The Equine Connection Podcast

In this week's podcast, we tackle a case study. An owner called and was worried that her yearling, Mikey. Mikey suddenly stopped eating his horse feed. The Tribute team takes you through the scenario and discussion with the horse's owner. Eventually, the cause is identified and resolved. Mikey is back to eating his feed and is healthy and happy. A fun episode on what equine nutritionists do day in...

In this episode of the Equine Connection podcast, hosts Kim Brown and Dr. Nicole Rambo delve into the topic of equine health, specifically focusing on equine gastric ulcers. They discuss the different types of gastric ulcers that affect horses, how to identify signs of ulcers, and the various risk factors. The conversation covers early research focused on squamous disease, revealing that ulcers co...

The introduction of pre- and probiotics to equine diets has provided multiple benefits to horses from all around the world. In this week's podcast, we focus on what exactly prebiotics are and how they work. Then we discuss probiotics, what they are and how they also work. The bottom line is, synergistically working together, pre- and probiotics help improve the digestive health of our horses. Thus...

It has always been said, "No Hoof, No Horse." We, as owners, are always caring for and concerned with our horse's hooves. While there are many factors that influence hoof health, nutrition plays a vital role. This week, we discuss this more in detail. First, we briefly touch on how hooves grow and what can impact their growth. We then discuss vital nutrients and how they help our horse's feet. Fin...

The term "hard" keeper is used quite frequently by horse owners. Thus, in this week's podcast, we focus solely on the hard keeper and what that means as a horse owner. Hard keepers are horses that have difficulty in maintaining weight (body condition). We discuss some of the signs and how to identify if your horse is a hard keeper. We also chat about certain horse types that tend to be harder keep...

Horse owners may be alarmed when witnessing a horse start to eat either its own manure, or even manure from another horse. Typically, this is seen in foals and other young horses, and we talk about why they may exhibit this behavior. There is even some evidence that manure eating is beneficial to young horses, and we briefly touch upon that. Then, we switch the discussion of what to do when this b...

Polysaccharide Storage Myopathy (PSSM) is a genetic disease affecting many breeds of horses. There are two identified types of PSSM: PSSM Type 1 and PSSM Type 2. In this week's podcast, we focus in on PSSM Type 1. During the podcast, we discuss what PSSM is and how Type 1 is identifiable in horses. We address which horses are at risk of this genetic disease and what it means to their health. Diet...

Horses are unique amongst many other large herbivores, like cattle, sheep, and even deer. Rather, horses and their cousins (donkeys, zebras and other equids), are part of a smaller group known as "hindgut" fermenters. This week, we discuss the horse's digestive tract. We start at the teeth and go all the way through, giving highlights to each structure and what makes horses so unique. This is impo...

In days gone by, it was not uncommon to warm up some water and mix it with some bran to make a nice, warm mash for your horse. Many believed it helped warm their horses during a cold winter's night. Others believed a bran mash had a nice laxative effect and aided their horse's digestion. In this week's podcast, we highlight why feeding bran or making a bran mash may not be such a good idea for you...

This week we focus on the broodmare and discuss why she requires special care and attention. Broodmares are especially interesting because they go through so many tremendous changes through gestation and then immediately following parturition. During gestation, broodmares require careful management as they provide critical nutrients to the foal. We specially focus on why owners need to be careful...

You may have heard the term "hay belly" used to describe a horse that looks obese, but isn't. Many do not quite know what hay belly really is. Thus, in this week's podcast we talk about hay belly and tell you exactly what this condition is and how to identify it. We then go on to describe which types of horses may be prone to experiencing hay belly and what the underlying causes are. Prevention is...

As a legume, alfalfa is a unique forage and is the primary choice for many horse owners. Because the foundation for any horse diet will always be forage, this week we focus on alfalfa and why or why not it would be a good choice for your horse. We start off discussing how alfalfa as a legume differs from many of our grass forages. We especially focus on which nutrients differ and what owners shoul...

