Beth Davies Independent Equine Nutrition And Fitness

25/09/2024

Equine nutrition services available:

Full consultation
Forage consultation
Weighing services (portable weighbridge)

For more information and booking
📞07897580752
[email protected]

21/07/2024

FORAGE ALONE CAN MAKE YOUR HORSE TOO FAT ❗️

This one is worth repeating.

Grass (in summer and winter), all types of hay (including organic meadow hay) and haylage can all cause obesity.

Don't assume that all fat horses are overfed from a bucket. Some will happily eat double the normal intake of forage if fed ad lib (free choice).

Some owners already know this, but more and more horses and ponies who aren't fed much in a bucket are obese, and there a persistent myth that if you feed natural non-ryegrass hay, they will regulate and stay a healthy weight.

This is simply not true.

Some will overeat more after restriction; some will regulate if fed ad lib (but not many); some will literally eat themselves to death (yes, even on just hay).
Horses are all VERY different so be open minded and MONITOR your horse or pony regularly and carefully.

Also worth noting is that horses and ponies can come down with laminitis on hay-only diets, without grass. This is more unusual than those who get laminitis whilst grazing, but I have come across several cases of the former.

Monitor, monitor, monitor your horses and ponies to avoid and manage obesity.

Please help spread the word by sharing - thank you
🐴🍏

18/05/2024

Beth Davies Independent Equine Nutrition And Fitness is a new venture for me after completing my BSc (Hons) in Equine Science with Sports Performance and becoming a member of the Nutrition Society to ensure I am up to date with the latest advances and research in equine nutrition.
Horses have always been a passion of mine and I have 20 years ridden experience 14 of those I have owned my own horse backing him from a youngster and producing him up he levels in dressage and having fun with eventing and show jumping. I’ve worked on a livery yard for the past 3 years taking care of all the horses and gaining experience with a wide variety of different horses. Additionally I have been apart of the pony club for roughly 15 years helping to expand my knowledge of horses throughout this time.
Equine nutrition was always my favourite part of my degree and I enjoy working out every horses individual rations and specific feed they would require for them to do their job to their best capability or just to enjoy their happy retirement to keep them well and fit well in to their later years.
Why choose an independent nutrionist you may ask? This allows us to provide a more individualized approach, considering the specific needs and circumstances of your horse without being tied to a certain brand of feed. This personalised approach can be crucial because equine nutrition is not a one-size-fits-all; factors such as age, breed, activity level, and health conditions play pivotal roles in determining dietary requirements. Also, as an independent nutritionist I am driven by a passion for equine well-being, which allows me to be as flexible as possible to recommend a diverse range of feed options and supplements based on a thorough understanding of the latest scientific research. Moreover, as an independent equine nutritionist I can maintain an ongoing, collaborative relationship with horse owners, adapting nutritional plans as needed to ensure optimal health and performance for each unique horse.
I am a big supporter for feeding horses as naturally as possible so they can fulfil their physical and behavioural needs as well as considering that sufficient nutrient and energy requirements to aid in the optimal performance of the horse without compromising their general health so you as owners can get the most out of your horses.
It can be also vital that horses are weighed to help in maintaining of appropriate body condition, vital to performance, longevity and quality of life. Weighing enables me to make tailored nutrition plans, ensuring that horses receive the appropriate amount of forage, feed and supplements. Also frequent visits for weighing enables the detection of sudden weight loss or gain which could serve as an early indicator of potential health issues, allowing for prompt veterinary intervention. Finally accurate weight enables owners to give the right amount of wormer or medication to their horses.
I am happy to answer anymore questions you may have about equine nutrition or any of my services that you decide to choose.
Please don't hesitate to get in touch to book in for any of my services or which one would be the best selection for you and your horses needs.

