
Vices in horses are a regular occurrence as part of stable life. Understanding and managing them is vital for both a horse’s well-being as well as sale value.
All the information on horse supplements can be a little overwhelming, if you’re not sure what you’re looking at. With a better understanding of the obligatory and voluntary text on supplements you can ensure all your horses nutritional needs are looked after.
There are many different products on the market, some seem quite similar. I was recently asked about the difference between ground stabilized flax seed versus flaxseed oil.