Equicare Nutrition

10/02/2022

Moss and Jenga had a celebratory cuddle at Jenga’s recent weigh in. Jenga has gained muscle, lost fat and is looking really well. I think therapy dog Moss approves!

01/02/2022

It was a “rugs off” day today for my lot.
I like this photo as it sums up a lot of the practical tips I often tell clients:

- manage your grazing in a way that suits you. Track systems are fab if you can make them work.
- slow feeders don’t have to be expensive. Mine are old pallets rearranged by my talented husband, with a trickle net attached by bungee and carabiners. This allows safe trickle feeding from floor height.
- set up a “safe zone” - a grass free area that you can use to control calorie intake if needed.
- don’t over-rug! Use this time of year to shed the last few kilos before the spring grass hits.

Only a few more weeks to go until spring 🥳💪

01/01/2022

What a great way to start 2022: Bel has gone from being in pain and on box rest with laminitis to being sound and loving getting out and about with her young jockeys!

She's lost 30kg over three months - bang on track for the optimal weight loss rate of 1% of bodyweight every 2 weeks. She's also dropped half a body condition score over her neck, middle and quarters - check out the change in her shape!

There's still a long way and around 50kg to go but hats off to her owner Harri who's done everything right to get Bel here. Appropriate endocrine blood testing and treatment, calorie restriction while providing essential micronutrients and fibre, expert farriery plus a gradual return to exercise once Bel was sound.

The next three months will be key as Harri needs to keep Bel shedding those pounds before the spring grass kicks in but it looks like they're on a roll 😀💪

20/11/2021

It’s not everyday that I’m thrilled when a horse puts ON 102kg! 790kg and looking fantastic Big Yellow 🤩🥳

01/11/2021

Tallulah was very happy to hop on the weighbridge this morning. No head collar, no feed, just positive reinforcement in the form of scratches 😁

29/09/2021

I think Moss quite enjoys his job as Equicare’s therapy dog, what do you think?

20/09/2021

Anyone else manage to get out and about in the gorgeous sunshine today? Perfect weather for a shady woodland wander 🥰

18/09/2021

🌟 LAMINITIS AND BALANCERS 🌟

I'm hearing worrying reports that some vets are advising owners not to feed a balancer to horses who have laminitis. This is completely WRONG.

Every horse on a calorie restricted diet, and ESPECIALLY ONE WITH LAMINITIS, needs vitamins and minerals added to their diet as they will not be getting enough from their feed. This includes antioxidants, such as vitamin E and selenium, which are needed for the body to control the damage and inflammation caused by laminitis.
Add to that the fact that soaking leaches most of the protein, vitamins and minerals out of hay and you get a serious multiple micronutrient deficiency.

Most light balancers / vitamin and mineral supplements will have very little effect on a horse's calorie and non-structural carbohydrate intake and are completely safe for laminitics. If you are in doubt, please please drop me a message and I will be happy to double check for you.

Please share - feeding a horse with laminitis is hard enough already without worrying about getting conflicting advice!

13/09/2021

It's that time of year - as much as we don't want to admit it now is the time to start planning your horse's winter diet.

Want to know if hay or haylage is best for your horse? Which feed would be best to keep condition on an older pony, or to help slim down an overweight one? Or perhaps you're ready for the next steps with your competition horse and need a diet plan to support performance?

Equicare Nutrition offer a range of consultations to suit your horse, from quick phone calls to in-depth nutritional analysis and tailored diet plans. Send us a message or check out www.equicarenutrition.co.uk for more information.

Getting your horse’s feed right is important at the best of times; when they’re sick or under pressure it’s absolutely critical. With so many feeds and supplements available on the market today, choosing the right combination can be a minefield. Equicare can provide clear, impartial, evidence-...

10/09/2021

07/09/2021

It's photos like this that make my week!

Owain had severe laminitis, caused by Equine Metabolic Syndrome, in July 2020. A team effort by his wonderful owner Emily-Jane Aspinall , vets, farriers and nutritionists has seen him make a full recovery.

No miracle feeds, herbal supplements or potions. Just a calorie controlled diet, high quality balancer and supplementary vitamin E, plus lots and lots of hard work! Way to go Emily!