18/04/2024

Available for camps, clinics or individual horses.
Feel free to message me for more information or to book 😃

Beth Davies Independent Equine Nutrition And Fitness is a new venture for me after completing my BSc (Hons) in Equine Science with Sports Performance and becoming a member of the Nutrition Society to ensure I am up to date with the latest advances and research in equine nutrition.
Horses have always been a passion of mine and I have 20 years ridden experience 14 of those I have owned my own horse backing him from a youngster and producing him up he levels in dressage and having fun with eventing and show jumping. I’ve worked on a livery yard for the past 3 years taking care of all the horses and gaining experience with a wide variety of different horses. Additionally I have been apart of the pony club for roughly 15 years helping to expand my knowledge of horses throughout this time.
Equine nutrition was always my favourite part of my degree and I enjoy working out every horses individual rations and specific feed they would require for them to do their job to their best capability or just to enjoy their happy retirement to keep them well and fit well in to their later years.
Why choose an independent nutrionist you may ask? This allows us to provide a more individualized approach, considering the specific needs and circumstances of your horse without being tied to a certain brand of feed. This personalised approach can be crucial because equine nutrition is not a one-size-fits-all; factors such as age, breed, activity level, and health conditions play pivotal roles in determining dietary requirements. Also, as an independent nutritionist I am driven by a passion for equine well-being, which allows me to be as flexible as possible to recommend a diverse range of feed options and supplements based on a thorough understanding of the latest scientific research. Moreover, as an independent equine nutritionist I can maintain an ongoing, collaborative relationship with horse owners, adapting nutritional plans as needed to ensure optimal health and performance for each unique horse.
I am a big supporter for feeding horses as naturally as possible so they can fulfil their physical and behavioural needs as well as considering that sufficient nutrient and energy requirements to aid in the optimal performance of the horse without compromising their general health so you as owners can get the most out of your horses.
It can be also vital that horses are weighed to help in maintaining of appropriate body condition, vital to performance, longevity and quality of life. Weighing enables me to make tailored nutrition plans, ensuring that horses receive the appropriate amount of forage, feed and supplements. Also frequent visits for weighing enables the detection of sudden weight loss or gain which could serve as an early indicator of potential health issues, allowing for prompt veterinary intervention. Finally accurate weight enables owners to give the right amount of wormer or medication to their horses.
I am happy to answer anymore questions you may have about equine nutrition or any of my services that you decide to choose.
Please don't hesitate to get in touch to book in for any of my services or which one would be the best selection for you and your horses needs.

12/04/2024

Even in leisure horses it is important to keep your horses slim so longevity can be achieved and they can be happy healthy horses 🐎

Excess body fat in sports horses:

☹️ increases forces on the musculoskeletal system including the joints
☹️ increases the risk of early onset arthritis
☹️ could increase the risk of injury
☹️ creates an inflammatory state which is unhealthy
☹️ impairs heat loss, inhibiting optimal performance and potentially contributing to heat stress
☹️ puts greater strain on the heart and lungs during during fast or hard work
☹️ increases the risk of laminitis (despite the fact that exercise has a protective effect)

In some disciplines, excess body fat can get confused with muscle development, but these are two completely different body tissues.

Keeping our sports horses slim will help keep them healthy, fit, resilient and able to perform to their optimal potential.
🐴🍏

04/04/2024

TAKE CARE TURNING HORSES OUT ON GOOD GRASS - GRADUAL IS THE KEY

All dietary changes should be made gradually, especially changes in forage.

Spring grass can cause gut disturbance due to the rapid change in nutrients the horse's gut is exposed to when they're turned out onto fresh fields of good grass.

It's not sugar getting into the caecum that causes this - sugar is thoroughly digested in the small intestine before the caecum. Sugar always seems to get the blame!!

What causes the problem is the rapid change to a different type of forage which is high in fructan (a highly fermentable carb) and much lower in cellulose (structural fibre) than hay. Both these can cause rapid changes in the gut microbiome, which can lead to large intestine acidosis, gas, and digestive disturbance.

