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Changing a horse's grain and or adding to it requires a careful and gradual process to avoid digestive upset. Here are t...
07/08/2024

Changing a horse's grain and or adding to it requires a careful and gradual process to avoid digestive upset. Here are the steps to follow:

1. Consult a equine nutrition adviser
-Health Assessment assess your horse’s health to ensure the new feed meets its nutritional needs.
- Recommendations look for suitable grain options for your horse’s age, activity level, and health condition.

2. Choose the new grain
- Research look into different types of grains (oats, barley, corn, etc.) and consider their nutritional profiles.
- Quality ensure the new grain is compatible and free from mold and contaminants.

3. Gradual Transition
- Mixing feeds start by mixing a small amount of the new grain with the old feed. A typical recommendation is to replace 10-20% of the old feed with the new grain every few days.
- Observation monitor the horse for any signs of digestive upset or allergic reactions, such as colic, diarrhea, or changes in behavior.

4. Adjust According to Response
- Incremental Increase gradually increase the proportion of the new grain while decreasing the old feed over a period of 7-10 days, or longer if necessary.
- Monitoring Health continue to observe the horse’s health, behavior, and weight throughout the transition period.

5. Evaluate and Adjust
- Nutritional Balance ensure the horse’s overall diet remains balanced, providing all necessary nutrients, vitamins, and minerals.
- Adjust Amounts
If the horse is not adjusting well or if there are any negative health effects, adjust the amounts accordingly and consult with your adviser or a vet if needed.

6. Ongoing Monitoring
- Weight and Condition keep an eye on the horse’s weight, coat condition, and overall health to ensure the new diet is suitable.

By following these steps, you can safely transition your horse to a new grain and maintain its health and well-being.

Happy feeding !

https://denaliequinenutrition.com/

Denali equine nutrition
Balanced nutrition for the life of your horse

Feeding your horse properly during the winter is crucial to ensure they maintain their health and condition. Here are s...
02/08/2024

Feeding your horse properly during the winter is crucial to ensure they maintain their health and condition. Here are some tips on how to do it:

1. ✅ Increase Hay Intake:
Hay is essential for maintaining body temperature and providing necessary fiber. Increase the amount of hay to help keep your horse warm through digestive heat production.

2. ✅ Ensure Water Availability
Horses need access to fresh, unfrozen water. Use heated water buckets or tank heaters to prevent water from freezing.

3. ✅ Monitor Body Condition
Regularly check your horse's body condition to adjust feeding as necessary. Horses may need more feed to maintain their weight in cold weather.

4. ✅ Consider Additional Calories
Depending on the horse's workload and condition, you might need to supplement with grain or high-calorie feeds. Ensure these are introduced gradually to avoid digestive upset.

5. ✅ Provide Salt and Minerals
Ensure your horse has access to a salt block or loose salt, and provide a balanced mineral supplement if needed.

6. ✅ Feed in Smaller, More Frequent Meals
This can help improve digestion and maintain energy levels throughout the day.

7. ✅ Provide Shelter
While not directly related to feeding, providing a windbreak or shelter can reduce the energy your horse needs to stay warm, indirectly impacting their feeding needs.

8. ✅ Monitor Health
Keep an eye on their overall health, checking for signs of illness or weight loss.

Adjustments to your horse's diet should be made gradually and ideally with the advice of an equine nutrition adviser.

https://denaliequinenutrition.com/
Denali Equine Nutrition
Balanced nutrition for the life of your horse 

A picky horse can be a challenge, but there are several strategies you can try to encourage them to eat:1. Gradual Chang...
29/07/2024

A picky horse can be a challenge, but there are several strategies you can try to encourage them to eat:

1. Gradual Changes
Introduce new feeds or supplements gradually, mixing small amounts with their regular feed and slowly increasing the quantity.

2. Feed Quality
Ensure the feed is fresh and of high quality. Avoid dusty, moldy, or stale feed.

3. Flavor Enhancers
Use flavor enhancers like apple juice, molasses, or peppermint oil to make the feed more appealing.

4. Feed Consistency
Keep a consistent feeding schedule and avoid sudden changes in diet.

5. Dental Check
Have a vet check the horse’s teeth. Dental issues can cause discomfort and affect their eating habits.

6. Health Check
Rule out underlying health issues by consulting with a veterinarian. Conditions like ulcers or gastrointestinal problems can cause a loss of appetite.

