Flourish Equine Nutrition

04/18/2025

May the Easter Bunny bring your horses oodles of carrots this Easter!

04/16/2025

I am super excited to be presenting at the mothers neigh festival! There is a great line up of speakers you won't want to miss.

Sign up today on the yeg equestrian: https://www.theyegequestrian.com/mothersneigh

04/09/2025

Did you know there are different types of ulcers under Equine Gastric Ulcer Syndrome (EGUS)?

Let’s break it down: the horse's stomach has 2 regions: the squamous and the glandular.

The squamous region is the upper part of the stomach and has no stomach acid. Ulcers here are influenced by several risk factors, including exercise duration, timing and amount of forage intake, and high-grain diets. From a nutrition standpoint, these ulcers can often be managed with dietary changes, along with veterinary intervention.

The glandular region is the lower part of the stomach, where stomach acid is present. Research on the risk factors for ulcers here is still limited, but stress and individual susceptibility are believed to play a key role. While diet changes can be supportive, these ulcers tend to be less affected by diet alone.

Scoping your horse with a veterinarian is a crucial step in determining the type of ulcers your horse has. From there, we can address the risk factors through dietary adjustments and other measures, alongside veterinary care.

Want to learn more about how nutrition can support your horse with ulcers? Let’s connect! 🐴

04/01/2025

As the grass starts slowly coming in, this is your spring reminder that for optimal pasture health, let that pasture grass grow.

And for optimal horse health, transition your horse slowly to spring pasture. Sudden diet changes increase your risk of gastro-intestinal distress, including colic.

Start with 15-30 minutes a day and increase grazing by 15-30 minutes each day over a 1-2 week period, until you've hit 5 hours.

If you have a metabolic or laminitis horse, it's best to avoid that spring grass all together due to the high sugar content

03/31/2025

Let’s talk sugars. 🌱

Hay and pasture can have highly variable sugar and starch content for many reasons, including species, time of day, and weather conditions. Understanding the sugar content through ESC and WSC values can be especially helpful for horses at risk.

ESC (Ethanol Soluble Carbohydrates) are simple sugars that are quickly digested and affect blood glucose and insulin levels. For horses with metabolic conditions like Insulin Dysregulation (ID) or PPID, ESC values are crucial, as they can cause blood glucose spikes.

Spring grasses can be particularly high in these sugars, which is why it’s often recommended that horses with metabolic conditions avoid fresh spring grasses.

WSC (Water Soluble Carbohydrates) includes both simple sugars and fructans. While fructans don’t impact blood glucose directly, they are still important to monitor. Fructans are digested in the hindgut by bacteria, and high levels can lead to lactic acid overproduction and endotoxemia—especially problematic for horses at risk or suffering from laminitis.

Spring grasses tend to be high in fructans too, which can be an issue for horses with laminitis or metabolic conditions.

Sugars + starch values are totalled to help us assess whether your hay is suitable for your horse. If your horse has metabolic issues or laminitis, let's connect to ensure you're on the right track for feeding success! 🐴💚

03/30/2025

I have a spot open for April!

If you've ever been curious about a consult, or had questions about your horses nutrition, let's chat. Sign up for my free discovery call and let's help your horse flourish.

www.calendly.com/flourishequinenutrition

03/17/2025

Let's talk about our feature service, The Dolly!

This 6 week tailored nutrition program is our most popular option and for good reason. Get your horse their own tailored nutrition program. 2 full hours to ask as many questions as you want, a welcome kit to keep up with your horses nutrition goals and long term support to with questions that come up.

So what are you waiting for? Sign up today for a free discovery call and let's talk about your horse.

03/14/2025

Feeding to fit the digestive anatomy of the horse is so key!

There are dozens of different conditions that can cause a horse to show signs of abdominal pain. Most (but not all) involve the digestive system, most often the stomach or intestines. Therefore, it stands to good reason that understanding the anatomy of your horse’s digestive system can help you become a better steward for your equine friend.

Fun fact: many people associate digestive health with stomach health. But did you know that the horse has the smallest stomach in relation to body size of all domestic animals? The stomach of the horse is also the smallest unit of the digestive tract, comprising less than 10% of the total volume of the horse’s digestive tract. By contrast, the hindgut is huge and plays a significant role in the horse’s digestive process by serving as the home of friendly bacteria that ferment fiber and turn it into energy.

Hindgut problems can produce obvious physical signs like loss of weight, poor condition, poor performance, diarrhea and colic. Some symptoms however can be less obvious, like poor temperament and training issues. The key to ensuring good digestive health is good management practices that include (but are not limited to) establishing a set daily routine; feeding a high-quality diet comprised primarily of high-quality roughage; avoid overloading the digestive tract with concentrate rations; providing clean, fresh water at all times; establishing a regular turnout and exercise routine; setting up a regular deworming and dental care program with your veterinarian; reducing stress and making any changes (to diet, housing and exercise) gradually.

Consult your veterinarian about how to maximize your horse’s digestive health. A healthy horse is a happy horse!

03/03/2025

Mark your calendars, I'll be at the Stony plain tack sale!

Pop by and talk everything nutrition with me, grab some goodies and maybe even book a consult for your horse.