There's no need to get your horse's faeces tested (it's quite clear what the problem is so don't waste £100s to be told what you already know), to panic about ulcers or indeed panic about anything else (that's not good for you or your horse):

1. Introduce new grass growth gradually and maintain hay intake as you change over
2. If you haven't done this, take a step back and readjust (you may need to strip graze, use a grazing muzzle or share a turnout plan with friends)
3. Consider feeding a good gut supporting supplement but ONLY after you've altered the diet back to closer to how it was and started more gradual change
4. Understand that your horse may be tight/irritable just as would be expected from a gut disturbance
5. Speak to your vet if you suspect a medical issue with your horse such as ulcers or gut inflammation (please don't self- or social-media-diagnose or treat because you may miss something important or get it wrong)
6. Don't believe everything you read on social media 😊

Feel free to share; thank you 🐴🍏

31/03/2024

The sun was finally shining, after what it feels like an eternity of rain, for todays weigh clinic. Here are some of lovely horses weighed today. Even the easter bunny made an appearance to weigh her pony 🐰

Available for camps, group or individual yard visits. Message me with any enquiries

15/03/2024

HAY SOAKING TRUTHS 🟨💧

There seems to be some nutribaloney about soaking hay circulating at the moment.

Some Q&As to help...
__________
Q: Does soaking hay strip it of nutrients?

A: Yes - that's the whole point (unless you're soaking for 10-15 mins for respiratory health) - we're long- soaking to reduce BOTH calories (energy) & water soluble carbs (sugar & fructan)
___________
Q: Can we replace the useful nutrients lost e.g. minerals?

A: Yes - that's why we add a balancer or vitamin & mineral supplement to the diet, because soaking may reduce some mineral levels
___________
Q: Do we soak for just sugar reduction?

A: No No No No!!!! For overweight horses & ponies or those with insulin dysregulation we soak hay to reduce calories (energy) as well as water soluble carbs (WSC) = sugar AND fructan!!

(Fructan is not sugar. It's made up of sugar units joined by bonds that are not broken by digestive enzymes, but fermented by gut microbes.

The reason some may get confused about fructan is they either think it's a sugar or they think it doesn't affect insulin response... both are incorrect).
________

Q: Is it safe to test hay for just sugar & starch and then feed it to laminitis / ID / EMS horses & ponies if it's under 12%?

A: Absolutely, categorically NO!! This is really important. Both calories and fructan (WSC) can be highly variable in hay and you could cause laminitis by feeding unsoaked hay of unknown energy (calorie) and WSC content. Furthermore, analysing hay is only an estimation of what that particular sample contained and results should be used with care.
______
Q: Do I need to be worried about soaking hay, about mineral losses??

A: Absolutely not. We just need to balance soaked hay with suitable products. Soaking hay is sometimes the only way we can get unhealthy overweight, laminitis-prone, EMS/ID horses & ponies to lose weight without half-starving them.

I hope this helps to calm the worry about soaking hay and clarify some nutibaloney.

Feel free to share 🐴🍏🟨💧

07/03/2024

Please keep an eye on all your horses and ponies especially those who are more ay risk as the grass will start to shoot up now 😃

MILD WINTER/EARLY SPRING - PLEASE BE CAREFUL!

Its been a very mild Winter for most of the UK and grass growth in many places has been much higher than normal. As a result many horses and ponies that I've been seeing have also maintained weight better than they usually would over Winter.

Combined with the fact that we are also having a mild Spring, the grass in many areas is growing very well. This may lead to fairly sharp weight gain, behaviour changes, digestive disturbance and is a particular concern for those with laminitis prone horses or ponies and those prone to colic.

So please take care. Keep an eye on the paddocks. Keep an eye on your horses/ponies’ weight.

19/02/2024

NUTRITION ALONE DOES NOT CREATE FITNESS OR BUILD MUSCLE 🐴💪

It is exercise that increases fitness and builds muscle in the horse, whether that is strength, stamina or skill training.