7. Variety
Offer a variety of forages, (slow introduction) such as different types of hay to see if they prefer one over the others.

8. Social Eating
Some horses eat better when they see others eating. Try feeding in the company of other horses.

9. Environment
Ensure a calm and stress-free eating environment. Reduce distractions and ensure the horse feels safe.

10. Supplements
Consider appetite stimulants or supplements, but only under the guidance of a vet.

Implementing these strategies can help encourage a picky horse to eat and maintain their nutritional health!

https://denaliequinenutrition.com/

Denali Equine Nutrition
Balance nutrition for the life of your horse 

Yes I think so 😆
25/07/2024

Yes I think so 😆

Reason why I became an equine nutrition advisor.Becoming an equine nutrition adviser offers several compelling reasons:...
21/07/2024

Reason why I became an equine nutrition advisor.

Becoming an equine nutrition adviser offers several compelling reasons:

1. Improving Horse Health and Performance

By advising on proper nutrition, you can help improve the health, performance, and longevity of horses. Proper nutrition is critical for preventing diseases, ensuring optimal performance in competitive horses, and maintaining the overall well-being of recreational horses.

2. Making a Difference

Helping horse owners and caretakers understand the importance of nutrition and its impact can be very rewarding. You can see the tangible benefits of your advice in healthier, happier horses.

3. Career Opportunities

There is a growing demand for specialized knowledge in equine nutrition. You can work in various settings, including veterinary practices, feed companies, and as an independent consultant.

4. Continuous Learning

The field of equine nutrition is always evolving with new research and developments. This provides continuous learning opportunities, keeping your work interesting and intellectually stimulating.

5. Building Relationships

You'll have the chance to build strong relationships with horse owners, trainers, veterinarians, and other equine professionals. These connections can be both professionally and personally rewarding.

6. Flexibility

Many equine nutrition advisers have the flexibility to set their own schedules, especially if they work independently. This can offer a better work-life balance compared to more traditional career paths.

7. Passion for Horses

If you love horses, this career allows you to work closely with them and make a significant positive impact on their lives. Your passion for horses can translate into a fulfilling and enjoyable career.

8. Diverse Roles

The role of an equine nutrition adviser can vary widely, from providing one-on-one consultations.  Working with big companies, to dedicating your time to certain groups of people who own horses, and also to the different variety of barns you can become involved with. This diversity can keep the job dynamic, engaging and extremely rewarding.

By pursuing a career as an equine nutrition adviser, you can combine a passion for horses with a scientifically grounded profession that offers both personal and professional rewards.

https://denaliequinenutrition.com/

Denali Equine Nutrition 
Balanced nutrition for the life of your horse 

COMING SOON🔜🔜🔜!!!✅  An informational class on all the different types of grain for horses. ✅ Unlock your horses potent...
18/07/2024

COMING SOON🔜🔜🔜!!!

✅  An informational class on all the different types of grain for horses.

✅ Unlock your horses potential with the right grain choice !

✅ 1. Most important
- Forage: Importance of forage (hay, grass) in a horse’s diet. Horses should always have a forge first diet.

- Concentrates: Different types of grain and concentrates available (oats, corn, barley, commercial feeds).

✅ 2. Selecting the right grain
- Factors to Consider: Age, weight, activity level, and health status of the horse.
- Reading Feed Labels: How to interpret feed labels and understand the nutritional content.

✅ 3. Common Types of Grain and Their Benefits
- Oats: Benefits and when to use them and potential risks.
- Corn: Nutritional content and potential risks.
- Barley: Pros and cons.
- Commercial Feeds: Types and when to use them.

✅ 4. Balancing the Diet
- Creating a Balanced Diet: How to balance grains with forage and supplements.
- Sample Diet Plans : Examples for different types of horses (performance, leisure, senior, etc.).

✅ 5. Feeding Management
- Feeding Schedule : Importance of regular feeding times. Also, to be discussed horses anticipating feeding time and becoming food aggressive.

- Portion Control: How much grain to feed and avoiding overfeeding.
- Monitoring and Adjusting : How to monitor your horse’s condition and adjust the diet as needed.

✅ 6. Special Considerations
- Health Issues : Dietary management for common health issues (colic, laminitis, metabolic disorders).
- Seasonal Changes : Adjusting feed based on seasonal needs.