03/09/2021

FRIDAY FACT CHECK: CAN FESCUE GRASS CAUSE LIVER DISEASE IN HORSES?

The short answer is not in the UK, no.

Occasionally owners of horse with hepatopathies (liver disease) worry that their grass could be causing the issue and come across something called "fescue toxicity".

"Fescue toxicity" is caused when a fungus that lives within some species of fescue grass produces metabolites (ergot alkaloids and lolines) that cause liver disease when they are ingested. Horses are particularly sensitive to these fungal toxins. Fescue toxicity can be a cause of liver disease and reproductive in horses and cattle in the US; it causes over $1 billion of livestock damage per year in the US alone.

Luckily, the main serovar (type) of tall fescue in the UK is S170 which is endophyte free i.e. it does not contain the fungus that produces the toxic metabolites so fescue toxicity IS NOT a cause of liver disease in horses in the UK.
Similar metabolites are however produced by certain funguses, such as Aspergillus, when they grow in hay in the UK, which is why testing the hay is an important step in finding the cause of any liver issues.

Had you heard of "fescue toxicity" before? If you are worried that your horse may have a liver issue it is important to talk to your veterinary surgeon. For more information on nutritional management of liver disease contact us to help rule out issues and put a support plan in place.

23/08/2021

It’s a bit of a sleepy Monday at Tyre Hill Equestrian ! D’artagnon didn’t feel like getting out of bed and slept through his consultation this morning 😂🥰

19/08/2021

Sometimes the solution to a problem isn't a fancy supplement, or a particular hard feed. Sometimes it's making simple changes based on an accurate assessment of the horse's condition and diet.

Paddy has suffered from faecal water syndrome since April, made worse by certain pastures and certain batches of haylage. His owner had tried adjusting his hard feed and using high dose gut balancers, none of which worked.
An assessment of Paddy's history and pasture suggested that his grazing was causing the issue. His owner took the brave decision to move yards. Paddy's droppings normalised within three days on the new yard with no free water.

This may seem like a big step to take for "just a runny bum" but faecal water syndrome is associated with an increased risk of colic so every case should be assessed and treated. Luckily for Paddy that treatment was as easy as providing him with more suitable grazing. We do love a simple solution!

17/08/2021

Did you know that the horse's hindgut makes up over 60% of their digestive system and can hold up to 140 litres of fluid? That's a large bathtub full!
No wonder we work so hard to keep it healthy - fibre, fibre and more fibre!

13/08/2021

Bit of a bromance developing this evening between Jenga and Equicare’s Chief Canine Assistant Moss!

12/08/2021

Is there such a thing as "the best brand of horse feed"?
It's a question I'm often asked, so I thought it would be interesting to take a look at which brands our Team GB Olympic medallists are sponsored by:

Tom McEwen - Dodson & Horrell
Oliver Townend - Gain
Laura Collett - Dodson & Horrell

Carl Hester - Saracen
Lottie Fry - Topspec
Charlotte Dujardin - Saracen

Ben Maher - Falcon

The simple answer is that there is no single best brand of course. It's the individual selection and combination of feeds that's important.
However, you do get what you pay for at the end of the day. None of these elite performance horses could do what they do on a diet of straights, or without proper micronutrient and electrolyte supplementation for example.

What do you think? Any feeds your horse couldn't do without?

05/08/2021

What a difference in just three weeks!! 😍

Milly has Equine Metabolic Syndrome, a history of laminitis and suffers from diastemas (gaps between her teeth). Chloe helped Milly's owner Caitlin make a few tweaks to her diet and now Milly is shedding the pounds and looking great.

Caitlin says "She feels amazing! I can actually feel her shoulders and she’s so shiny I’ve never seen her like that and we’re getting so many compliments from people at the yard about how amazing she looks."

Keep up the fantastic work Milly and Caitlin! 💪

01/08/2021

Fantastic day at Mount Farm Livery Yard yesterday! Lot's of weigh-ins and diet checks, plus a few horses who have been through a tough time recently and need a bit of extra nutritional support. Lot's to get to work on and hopefully we'll see the difference at their check-ups later in the year!

26/07/2021

Equine obesity and over-feeding making the news today. With over a third of horses currently overweight we are facing a very real equine health crisis, particularly at this time of year.
If you need help managing your horse’s weight you are not alone and Equicare can help, with tailored diet and exercise plans plus expert advice and support.

