The Equine Connection Podcast

The Truth About Bran Mash for Horses

In days gone by, it was not uncommon to warm up some water and mix it with some bran to make a nice, warm mash for your horse. Many believed it helped warm their horses during a cold winter's night. Others believed a bran mash had a nice laxative effect and aided their horse's digestion. In this week's podcast, we highlight why feeding bran or making a bran mash may not be such a good idea for your horse. We highlight what exactly bran is, what nutrients it has and why it may be a bad idea, even as a treat. We offer other alternatives that are better and healthier treats for your horse and how you can help them better during those cold winter nights. 

You can learn more about these topics by visiting our expertise page HERE

If you have any questions or concerns about your own horse, please contact us HERE

This podcast was brought to you by Tribute Superior Equine Nutrition

Feeding the Broodmare

This week we focus on the broodmare and discuss why she requires special care and attention. Broodmares are especially interesting because they go through so many tremendous changes through gestation and then immediately following parturition. During gestation, broodmares require careful management as they provide critical nutrients to the foal.

We specially focus on why owners need to be careful on what they are feeding as it has major implications on offspring wellbeing. Then once she has given birth, her nutritional demands dramatically increase as she shifts to lactation. Therefore, we discuss feeding strategies on how to help her through post pregnancy and support her as she provides important milk for her foal. Finally, as the goal for most broodmare operations is to get the mare rebred and pregnant for the following year, we highlight some important considerations for owners to consider. 

You can learn more about these topics by visiting our expertise page HERE

If you have any questions or concerns about your own horse, please contact us HERE

This podcast was brought to you by Tribute Superior Equine Nutrition

Is Your Horse Experiencing Hay Belly?

You may have heard the term "hay belly" used to describe a horse that looks obese, but isn't. Many do not quite know what hay belly really is. Thus, in this week's podcast we talk about hay belly and tell you exactly what this condition is and how to identify it. We then go on to describe which types of horses may be prone to experiencing hay belly and what the underlying causes are. Prevention is the best cure, so we give some tips on how to avoid this condition. We then finish off the podcast giving advice on how to alleviate hay belly if your horse is experiencing it. 

You can learn more about these topics by visiting our expertise page HERE

If you have any questions or concerns about your own horse, please contact us HERE

This podcast was brought to you by Tribute Superior Equine Nutrition

Feeding Alfalfa to Your Horse

As a legume, alfalfa is a unique forage and is the primary choice for many horse owners. Because the foundation for any horse diet will always be forage, this week we focus on alfalfa and why or why not it would be a good choice for your horse. We start off discussing how alfalfa as a legume differs from many of our grass forages. We especially focus on which nutrients differ and what owners should be aware of, especially when it comes to the quality of alfalfa hay. Under certain circumstances alfalfa may not be advisable to certain classes of horses. Thus, we give some advice and tips on how to manage these animals. We then shift our focus on why owners may want to select alfalfa for their horses and what makes it such a popular forage. 

You can learn more about these topics by visiting our expertise page HERE

If you have any questions or concerns about your own horse, please contact us HERE

This podcast was brought to you by Tribute Superior Equine Nutrition

Calorie Requirements During Winter

As many in North America are experiencing cold weather, we go into some tips on how to assist your horse in their changing nutritional needs. We jump right in and start talking calories and why it's important to be aware of them in your horse's diet. This is especially true as the seasons change and the weather challenges a horse's ability to maintain body condition and thermoregulate. We also share a story of how one horse actually gained condition and muscling when their calories were decreased in the diet. We finally give some tips on which horse feeds you should choose in the winter to help your horses thrive. We also want to thank you for following and sharing these episodes with your fellow equine enthusiasts. 

You can learn more about feeding tips for your horses during the winter by going HERE

If you have any questions or concerns about your horse, please contact us HERE

This podcast was brought to you by Tribute Superior Equine Nutrition

Feeding Your Underweight Horse

While many horses are considered overweight and are considered easy keepers, often owners will have horses that are difficult to maintain weight and are considered hard keepers. We provide a brief review of the Henneke Body Condition Scoring System and also discuss the Tribute Wellness System. Together, they can be used to evaluate how well your horses are doing with their diets. We discuss what could be considered an underweight horse and what nutrients these horses may be lacking in the diet. Then our focus switched to just how to feed an underweight horse to bring them back into a proper body condition. Like any diet evaluation, this starts with a horse’s forage portion of the diet. High quality forage is always important for any horse. Then when evaluating the concentrate portion of the diet, we discuss many important considerations for horse owners. Throughout the podcast we give tips and advice on how best to manage the diet of these "hard keepers". Finally, it is worth for extreme cases with horses that are in a very low body condition (BCS 1-2); these animals will need a special refeeding program. In these instances we urge you to seek advice from your veterinarian and you can also reach out to us for help. 