✅ 7. Hands-On Feeding how to measure and mix feeds discuss the time allowed a forage or grain to soak.

With the warmer than usual summer here in Wisconsin keeping your horse hydrated is very important. Salt is essential in...
18/07/2024

With the warmer than usual summer here in Wisconsin keeping your horse hydrated is very important.

Salt is essential in a horse's diet for several reasons. Primarily, it provides sodium and chloride, crucial electrolytes that aid in maintaining fluid balance, nerve function, and muscle contractions. Horses lose significant amounts of these electrolytes through sweat, especially during hot weather or intense exercise, making it vital to replenish them to prevent dehydration and related health issues. Additionally, sodium helps in nutrient absorption and the regulation of blood pressure. Without adequate salt intake, horses may suffer from fatigue, poor performance, and more severe conditions like colic or heat stroke. Therefore, ensuring that horses have access to salt, either through a salt block or added to their feed, is critical for their overall health and well-being.

Here are ten reasons why salt is important in a horse's diet:

1. Electrolyte Balance
- Salt helps maintain the balance of electrolytes in a horse's body, which is essential for proper nerve and muscle function.

2. Hydration
- Adequate salt intake encourages horses to drink more water, which helps prevent dehydration, especially in hot weather or during heavy exercise.

3. Digestive Health
- Salt stimulates the production of saliva, aiding in the digestion of food and reducing the risk of colic.

4. Muscle Function
- Sodium and chloride, components of salt, are vital for muscle contractions and overall muscle health.

5. Nerve Function
- Salt is crucial for transmitting nerve impulses, ensuring that the horse's nervous system functions properly.

6. Prevention of Cribbing
- Providing adequate salt can help prevent cribbing (a behavior where horses chew on wood) by satisfying the horse's need for sodium.

7. Sweat Replacement
- Horses lose significant amounts of salt through sweat, especially during exercise. Replenishing salt helps maintain electrolyte levels.

8. Regulation of Body Fluids
- Salt helps regulate the balance of fluids in the horse's body, supporting kidney function and overall health.

9. Appetite Stimulation
- Salt can stimulate a horse's appetite, encouraging them to eat more and maintain a healthy weight.

10. Preventing Deficiency
- A lack of salt can lead to salt deficiency, which can cause lethargy, poor coat condition, and decreased performance.

https://denaliequinenutrition.com/

Denali Equine Nutrition
Balanced nutrition for the life of your horse 

Fuel your horses potential with a balanced diet including grain/concentrate, and consult an equine nutrition advisor to ...
10/07/2024

Fuel your horses potential with a balanced diet including grain/concentrate, and consult an equine nutrition advisor to make informed decisions for their optimal health and well-being.

Grain/concentrate are good sources of nutrients for horses, feeding them too much or too quickly can cause health problems:

✅ Digestive issues
Feeding horses too much grain in one meal can overload their small intestine and cause rapid fermentation, which can lead to an imbalance in gut pH levels. This environment can promote the growth of harmful bacteria and toxins, which can cause colic, laminitis, diarrhea, and other digestive disorders.

✅ Symptoms of grain overload can include trembling, sweating, elevated heart rate and respiratory rate, and usually occur within 1–48 hours of eating.

✅ Blood sugar and insulin:
Grain meals cause a horse's blood sugar to rise due to the carbohydrates they contain. However, a quick rise in blood sugar can also cause a spike in insulin levels, which creates a short-lived energy wave for the horse. If this happens repeatedly, it can lead to spikes and drops in both glucose and insulin throughout the day.

✅ Obesity: Consuming too many calories from grain can lead to obesity.

✅ Stomach acidification: A ration that's too rich in starch can acidify a horse's stomach contents.

To avoid these problems, you can try these tips:

✅ Divide large amounts of grain into two or more feedings per day.

✅ Don't feed horses more than 0.5% of their body weight in grain in a single meal.

✅ If possible, avoid feeding large meals of grain-based concentrates less than an hour before strenuous exercise, transport, or other stressful situations.