As many in North America are experiencing cold weather, we go into some tips on how to assist your horse in their changing nutritional needs. We jump right in and start talking calories and why it's important to be aware of them in your horse's diet. This is especially true as the seasons change and the weather challenges a horse's ability to maintain body condition and thermoregulate. We also sha...

While many horses are considered overweight and are considered easy keepers, often owners will have horses that are difficult to maintain weight and are considered hard keepers. We provide a brief review of the Henneke Body Condition Scoring System and also discuss the Tribute Wellness System. Together, they can be used to evaluate how well your horses are doing with their diets. We discuss what c...

With winter coming, it would be worth your while to review your nutrition plan for your senior horses. Generally, a senior horse is one that is older than 15 years old. However, there are many factors that can influence what we could consider a "senior horse," which we discuss. We also talk about why winter can be a tougher time for older horses when compared to our younger stock. With winter and...

Beet pulp is a common feedstuff fed to horses. It is often included in horse feeds and commonly supplemented by horse owners. However, it is when it is added to your horse's diet that there should be some caution. In this week's podcast, we explain why beet pulp is a good food source for horses. We talk about how it is a highly digestible fiber source, making it a great ingredient for horse feeds....

Moving your horse to a new facility can be an exciting but challenging experience for both you and your horses. Whether it's a new boarding stable, a change of residence, or a temporary location for training or competition, transitioning to a new environment requires careful planning and consideration. In this week's podcast, we discuss some of the most critical aspects of managing your horse at a...

We have often highlighted that it is important for every owner to formulate a feeding plan for their horses. In this week's podcast, we are joined with a Tribute Equine Specialist, Sarah Ranker, who talks with us about the importance of having a feeding plan for your horse. Sarah spends much of her time speaking to horse owners about what they are feeding their horses and she helps them formulate...

Chromium is one of the latest "hot topics' in horse nutrition. Many companies are now promoting chromium to horse owners and this week we tackle this latest trend. We answer what exactly chromium is, how it is utilized by the horse, and how it can potentially be beneficial to your horse. However, caution is advised as certain types of horses can be potentially harmed if they are fed chromium. We a...

Dietary supplements can be beneficial to horses and are increasing in popularity. One such supplement, turmeric, has gained traction by equine nutritionists as one of these beneficial supplements. In this week's podcast, we discuss how turmeric can benefit horses and how it works. We look at what the research says and why it is now being added to horse diets. It is actually one of the key ingredie...

One of the most popular breeds around the world has to be the Thoroughbred. These versatile horses compete in numerous disciplines and are beloved by many. From horse racing to eventing to pleasure riding, Thoroughbreds can do it all. Yet, due to their breeding, they do exhibit some breed characteristics that owners need to be aware of. Thus, in this week's podcast, we tackle some of those issues...

One of the questions equine nutritionists are often asked is, "What in the heck are wheat middlings?" Some think they are a budget ingredient just added as filler to horse feeds and do not offer much to the horse. Well in this week's podcast, we address this and tell you why wheat middlings are often included in many horse feeds. We also address what nutrition they provide to your horses and how t...

As we transition into the fall and eventually into winter, it can bring a lot of stress to your horses. How best to manage them and limit the amount of stress they experience is the topic of this week's podcast. One of the biggest concerns is, of course, colic. Thus, every owner should have a solid management plan in place to help their horses through these seasonal changes.  You can learn more ab...

Equine Protozoal Myeloencephalitis (EPM) is a neurological disease impacting many horses throughout North America. It is a disease that can affect any horse that ingests the microbe through opossum feces. While it can be rare in horses, those that do get infected can have serious problems leading to death. However, there are some excellent treatments that can help horses when under veterinary care...

Of all the horse breeds, gaited horses are often considered the most elegant. This is because gaited horse breeds are those that have been selectively bred to perform specialized movements called ambling gaits. These gaits are often considered smooth and easy to ride. Additionally, of the many breeds of gaited horses, some may have specialized nutrient requirements like some of our top equine athl...