
What are Gastric Ulcers and What Can I Feed My Horse to Help Manage Them?
The horse has evolved as a grazing animal; forage plays an essential role in equine health. Horses are non-ruminant herbivores, also known as a “hindgut fermenters.” Their digestive tract is made up of a simple stomach, small intestine and large intestine. The natural feeding habit of the horse is to eat small amounts of roughages, often. Domestication has changed this. Modern management practices...

A Balancing Act: How Much Protein Do Horses Need?
You may have heard the phrases: "Too much protein makes my horse crazy," "Not enough protein will cause loss of top-line muscle," "Excess protein will wear out the kidneys," and more. These phrases are discussed and debated in barn aisles, underscore the importance of protein in horses' diet, and point out some misunderstandings of protein. Protein is an essential nutrient in the diet of all...

Counting Calories - Getting the Energy Content Right in Horse Diets
Understanding the energy or calorie content of your horses’ diet can be confusing. Horse owners certainly want their animals to have adequate energy, but not too much energy that may cause erratic behavior. A better understanding of energy requirements for horses will help bring clarity to this topic. Energy is necessary to run all the chemical reactions within the horse. These chemical reactions...

Four Forms of Premium Standlee Forage
At Standlee, we take the guess work out of premium forage that can be fed to your animals. Our premium forage has been managed and properly stored to maximize freshness and prevent environment damage. At our processing plant in Eden, Idaho, we package our premium forage into four physical forms: pellets, cubes, chopped, and bales. 1. Pellets Consistent nutrient content Uniform from bag to...

Traveling with your Horse: What about Water?
Many horse owners haul their horses to competitions or to new areas for trail riding in the summer months. By far the most critical aspect of the hauling process is to keep horses adequately hydrated before, during, and following travel. The water requirement for horses increases in the summer months due to water loss associated with sweating. Horses sweat to help dissipate heat associated with...