When in doubt consult a equine nutrition adviser to help you make informed decisions
Happy feeding !

https://denaliequinenutrition.com/

Denali Equine Nutrition
Balanced nutrition for the life of your horse

Over-supplementation of horse supplements can be dangerous and expensive. Horses can't use excess nutrients, so they're ...
02/07/2024

Over-supplementation of horse supplements can be dangerous and expensive. Horses can't use excess nutrients, so they're excreted in urine and f***s, which can be costly. Over-supplementation can also waste resources like energy and organ function, especially if the horse is already eating nutrient-rich forages and fortified feeds.

Over-supplementing is a real problem many horse owners face. Some horse owners will purchase more than one over the counter supplement after reading the claims on the label of the product. They often believe that it will help their horses have a longer and stronger competitive life without consulting a an equine nutrition advisor.

Instead of buying a mass of supplements, it’s worth your time and money to work with a specialist first. An equine nutrition advisor  can help you determine what your horses need specifically in regards to vitamins and minerals from analysing their hay, grass and other additives they are being fed.

Before adding any supplements to their diet, I will recommend you to check the ingredients of your horses’ feeds or have your hay checked to see if it already has any specific nutrients. By working with me, you will also have a deeper understanding of equine nutrition and your horses’ dietary requirements that will help you know what steps should be taken next.

Always remember, when in doubt, consult an equine nutrition advisor! 

Happy supplementing

https://denaliequinenutrition.com/

Denali Equine Nutrition
Balance nutrition for the life of your horse 

Give your pastures a boost, twice a year! Earth science fast acting lime.Many parts of North America have acid (low pH) ...
28/06/2024

Give your pastures a boost, twice a year!

Earth science fast acting lime.

Many parts of North America have acid (low pH) soils which need liming. While using fertilizer is often unnecessary, using lime is crucial with these types of acidic soils. To grow pastures successfully, soil pH need to be raised to somewhere between 5.8 and 7 throughout the top six to eight inches of soil. If the soil pH is wrong, many of the nutrients in the soil cannot be used by pasture plants. Overusing fertilizer can further acidify the soil and waste money for you, plus potentially pollute surface waters with runoff of unused nutrients.

Agricultural lime is made from naturally occurring limestone and is primarily calcium and magnesium. Limestone is ground very fine so it can react with soil acidity to raise pH – the finer the ground, the faster it will work.

However, ground limestone is very dusty which makes it difficult to handle so manufacturers offer prilled, pelletized and granulated lime. In these products the very fine particles are bonded to a carrier such as clay to make the lime easier to spread. Just remember to use an agricultural lime (naturally occurring) and not a caustic lime (a chemical compound) such as calcium oxide, hydrated lime or quicklime which can burn plants.

Using lime does a number of things. It increases the effectiveness of any fertilizers you eventually apply.

1. It encourages the activity of soil bacteria thus releasing valuable nutrients such as nitrogen, phosphorus, and sulfur.

2. It supplies calcium and magnesium to the soil.

How much compost, fertilizer and lime you apply and the time of year you apply should be based on the results of a soil test.

Contact your local Conservation District, Extension office or Natural Resources Conservation Service for information, where to have it analyzed and how to get help with interpreting results.

Fertilizers can actually cause serious problems if applied at the wrong time but lime can be applied anytime. I’m hoping the person you hired will be knowledgeable enough to help you with this. On a pasture it is best to apply lime before a rainy period so it breaks down faster. Aerating and/or mowing the pasture before applying lime will help the lime work its way into the soil.

I recommend spreading lime twice a year; pearled dolomite lime in the spring and slow-release dolomite in the fall.

Useful tools for spreading lime include a drop seed spreader (for pelletized lime) or lime spreader (for powder). Feed stores farm supply, stores, sell lime by the bag under labels such as “Dolopril” (a prilled calcium/magnesium product), “Calpril”(a calcium only lime if your soil doesn’t need magnesium) and “Dolomite” (powdered lime).

https://denaliequinenutrition.com/

Denali Equine Nutrition
Balanced nutrition for the life of your horse 

It’s more than just the very best nutrition its listening to the horse it’s figuring out what will work and what won’t ....
27/06/2024

It’s more than just the very best nutrition its listening to the horse it’s figuring out what will work and what won’t .

The horse's spiritual energy reminds us that we possess the strength and courage to pursue our dreams with unwavering determination, unbridled by the limitations imposed by others or ourselves. In the heart of the horse's gallop, there lies a lesson in the beauty of teamwork and cooperation.