Did you see BEVA President Lucy Grieve quoted in The Daily Telegraph this morning? Lucy spoke on the challenges of keeping horses in shape through the summer months.

You can learn more about BEVA's Obesity Project and what we're doing to tackle weight problems in our April BEVA Quarter - http://ow.ly/OnD150FDw8s

26/07/2021

Woohoo it’s Monday! What better day to start the week than consulting in the sunshine at beautiful Tyre Hill Equestrian!

24/07/2021

A busy day out consulting today and a bit of a red flag for one patient, Jay. Jay has put on a bit too much weight since his last check up. He’s only a body condition score of 3.5 out of 5 but due to his history of laminitis and metabolic syndrome it’s important to nip this weight gain in the bud. Regular three-monthly check-ups mean we can spot issues like this early before they can cause a problem!

20/07/2021

ELECTROLYTES - tips that you might not know yet...

We all know that horses need to be fed electrolytes to replace elements (sodium, potassium, chloride, magnesium and calcium) lost in sweat during hot weather and exercise. But did you know:

🐎 EVERY horse needs electrolytes and more often than you think! Supplementary electrolytes should be fed after any period of sweating - whether that's slightly damp under the saddle or dripping. In reality, most horses who are in work should receive electrolytes after anything more than a light hack. Plus don't forget companions - if they are sweating in this heat they need electrolytes to replace what they are losing.

🐎 Feeding plain table salt is not an appropriate electrolyte replacement strategy as it does not match the balance of salts lost through sweat.

🐎 Nor are salt licks - research shows that horses do not self regulate with these licks - some lick too much, others too little. They should be seen as environmental enrichment rather than as part of electrolyte replacement strategies.

🐎 Timing is key - electrolytes should be fed as soon after exercise or sweating as possible. There is very little point to feeding electrolytes in the morning before a competition for example. Try to feed electrolytes 20 to 30 minutes after exercise, as part of a recovery feed.

🐎 Appropriate use of electrolytes may affect your horse's future performance - electrolyte replacement may actually speed up muscle glycogen recovery (energy stores within your horse's muscle cells) post exercise. Replenishing these stores can take up to 72 hours in horses (compared to 24 hours in humans) so can have a major effect during three day events for instance.

🐎 Finally, there is some evidence that micro-encapsulated electrolytes (those that are coated) are more effective, more palatable and may reduce irritation to the stomach lining.

Hand up who's off to give the horses a nice sloppy feed with extra electrolytes now? Don't forget to always provide fresh water too!

12/07/2021

What a brilliant day at Tyre Hill Equestrian with Jess-Photography ! Here's a little sneak preview of Kenny investigating the weighbridge. We were very lucky to have three wonderful equine models and the fab team at Tyre Hill had the horses and yard looking stunning - thank-you!

09/07/2021

Woohoo it’s the weekend!
We’ve got a busy weekend out and about consulting ahead plus something exciting lined up for Monday…
Here’s Rosie practicing her pout - “Smile for the camera!” 📸

05/07/2021

Some really good, research based information on cooling horses from Dr David Marlin.

The key facts are:

❗Cooling hot horses with cold water DOES NOT
1) cause muscle damage
2) cause laminitis
3) induce shock
4) give horses heart attacks
5) prevent them from cooling by constriction of skin blood flow

❗Water left on horses DOES NOT
1) insulate and prevent heat loss
2) cause them to overheat

❗It is NOT MORE EFFECTIVE TO
1) start at the feet and work up
2) scrape water off whilst cooling (it causes them to warm up)
3) focus on large blood vessels
4) cover the horse with wet towels

COOLING HOT HORSES - THE STATE OF THE ART

*** PLEASE SHARE ***

Since Atlanta 1996 we have known that using continuous application of cold water without scraping is the most effective way to cool down horses that are moderately to severely hyperthermic (re**al temperature in excess of ~40°C/104°F), especially in hot or hot/humid conditions.