I'm even bringing a special guest, Hush Botanix ! So not only can you come talk nutrition, come talk h**p.

Can't wait to see you there.

02/24/2025

H**p is a popular choice for those looking for a soy free protein supplement or a fat supplement. Research is ongoing on h**p and some of the potential benefits it may provide horses.

One of those potential benefits is in regards to it's omega 6 content, specifically, the fatty acid GLA. GLA is found in higher amounts in h**p and a few other plant species such as ahiflower. Newer research has been looking at the potential anti-inflammatory properties of GLA supplementation, with some promising results, including a 2023 study which showed GLA in synovial joint fluid.

However, h**p is still largely unregulated with little oversight into how companies are manufacturing and minimizing risks of cross contamination with cannabinoids.

If you want to feed h**p (especially if you are competing), I recommend connecting with the h**p companies to determine what manufacturing and testing protocols they have in place to minimize the risk of cross contamination.

Is h**p something you are feeding? Have questions? Let's connect!

**p

02/14/2025

Looking to spoil your horse this Valentine's day? Try out these cookies!

Recipe:
1/4 cup of your horses favourite fruit mashed (banana, apple, carrot are a few good options!)
1/4 cup oats
1 tablespoon unsweetened coconut shreds
1 tablespoon of chia or flax
1 tablespoon of water if dry

Mix all ingredients together and place on cookie sheet, roughly 1/2 inch thick. Bake at 350F for 20 minutes.

Trust me, your horse will love you. 🥰

02/07/2025

Finding good supplements can be hard enough for your horse, but a product claiming to treat, cure or heal an ailment your horse is suffering from is a big red flag. 🚩

Making these claims classifies the product as a drug under the CFIA and FDA. There is rigorous testing and manufacturing protocols for drugs, including safety and efficacy trials, that often times are not completed for these supplements. These products also require a drug identification number (DIN).

Make sure to critically evaluate the product you are wanting to use as well as the claims they are making. Or, just ask your friendly neighborhood nutritionist or consultant for their feedback.

02/03/2025

The new tariffs start tomorrow and they are going to be impacting feed and supplement costs.

We are lucky to have some amazing Canadian feed and supplement companies. So if you're concerned, sign up for my free discovery call and let's get you rebalanced on a Canadian made product.

www.calendly.com/flourishequinenutrition

01/29/2025

Here's a little story about Dolly and the power of hay selection.

Last year, we moved barns, and soon after winter hit, I noticed something concerning. Dolly, along with the 4 other mares she was penned with, began gaining weight. The barn owner started restricting feed to curb the weight gain, which as expected resulted in some unhappy horses.

We tested the hay and it was a high calorie, rich hay. Much more than a group of mares who aren't in any work need.

This winter, I convinced the barn owner to try a new type of hay specifically suited to this group of mares. The results? Night and day!

Now, Dolly is maintaining a healthy body condition score of 5 compared to last year when she was nearing a 7 by the end of winter. And, the group is getting free choice access, which means no adverse behaviors from restricted feeding.

This goes to show just how crucial the right hay is for your horse’s health. It’s not just about feed amounts; it’s about finding the right balance. The right hay = a happier, healthier horse.

Photos from mid December 2024 and last weekend.

01/27/2025

Is your horse's performance under saddle not quite where you want it to be?

The key to unlocking their full potential might be right in their feed bucket! 🥕

What and how we feed our horses directly impacts everything from their energy levels to muscle development, and even ulcer prevention. Nutrition plays a huge role in supporting peak performance—it's not just about what they eat, but how we fuel them.

Let’s make sure your horse has the right foundation to thrive in every ride! Connect today and let's start building you a tailored nutrition plan.

01/20/2025

New year, new faces around here!

Hi to the new folks, I'm Megan and I run Flourish Equine Nutrition.

I completed my bachelor's in Agriculture, Animal Science intending to head to vet school, but instead fell in love with nutrition during my third year. After graduating, I've spent almost a decade in pet food, with almost 7 of those years in R&D.

After getting Dolly, my newest mare, thin, and overall in poor health, she inspired me to head back to school.

I've since completed additional courses through the University of Guelph and became a certified advisor through Legacy Equine. I've even taken some herbal courses to better help those of you who like to dabble in the botanicals.

My goal here at Flourish is simple; education and feeding empowerment. Helping you to build feeding plans that you feel good about feeding and support your horses overall health and wellness.

01/14/2025

I personally cannot wait to see all of your babies hitting the ground over the next few months. But, those mama's are needing the love right now as they enter the most nutritionally challenging part of pregnancy.

Understanding your mares body condition and current feed program, including their hay is really key to ensuring we meet those increased requirements that support the rapid fetal growth.

Drop your broodmare feeding questions in the comments and let me know if you have any babies coming this year!

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01/08/2025

2025 is your year to prioritise your horse's nutrition.

Nutrition is such a pivotal part of whole horse wellness. Every horse has individual nutritional needs, so stop guessing and let's build a feed program that helps build a healthy, happy horse from the inside out.

Sign up for a free discovery call and start seeing the difference personalised nutrition can make for your horse this year.

www.calendly.com/flourishequinenutrition