✅ 20% off all nutrition programs July 1st to the 31st 2024!Message me for details !
23/06/2024

✅ 20% off all nutrition programs July 1st to the 31st 2024!
Message me for details !

Is your horse getting enough selenium?Many of the areas of major concentrations of horses in the U.S.have selenium def...
15/06/2024

Is your horse getting enough selenium?

Many of the areas of major concentrations of horses in the U.S.have selenium deficient soils. Generally, if the soil is deficient, the forage grown on it will be selenium deficient. Plants growing in acidic soils do not efficiently take up selenium from the soil, so areas that are acidic with low levels of selenium in the soil will produce forage even more deficient. The majority of the horse population in the U.S.does not receive adequate amounts of selenium from forage.

The easiest way to tell if your horse is selenium deficient is with a blood test. To assess selenium status of a horse, concentrations can be measured in serum, plasma, or whole blood. You can coordinate with your local vet to have a sample taken and sent off for testing. Whole blood selenium levels are indicative of chronic levels of selenium intake, while serum and plasma levels are indicative of short term intake of selenium. The bigger question, if you’re located in a selenium-deficient area, is whether or not your forage is providing enough selenium, and if not, is your fortified feed making up for the difference.

Once you know the nutritional composition of your horse’s forage, which is done by obtaining a sample of your forage and interpreting results. Then total daily selenium intake can be determined by multiplying the selenium concentration in the forage by the daily intake of forage and combining that with the amount supplied by your horse’s feed. Comparing this to the recommended daily intake for your horse will will let you know whether its requirements are being met or not. Then, you can formulate a plan to combat selenium deficiency, or prevent it from occurring.

Book your FREE discovery call!

https://denaliequinenutrition.com/

Denali Equine Nutrition
Balanced nutrition for the life of your horse 

12/06/2024

In today's episode of The Draft Horse Podcast we speak with Michelle from Denali Equine Nutrition about the special nutritional needs of the draft horse breeds.

Denali Equine Nutrition
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61556027011957⁠
https://denaliequinenutrition.com/⁠

Listen to the podcast on Spotify, Amazon or Apple.
https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/the-draft-horse-podcast/episodes/Episode-6-Michelle-from-Denali-Equine-Nutrition-e2kf32d

Denali Equine Nutrition

ROTATIONAL GRAZING Rotational grazing requires dividing the pasture area into several small paddocks. As one paddock nee...
09/06/2024

ROTATIONAL GRAZING

Rotational grazing requires dividing the pasture area into several small paddocks. As one paddock needs rest, you can move the horses to another paddock for grazing. There’s no ideal number of paddocks for rotational grazing, do what works best for your farm.

In some cases (early in spring with several paddocks), you may need to rotate the horses before they adequately graze the pasture. In this case, horse owners may hay the paddock or mow the forage to about 4 inches in height.

In spring, keep horses off pastures until the ground firms up and the grass has a chance to get growing. Once the grass is 6 to 8 inches tall, start easing the horses onto the grass in 15 minute increments. Gradually increase the amount of time in the pastures by 15 minutes each day (e.g. 15 minutes on day 1, 30 minutes on day 2, 45 minutes on day 3) until you reach 5 hours of grazing. This will happen over the course of several weeks.

Once you reach 5 hours of grazing, the horses can graze continuously as long as enough pasture is available.

Also switch horses around, put them in different paddocks because horses are selective grazers and will always go to the same spot to eat what they like. Also put different groups of horses in different pastures. 

Adequate rest and recovery periods are essential to maintaining desirable pasture plants with good productivity.

A sacrifice paddock is a designated area where you can keep your horse when pastures:

1. Don’t have enough forage
2. Are resting
3. Are too wet

Because a sacrifice paddock usually turns to dirt, it’s also termed a dry lot or holding area. Many owners feed hay and grain in the sacrifice paddock. This area usually has a water source and shelter for the horse.

The sacrifice paddock should be large enough for comfortable, long-term housing for horses.

Generally, grass growth potential is higher in spring, lower in summer, and moderate in fall. If you have only a few paddocks or if it’s during the summer, you may need to keep your horses in a sacrifice paddock while the paddocks rest and regrow.

Mowing can help pasture productivity by:

1. Evening out pasture growth.
2. Controlling w**ds.

Mowing your pastures to a height of 4to 6 inches three to four times a year will keep the grasses less mature. Young plants are more desirable and palatable for horses. When the grass gets too long, they do not like to eat it.