All that nutrition does is supply the fuel and building blocks. Nutrition does not create fitness or build muscle.

Think of nutrition as the fuel for the cement mixer, the bricks and the mortar.
Without the builders (the exercise regime) no house will appear!

This may seem obvious to some, or after you think about it, but I still get many enquiries about how and what to feed for more muscle and/or more stamina.

Feel free to share 🐴🍏

16/02/2024

Pleasure to meet Crusoe and his owner Holly on Wednesday for his full consultation (pictured below) and a few others for their weighing service.

Feel free to message me with any enquiries 😃

16/02/2024

FAT LOSS RELIES ON CALORIE RESTRICTION AND NOT JUST EXERCISE

(Although exercise will help, and has many other health benefits).

A calorie deficit is necessary for body fat loss, regardless of the exercise involved, so calorie intake is a key factor. Exercise alone tends to have a minimal effect on fat loss, and both human and horse nutritionists recommend that calorie restriction should be the focus of weight loss interventions.

Exercise has a number of health benefits for you and your horse, so please don't interpret this as a reason not to exercise yourself, or your horse!

Exercise can contribute to fat loss since it does increase energy (calorie) requirements, however, be aware that restricting calorie intake is the key factor in causing body fat (weight) loss.

Feel free to share... 🐴🍏

12/02/2024

Nice to meet some new clients for their mini weigh clinic on Saturday.

Message me to book or with any enquiries 😃

29/01/2024

PRE-EXERCISE MEAL NO LONGER A NO-NO!

Why could we not feed horses just before exercise in the past, yet nowadays we're encouraged to?

The answer is...

In the past, feeds tended to be high energy, high starch concentrates including cereal grains, grain-based mixes and nuts. They were often fed in relatively large amounts e.g. 2kg (4.5lb) per meal or more. It would not be healthy to exercise a horse straight after that sort of meal.

Nowadays, a pre-exercise meal of high-fibre feed is often recommended in order to ensure the stomach isn't empty during exercise, which can lead to acid splashing and a lack of blood supply which in turn can lead to damage of sensitive stomach-lining tissue.

So the difference is down to both the type of meal and also to our understanding of stomach health.

This is a short article from my Equine Nutrition Learning Centre (link in comments).
🐴🍏

24/01/2024

NUTRITION AND FITNESS FOR COMPETITION

Approaching your and your horse's nutrition and fitness program as if you are athletes is a good habit to get into, even if you're not aiming for the higher levels and are happy to stick to jumping under 1m, endurance distances of under 30 miles, or the lower level dressage tests (or equivalent in other sports).

If you treat yourselves as athletes, you will give yourselves the best chance not only in your performance but also how much you enjoy your competitions.

Being physically fit (conditioned), having good nutrition and being well hydrated will optimise your and your horse's performance, reduce the risk of injuries and make the whole experience less tiring and more fun (for you both).

There are plenty of resources out there to learn about what it means to 'treat yourself as an athlete' but here's a list to get you started:
🏇 What is your goal? Which competitions are you aiming for?
🏇 Make a plan for your horse's and your own training (skills, stamina and strength). Are you building in enough rest as well as workouts?
🏇 Assess your and your horse's nutrition: balanced diet? enough energy? appropriate body fat covering? adequate hydration?
🏇 Learn to get comfortable with being uncomfortable
🏇 Consider some sports psychology/confidence coaching
🏇 Both us and our horses - whatever our age and state of health - can make improvements to fitness with patience and dedication. The body has amazing adaptation processes and you might be surprised what is possible!

Share away, thank you! 🏇🐴🍏

21/01/2024

Lovely to meet two new clients Paddy and Tilly yesterday for their full consultations.

Picture of the lovely 5 year old Paddy stood perfectly on the weigh bridge for his consultation.

Feel free to message me with any enquiries.