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Create an attitude for success with cool non grain feeds that are low in sugar and starch Avoid "fizzy" or "hot" behaviour through improved temperament and concentration.
Horses that are stressed, excitable or nervous can be difficult and even dangerous to ride and handle. But what causes a horse to be fizzy? or hot? and are calmative products really the answer for excitable equines? Various factors can contribute to excitability in horses. Diets high in sugar and starch (NSC) - found in some pastures, feeds and cereal grains - have been linked with excitability in horses. Overfeeding and under working is one of the main causes of hot behaviour. Read More
Cushing's is a disease of the endocrine system. It occurs in horses, dogs and humans and is caused by an abnormal growth of the pituitary gland, which is located at the base of the brain. This causes the adrenal gland to produce excessive amounts of the stress hormone cortisol. Cortisol is required to regulate blood pressure and cardiovascular function as well as control the body's use of proteins, carbohydrates, and fats. The continuous and excessive production of cortisol is harmful. Cushing's Syndrome was considered a disease associated with old age and appears in mainly geriatric and senile horses. However it is now appearing in teenage horses and ponies. Read More
All feeds contain carbohydrates. Carbohydrates include the fibre, and sugars and starch. The fibres are the structural carbohydrates that hold the plant up. These fibres are both digestible and indigestible. Look at your horses manure. Take some and wash it in a bucket. What you see is the indigestible fibre from the feed. Horses manure is drier than cattle because they do not digest fibre as well as cattle, and because they absorb more water from the hindgut. The sugars and starch in plants are called the NON STRUCTURAL CARBOHYDRATES or NSC. The NSC in feeds is the same as the Glycaemic Index (GI) in foods for humans. Why is NSC important? Read More
Big Head is a common problem in horses when they do not receive enough dietary calcium, and the horse mobilises calcium from the bone to keep blood calcium levels "normal". The calcium in the bone is replaced with fibrous tissue, causing the classic "Big Head" and often shifting lameness. Read more to find out Dietary causes, Myths and prevention. Read More