Make sure to mow w**ds at or before flowering to prevent seeding. You can apply herbicides selectively and carefully as necessary. Always follow the directions and restrictions provided on the herbicide label. Applying herbicides in the spring or summer will help control annual and biennial w**ds. However, mowing three to four times each year can also control most annual w**ds.

For effective perennial w**d control, keep mowing throughout the growing season to prevent seeding. Apply herbicides in early fall (around September 1st) for the most effective control. Follow any grazing restrictions listed on the herbicide label.

A well-managed pasture will outcompete most w**d species. But since horses are such picky grazers, you can’t completely eliminate all w**ds.

As forage, w**ds are generally:

Less palatable.
Less nutritious.
Lower yielding.
Less dependable for forage.

Book your FREE discovery call now!

Happy grazing!

https://denaliequinenutrition.com/

Denali Equine Nutrition
Balanced nutrition for the life of your horse

Friday Fun !
07/06/2024

Friday Fun !

06/06/2024
All your equine nutrition needs!✅ Free discovery call when you sign up for a program.✅ 60 minute one time consultation✅ ...
04/06/2024

All your equine nutrition needs!

✅ Free discovery call when you sign up for a program.

✅ 60 minute one time consultation

✅ 60 day program
This means you have me for the full 60 days. Before and after pictures to keep track of progress, detailed information after the program is finished. Also includes a hay analysis. Discounted price for return clients.

✅ 90 day program
This means that you have me for the full 90 days.  Before and after pictures to keep track of progress, detailed information after the program is finished. Also includes a hay analysis. Discounted price for return clients.

✅ Can be done on farm or online!

https://denaliequinenutrition.com/

Confused by the vast array of equine supplements available on the market?Worried about the potential for overlapping?Wha...
02/06/2024

Confused by the vast array of equine supplements available on the market?

Worried about the potential for overlapping?

What is the correct dosage amount for effectiveness or is it just tag dressing?

 The possibility of creating new problems?

Consult with a qualified equine advisor to receive personalized guidance and a simple plan tailored to your horse's specific needs. 

✅Biotin

✅Vitamin E

✅Electrolytes

✅Skin and coat supplements

✅Hoof supplements

✅Joint supplements

✅Respiratory supplements

✅Supplements for horses on restricted grazing

✅Glucosamine

✅Zinc

✅Omega 3

✅Vitamin C

✅Chondroitin sulfate

✅Hyaluronic acid

✅Magnesium

✅MSM

✅Performance

✅Probiotics

Happy supplementing! 
Book your FREE discovery call

https://denaliequinenutrition.com/

Denali Equine Nutrition
Balance nutrition for the life of your horse 

Denali Equine Nutrition is dedicated to providing your horse with the nutritional support it needs to excel. Our science...
29/05/2024

Denali Equine Nutrition is dedicated to providing your horse with the nutritional support it needs to excel. Our science-based programs are designed to help your horse reach its full potential. Let us help you create a customized feeding plan that fuels your horse's journey to greatness !

View my website to learn more information & to book a FREE discovery call!

https://denaliequinenutrition.com/

HOW A NUTRITION PROGRAM CAN HELP As a passionate and certified Equine Nutrition Advisor, I understand the best way to ac...
25/05/2024

HOW A NUTRITION PROGRAM CAN HELP

As a passionate and certified Equine Nutrition Advisor, I understand the best way to achieve your horse’s goals and take an integrated and proactive approach. During your consultation, I will map out a plan that works for both of you!

✅ BEST FEEDING PRACTICES:
Integrated and proactive approach to achieve your horse’s healthiest goals.

✅ NUTRITION AND DIET:
Create a balanced nutrition program to help your horse achieve the body condition and health that’s best.

✅ FORAGE AND GRAIN:
Choose the right hay, grain and supplements - from birth to senior status and all classes and life stages in between.

✅ SAVE MONEY ON SUPPLEMENTS AND GRAIN

Certified Equine Nutrition Advisor:

As a passionate and certified Equine Nutrition Advisor, I will create a diet and nutritional program that will meet the specific needs of your horse. Based on their age, breed, weight, job; level of activity and current nutrition program.

