ARTICLE LIBRARY

Horses age at different rates and feeding a horse a 'veteran' feed just because he is about to have his 16th birthday may not be appropriate. So probably the best piece of advice you can follow when faced with feeding an older horse or pony is simply to treat him or her as an individual, just as you would any other in fact.

Nearly every major feed manufacturer produces a balancer and it seems that they are so versatile everyone should be using them. But what are they and would your horse benefit from receiving one?

There are a number of factors to consider when choosing the right compound feed for your horse such as their type, bodyweight, temperament, condition and workload which should influence which feed to go for

Digestive enhancers include probiotics, prebiotics and yeast culture which all have slightly different functions.

The use of electrolyte supplements has the potential to significantly affect a horse's performance and, importantly, recovery; here we take a look at the science and the practicalities behind their effective use.

Losing weight is tough and it's even tougher if you're an animal like the horse that is designed to spend most of its life eating. Finding the happy medium is what managing a good doer is all about and hopefully the following tips will help you to keep your horse in good shape both mentally and physically.

You can't change the genetic make up of an individual horse or transform a natural sprinter into a stayer but you can help any horse perform to the limits of his personal stamina with careful training fuelled by the right kind of energy and supporting nutrients.

If your grass is good, it's likely that your horse's energy demands will be partially, if not fully, satisfied by what he grazes each day. What will be less obvious is whether his requirements for vitamins, minerals and quality protein are fully met through grass intake alone.

When illness or injury strike, not only do these have to be treated but they generally involve a change in routine for the horse and an appropriate change in diet too. This can be almost as stressful as the problem itself, so it is worth considering how best to deal with the situation in order to minimise the risk of secondary setbacks and maximise the chances of a speedy recovery.

Tying-Up, also known as Monday Morning Disease or Setfast, requires careful feeding and management routines to avoid re-occurrence

So many thoroughbreds are now finding new careers as riding and competition horses and, when they first come to a new home, a new diet is one of the first major changes they face.

The advent and more widespread use of modern preserved forages has sparked recent debate as to whether horses can indeed survive on just forage alone and whether more nutritious fibre products could indeed be all that equines need.

A diet formulated for stamina and endurance can be quite different from that designed for power and speed. Emma Case BSc (Hons) takes a look at the theory behind fuelling for success over long distances.

As winter progresses, you'll be assessing the condition of your horse and thinking about making changes in preparation for the season ahead. Consider your plans and work out a fitness programme, however basic, that includes a review of your feeding regime to bring your horse to the level of fitness and condition you need.

Weight loss probably causes the most concern amongst horseowners which is why so many people feel compelled to ask for advice. If there seems to be no apparent reason for the weight loss and you have tried everything you can think of to improve the situation, it can be exasperating. If you are faced with this situation then the following advice should be of help.

Whatever the original cause of the disease, nutrition plays an important part in its management and the horse's ultimate recovery; more importantly, it is fundamental to the successful prevention of an attack.

Losing a horse at any time is upsetting but when it's a mare at foaling it can be even more distressing, not least because there is the added worry of looking after the orphan.

What are the main sources of "essential" fatty acids and what the effects of adding them to the horse's diet? (Don Kapper, Director of Nutrition and Technical Services at Progressive Nutrition, Iowa, USA)

Breeding horses is all about getting a return on your investment, whether by selling through the auction ring or as an owner breeder experiencing the thrill of producing a winning racehorse. Getting that return involves hard work and attention to detail, encompassing good balanced nutritional programmes and sensible exercise regimes alongside overall health and general management.

Whilst you cannot change a horse's temperament or type by changing his feed, your choice of feed and the way you feed it can affect his condition and energy levels. Here we look at the most common extremes of condition and temperament and how you can adjust your feeding programme to achieve the result you are looking for.

We all have our own way of doing things and with feeding horses it%u2019s no different. But have you ever considered why you do what you do and whether it%u2019s actually for the right reasons?