The sources for this evidence are:

PEER-REVIEWED PUBLISHED PAPERS
1) Williamson, L.S., White, S., Maykuth, P., Andrews, F., Sommerdahl, C. and Green, E. Comparison between two post exercise cooling methods. Equine Vet J., 27(S18), 337-340.
https://beva.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.2042-3306.1995.tb04948.x

2) Marlin, D. J., Scott, C. M., Roberts, C. A., Casas, I., Holah, G., & Schroter, R. C. (1998). Post exercise changes in compartmental body temperature accompanying intermittent cold water cooling in the hyperthermic horse. Equine veterinary journal, 30(1), 28–34.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9458396/

3) Kohn, C.W., Hinchcliff, K.W. and McKeever, K.H. (1999) Evaluation of washing with cold water to facilitate heat dissipation in horses exercised in hot, humid conditions. American Journal of Veterinary Research, 01 Mar 1999, 60(3):299-305. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10188810/

4) Takahashi, Y., Ohmura, H., Mukai, K., Shiose, T., & Takahashi, T. (2020). A Comparison of Five Cooling Methods in Hot and Humid Environments in Thoroughbred Horses. Journal of equine veterinary science, 91, 103130.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32684268/

5) Kang, H., Zsoldos, R.R., Skinner, J.E., Gaughan, J.B. and Guitart, A.S. (2021) Comparison of post-exercise cooling methods in horses. Journal of Equine Veterinary Science 100 (2021) 103485
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jevs.2021.103485

DATA COLLECTED & ANALYSED AT
a) Atlanta 1995 Olympic Test Event
b) Atlanta 1996 Olympics
c) Athens 2003 Olympic Test Event
d) Athens 2004 Olympics
e) Beijing 2007 Olympic Test Event
f) Beijing 2008 Olympics
g) Tryon 2018 World Equestrian Games
h) Tokyo 2019 Olympic Test Event

Cooling hot horses with cold water DOES NOT
1) cause muscle damage
2) cause laminitis
3) induce shock
4) give horses heart attacks
5) prevent them from cooling by constriction of skin blood flow

Water left on horses DOES NOT
1) insulate and prevent heat loss
2) cause them to overheat

It is NOT MORE EFFECTIVE TO
1) start at the feet and work up
2) scrape water off whilst cooling (it causes them to warm up)
3) focus on large blood vessels
4) cover the horse with wet towels

*** PLEASE SHARE ***

17/06/2021

Brand new research indicates that supplementation with certain anti-oxidant precursors does not compromise muscle synthesis pathways.

A huge part of my work is ensuring that horses have the building blocks to support muscle development and the antioxidants to prevent and repair muscle damage.
Feeding horses N-acetylcysteine (NAC), a precursor of the antioxidant glutathione, may improve exercise performance. However, there were some concerns that it could interfere with signalling pathways involved in muscle syntheses, called mTOR pathways.
New research by Hauss et al has confirmed that these pathways are not compromised by NAC supplementation. It also backed up our knowledge that feeding branched-chain amino acids (leucine, isoleucine and valine) increased the availability of these amino acids in the blood post-exercise for muscle repair and growth.

The bottom line is that feeding both branched-chain amino acids AND antioxidants will improve your horse's muscle synthesis post-exercise and therefore performance. 💪

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0737080621001544?via%3Dihub

08/06/2021

What a transformation! Yes it can sometimes feel like an uphill battle getting your horse or pony to shed the pounds but with the right support and weight loss plan it is possible! 💪

❗Laminitis prevention❗

Prevention is always better than cure especially as laminitis can cause extreme pain, lameness, permanent damage to the hooves and can increase the risk of future episodes.

Overweight horses are more susceptible to laminitis. If your horse falls into this category it is really important to ensure management practices are in place to help prevent them developing laminitis.

Steps you can take to aid with weight loss and reduce the risk of laminitis include:
• Regularly monitor your horse’s weight through fat scoring
• Restrict grazing – sectioning off areas in the field, alternative methods such as track system or use of grazing muzzles (should never be worn 24/7 and be aware of compensatory eating!)
• Get your horse moving – increase ridden/driven exercise or work in hand
• Minimise calorie content.