✅ Best Feeding Practices:

Hard keepers, Seniors, Mare and Foal, Miniature horses and Ponies
Re-feeding the starved horse to easy keepers
Performance and Maintenance

✅ Dietary and nutritional information on Cushing’s Disease, PSSM, and Equine Metabolic Syndrome.

✅ Specializing In:
Seniors, hard keepers, re-feeding the starved horse/re-feeding syndrome.

✅ Hay Analysis:
What this looks like. Obtaining a sample, sending it out for processing and interpretation.

✅ Pasture maintenance and management:
Rest and re- growth /grazing management. Re-seeding and soil testing .

Happy feeding!

https://denaliequinenutrition.com/

Denali Equine Nutrition
Balanced nutrition for the life of your horse

The shady cat helps me with cleaning!
24/05/2024

The shady cat helps me with cleaning!

Establishing and managing horse pastures. Horses and pastures are closely related, and for good reason. Pastures offer h...
16/05/2024

Establishing and managing horse pastures.

Horses and pastures are closely related, and for good reason. Pastures offer horses a space for exercise and a natural feed source, which can be cost-effective. However, having a pasture alone does not guarantee both benefits. To achieve both, a productive pasture must be established and maintained through proper management and planning to ensure both goals are met.

Soil Test – A test is the best guide for correcting soil pH and soil fertility needs. County Extension Offices have soil sample kits and instructions.

Apply Lime and Fertilizer – Apply according to soil test. If large lime applications are needed, plow some down and disc some in. Disc fertilizer in after plowing. If using nutrient sources such as manure, apply before plowing or other soil preparation. To start a vigorous crop, correct lime and nutrient needs before seeding. Annual fertilizer applications are required for maintenance. Soil test the year after establishment. Lime may be needed every 3 to 4 years, so test soil again.

Prepare a Good Seedbed – Most forage seeds and seedlings are small and require a fine firm seedbed. Finely worked soil allows close seed-to-soil contact for germination, and close root-to-soil contact for early growth. A firm seedbed allows close depth control for shallow seed placement. Loose and cloddy seedbeds waste seed and do not sustain early growth well.

Buy High Quality Seed – Use species and varieties which are adapted to the area that you live in. Avoid shopping for “bargain” seed. The cost difference between “bargain” and high-quality seed is very small when the entire expense is considered.

Use a Good Seeding Mixture – Usually it is best to keep a mixture simple: a highly productive grass, a legume, and Kentucky bluegrass. Bluegrass produces a resilient sod that “heals” well when cut by horses’ hooves. The other grass provides feed when the bluegrass goes dormant in the summer. Legumes supply protein and reduce the need for nitrogen fertilization. Management becomes more difficult as more species are added. On highly variable soils, however, more complex mixes can be advantageous. Some species grow where others do not, ensuring coverage of the entire area.

Grasses to Choose From

Kentucky bluegrass – makes rapid growth in spring and fall, but is dormant in summer months. Tolerates frequent grazing.

Smooth bromegrass – forms a loose sod, but can become coarse and stemmy. Clip for best utilization. Does not tolerate frequent grazing, requires rotational grazing.

Reed canarygrass – is most useful when immature; it may become very coarse later. Clip before seed heads appear. Tolerates wet soils, but even low alkaloid varieties are not as palatable as other pasture species.

Orchardgrass – matures early, so clip to keep it palatable. Tolerates frequent grazing better than some species.

Timothy – regrows slowly after grazing. Use only with other grasses. Does not tolerate frequent grazing, requires a regular schedule of pasture rotation.

Tall fescue – withstands traffic. An internal fungus may cause problems for horses. The fungus called an endophyte has been shown to affect pregnant mares. Endophyte-free tall fescue varieties are commercially available for pasture use. Use only seed that is certified endophyte-free. Be very digilante about this.

Perennial ryegrass – is palatable and nutritious. It is not very winter hardy, re-seeding may be needed in more northern locations. Recently, endophytes have been introduced to some perennial ryegrass cultivars. When purchasing perennial ryegrass buy endophyte-free cultivars for pasture use.

Legumes to Choose From:

Ladino clover/a giant form of white clover that associates well with tall grasses, but is somewhat susceptible to drought.

Red clover – not recommended/use only newer, more disease-resistant varieties. They persist for 3 to 4, years while older varieties last only about 2 years. Slobbers is associated with an alkaloid (slaframine) found in red clover.