You can access the Tribute Wellness System HERE

While many horses are considered overweight and are considered easy keepers, often owners will have horses that are difficult to maintain weight and are considered hard keepers. We provide a brief review of the Henneke Body Condition Scoring System and also discuss the Tribute Wellness System. Together, they can be used to evaluate how well your horses are doing with their diets. We discuss what could be considered an underweight horse and what nutrients these horses may be lacking in the diet. Then our focus switched to just how to feed an underweight horse to bring them back into a proper body condition. Like any diet evaluation, this starts with a horse’s forage portion of the diet. High quality forage is always important for any horse. Then when evaluating the concentrate portion of the diet, we discuss many important considerations for horse owners. Throughout the podcast we give tips and advice on how best to manage the diet of these "hard keepers". Finally, it is worth for extreme cases with horses that are in a very low body condition (BCS 1-2); these animals will need a special refeeding program. In these instances we urge you to seek advice from your veterinarian and you can also reach out to us for help. 

You can access the Tribute Wellness System HERE

You can learn more about these topics by visiting our expertise page HERE

If you have any questions or concerns about your own horse, please contact us HERE

This podcast was brought to you by Tribute Superior Equine Nutrition

Feeding Your Senior Horse in Winter

With winter coming, it would be worth your while to review your nutrition plan for your senior horses. Generally, a senior horse is one that is older than 15 years old. However, there are many factors that can influence what we could consider a "senior horse," which we discuss. We also talk about why winter can be a tougher time for older horses when compared to our younger stock. With winter and the environmental stress associated with it, we focus in on how an older horse's dietary requirements might change. Then we give some generalities on what changes you can make to your nutritional plan to support your horses. Finally, we give some broad general tips on how to ensure you can best support your senior horses and ensure they stay healthy and happy. 

You can learn more about these topics by visiting our expertise page HERE

If you have any questions or concerns about your own horse, please contact us HERE

This podcast was brought to you by Tribute Superior Equine Nutrition

Why Feed Beet Pulp

Beet pulp is a common feedstuff fed to horses. It is often included in horse feeds and commonly supplemented by horse owners. However, it is when it is added to your horse's diet that there should be some caution. In this week's podcast, we explain why beet pulp is a good food source for horses. We talk about how it is a highly digestible fiber source, making it a great ingredient for horse feeds. We then talk about some issues owners may have when feeding beet pulp, or especially, when feeding too much. Included are some tips on how best to feed beet pulp and what to watch out for. 

Please take this quick survey as mentioned in last week's podcast ===> HERE<===

You can learn more about these topics by visiting our expertise page HERE

If you have any questions or concerns about your own horse, please contact us HERE

This podcast was brought to you by Tribute Superior Equine Nutrition

Managing Your Horse at a New Facility

Moving your horse to a new facility can be an exciting but challenging experience for both you and your horses. Whether it's a new boarding stable, a change of residence, or a temporary location for training or competition, transitioning to a new environment requires careful planning and consideration. In this week's podcast, we discuss some of the most critical aspects of managing your horse at a new facility, including how to transition their feed. This podcast highlights key things horse owners should be aware of when moving their horse to a new location.

Please take this quick survey as mentioned in this podcast ===> HERE<===

You can learn more about these topics by visiting our expertise page HERE.

If you have any questions or concerns about your own horse, please contact us HERE.

This podcast was brought to you by Tribute Superior Equine Nutrition.

Designing a Horse Feeding Plan

We have often highlighted that it is important for every owner to formulate a feeding plan for their horses. In this week's podcast, we are joined with a Tribute Equine Specialist, Sarah Ranker, who talks with us about the importance of having a feeding plan for your horse. Sarah spends much of her time speaking to horse owners about what they are feeding their horses and she helps them formulate the ideal diet. Sarah shares with us much of what goes into the thought process of creating a feeding plan and how she and other equine nutritionists can help you. As we mention in the podcast, if you have any questions or concerns about your own horse, please contact us at tributeequinenutrition.com.

You can learn more about these topics by visiting our expertise page HERE

This podcast was brought to you by Tribute Superior Equine Nutrition