👇The image below shows just what can be achieved with a structured weight loss plan🤩

❓Have you got a weight loss journey to share of your horse❓ We would love to see the results❗

To learn more about laminitis prevention visit:

https://www.bhs.org.uk/advice-and-information/horse-health-and-sickness/laminitis/prevention-and-management

💖

📷Blue Cross

04/06/2021

Congratulations to Katharine Gee who is the winner of our between-the-ears photo competition with this gorgeous photo of her mare on Cannock Chase. 🎉
I have loved seeing all your photos so much so as a thank-you everyone who entered gets a 10% off voucher 🤩. Happy Friday!

03/06/2021

Last chance to enter our between-the-ears photo competition! The winner will be picked at random at 7pm on Friday!

🐴 BANK HOLIDAY GIVEAWAY 🐴

Who else is enjoying a lovely sunny ride this bank holiday? Show us your best between-the-ears photos for a chance to win a free remote consultation worth £60! Bonus points for the happiest ears 😄

02/06/2021

“How’s my weight Mum?”

Chloe’s 8 month old spaniel Moss does a great job of showing the horses how to use the weighbridge. 🐶

31/05/2021

🐴 BANK HOLIDAY GIVEAWAY 🐴

Who else is enjoying a lovely sunny ride this bank holiday? Show us your best between-the-ears photos for a chance to win a free remote consultation worth £60! Bonus points for the happiest ears 😄

24/05/2021

The importance of diet, correct exercise and photos!

Both of these images show horses who I have been working with to improve muscle development. For each horse, these photos were taken 2-3 weeks apart.
In the first image (bay), you can see a remarkable increase in size of the gluteus medius muscle. In the second (grey), biceps femoris has developed substantially.

Both horses are fed a high-quality balancer alongside an amino acid supplement, which is given 30 minutes post-exercise.
They are worked correctly, using a combination of long-reining, pole-work and cavaletti, hill-work and cross-training.
By photographing these horses every two weeks we are able to monitor their progress and adjust their diet and training as needed.

Once you get your nutritional building blocks in place and use appropriate strength-building exercises it all comes together! 💪

13/05/2021

Horses fed haylage have lower levels of neutrophils (cells associated with inflammation) in their lungs compared to those fed dry hay. Worth considering when choosing forage for your horse.

Scientists hypothesized that high-performance horses fed haylage would have healthier respiratory tracts than those fed traditional hay.

11/05/2021

"Thank you for your help with Owain's diet! Along with exercise it is really helping him. 3 weeks between the above pictures, he is doing amazing and like he was never poorly now!"

12 year old Welsh Section D Owain suffers from Equine Metabolic Syndrome and is recovering from a severe episode of laminitis. Owner Emily spoke to Chloe in April via a remote consultation and with a new diet plan and plenty of exercise Owain is shedding the pounds and well on the road to recovery. Keep it up Owain and Emily!

10/05/2021

Some rather gorgeous, and very gentle, giants were the highlight of a brilliant day at Barrack Livery Yard today.
Clydesdales like Bobby and Big Yellow have quite complex nutritional requirements and require careful management. Plenty of fibre, minimal non-structural carbohydrates and a good source of high-quality protein are key.
We will be checking up on these two regularly to see how they get on with their new diet plan!

06/05/2021

Plus if you use alfalfa chaff the protein and calcium help to buffer gastric acid levels, as well as forming a fibre mat!

Unlike humans, horses are designed to run on a full stomach. Feeding your horse 2-3L of chaff or a biscuit of hay prior to exercise has two benefits :
1️⃣ The chaff will form a ball of feed in the stomach, which will help prevent acid from splashing up from the lower part of the stomach to cause gastric ulcers.
2️⃣ Blood is normally diverted away from the stomach during exercise, which reduces some of its normal protective mechanisms. Research has shown that feeding your horse before exercise actually reduces the amount of blood that is shunted away from the stomach and also increases the amount of blood delivered to the skeletal muscles and muscles of the chest. So not only are you helping to protect the stomach, you also might be improving your horse’s performance.
For more information : http://ow.ly/CfYy50Dmwnh

26/04/2021

Bark paddocks and grass-free turnout areas are so helpful in the management of ponies prone to laminitis. This is a great way of making one!

15/04/2021

We had a fantastic evening of diet checks and weigh-ins at Manor Farm, Shipton Bellinger earlier this week. Most of my patients seem to love the weighbridge - they either try to eat it or find it hilarious, like Lexi here!