Birdsfoot trefoil – is a good pasture legume, but difficult to establish. Leave 3 to 4 inches of growth for recovery after grazing.

Alfalfa – presents management problems in pastures. Use only where 5 weeks are available for recovery after rotational grazing.
These are just a few there are many others. 

Seeding – Late summer seedings often do better than spring seedlings because of cooler weather after seedling emergence. Usually there are also fewer w**d problems. Seed from mid-August to early September, or as early in the spring as possible. Use a technique which covers seed only ¼ to ½ inch. Leaving seed on the soil will only result in a poor rate of germination. Bandseeding, drilling, or use of corrugated-roller seeder are better methods than surface broadcasting.

Control W**ds – Early w**d growth will ruin a pasture. Either use herbicides or clip closely as often as needed. If using herbicides, read and follow all label instructions.
Grazing – Do NOT begin until there are 8 to 9 inches of growth. The root system must be well established or horses will pull the plants out while grazing.

Management:

Horses graze selectively, often eating one kind of plant and passing over others. This leaves unutilized areas which become unpalatable and can eventually eliminate the most palatable species. Good management can reduce these problems and make the pasture more useful.

Delay Early Grazing – A common cause of pasture failure is grazing too early. This can occur in early life of new pasture or any pasture in early spring. Keep animals out of a pasture until there is at least 8 to 9 inches of growth. Young plants are easily damaged by horses’ hooves earlier, and the root systems are not sufficiently developed to prevent the whole plant from being pulled out as horses graze. Avoid use of the pasture in early spring when soil is soft. Sod will be cut by hooves and compacting of the soil will cause additional damage. Wait until soil is dry and firm before beginning spring grazing. Better yet, wait for 8 to 9 inches of growth.
Fertilize Annually – To keep a pasture productive, fertilize it annually. Start with a soil test. County Extension Offices have soil test kits and instructions. Base fertility applications on test results and retest every 3 to 4 years. The soil test will also provide this information. Take horses out of the pasture when liming or fertilizing and keep them out for several days or until after a rain. The most appropriate times for making these applications are in the spring before grazing begins, or in the fall after grazing ends. In pastures with only grasses, nitrogen can be applied just after a grazing period in a rotational system, or in continuously grazed pastures to stimulate growth for the next 5 to 6 weeks.

Manage Grazing – Many pastures are over-grazed, but few are undergrazed. Either situation is undesirable. Unfortunately, seasonal growth variations also contribute to these problems.

Overgrazing is probably the more common problem for the owner of one or two horses and limited acreage. As a guideline, it takes about 1 acre of pasture to support one horse for an entire grazing season. Frequently, there are two or more horses on less than 1 acre. The available feed gets “eaten into the ground,” and these areas become exercise lots. Not much can be done except to provide more space.

Undergrazing results from having too few animals in a pasture. Part of the feed is not eaten, becomes coarse and stemmy, and is wasted. The solution is to force the animals to consume the feed while it palatable. Confine the animals to a portion of the pasture; overgrazing it for a short time. When the feed is consumed in that area, let them graze the rest of the pasture. This is a good time to clip the first area, spread the droppings so they will dry, apply fertilizer, and allow the area to recover. This is called rotational grazing and is one of the most efficient ways to manage a pasture. A series of small pasture or paddocks may also be used. In effect, each area is overgrazed for a short time, then allowed several weeks to recover. The last areas to be grazed may need early clipping to keep them palatable. The time for grazing any one paddock is determined by the amount of feed available, the size of the area, and the number of horses.

Cut off That Pasture – Regular cutting is one of the least expensive (but most useful) practices in pasture management. Cutting  an entire pasture after a period of grazing removes the unused feed and allows all of the plants to start new palatable growth. Previously undergrazed areas will be grazed after being cut. Many w**ds will be controlled, and droppings can be spread to dry. Cut several times during the grazing season.

W**d Control – Clipping will help to control w**ds that appear in pastures. However, it will not remove all w**ds. Those which persist in spite of clipping may need to be controlled by using herbicides. County Extension Agricultural Agents have information about herbicides to be used in these cases. Remove animals from the pasture when herbicides are used and keep them out for the time specified on the herbicide container. Whenever using any pesticide, read and follow instructions on the bag.

This is time consuming and a lot of work, but once established, are worth the time and effort! Book you’re free discovery call to find out how I can help you with this process!

Happy grazing!

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