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Kentucky Equine Research continually conducts studies at its 150-acre research facility. Some of these results are presented at industry conferences or shared in peer-reviewed journals. Review some of our findings from the past 30 years below.
June 11, 2019

Heart Rate, Speed and Lactate During the Cross-Country Phase of an Advanced and CCI*** Three-Day Event

Performance in three-day event horses is influenced by the horse’s innate ability combined with its level of fitness. Heart rate (HR) and blood lactate have been routinely measured in laboratory settings to evaluate fitness and/or ability in horses. To investigate whether these measurements are useful in assessing performance during competition, 11 horses competing at the […]


June 11, 2019

A Supplement Containing Marine-Derived Minerals Increases Bone Density in Thoroughbred Racehorses in Early Training

Bone density and strength are important for the long-term health and soundness of performance horses. Marine-derived mineral complexes improve bone density and strength in laboratory animals and humans. Additionally, nutrients without established requirements in horses, such as boron, silicon and vitamin C, may affect bone health. This study evaluated the effect of feeding a supplement […]


June 11, 2019

Omeprazole Reduces Calcium Digestibility in Thoroughbred Horses

Omeprazole (OM) is a proton pump inhibitor (PPI) that inhibits gastric acid secretion in horses and is the most popular treatment for EGUS. PPIs are also widely used in humans to treat acid-related conditions and have been associated with a reduction in the digestibility of several nutrients, including protein, fat, calcium (Ca) and iron. This […]


June 11, 2019

A Comparison of the Nutrient Composition of European Feeds Used at the 2010 and 2018 FEI World Equestrian Games

Held every four years since 1990, the FEI World Equestrian Games (WEG) are the major international championship for eight equestrian disciplines. Although the 2010 and 2018 editions of WEG took place in the U.S., the majority of the horses competing came from Europe and were fed feeds made by European manufacturers. In 2010, Kentucky Equine […]


April 17, 2019

The Effect of Long-Chain Omega-3 Supplementation on Blood Serum Gamma-Glutamyl Transferase (GGT) Levels and Inflammation Post-Exercise in Thoroughbred Racehorses

Horses supplemented with EO-3™ had significantly lower (p<0.05) GGT levels 2 and 4 hours post-exercise compared to the control horses. This may have resulted from a reduction in inflammation observed post-exercise in the horses fed EO-3. Open Technical Bulletin


March 21, 2019

Nutritional Management and Feeding of Sick and Hospitalized Horses

When a horse arrives at a veterinary hospital, several nutritional or feeding challenges may be encountered. Feeding programs should aim to avoid weight loss, unless it is required for a specific condition (e.g., equine metabolic syndrome). Negative energy balance can lead changed intestinal microbiota, reduced immunity, and increased incisional complications. Some horses with peracute or […]


March 14, 2019

The Need For and Production Of Quality Forage Feeds

Horses have evolved over millions of years as roaming grazing animals, and they have specialized digestive tracts adapted to digest and utilize diets containing high levels of plant fiber. They are capable of eating and processing large quantities of forage to meet their nutrient demands. In an attempt to maximise growth or productivity, horses are […]


March 07, 2019

Feeding and Management Practices for Racehorses in Turkey

The aim of this study was to gather information on feeding practices and to identify nutrient imbalances of racehorses in Turkey. A total of 134 racehorses who visited the Turkish Jockey Club Racecourse Equine Hospital in Istanbul were referred for professional nutritional advice in 2013. Each horse was examined, and body weight (BW), body condition […]


February 28, 2019

Nutrition: Key Issues and the Consequences of Getting Them Wrong

Large investments in horses are made in China annually, but the wastage rate due to poor performance, slow growth, suboptimal body condition, colic, lameness, infertility, and other disease is high. Ten key issues related to nutrition and feeding horses in China have been identified as possible contributors to this wastage. These issues include lack of […]


February 07, 2019

Pasture-Associated Stringhalt: Contemporary Appraisal of an Enigmatic Syndrome

Although described clinically for several centuries, stringhalt remains an intriguing and enigmatic condition. In pasture‐associated stringhalt (PSH), the clinical sign of exaggerated, prolonged hindlimb flexion is associated with a peripheral neuropathy affecting the larger myelinated axons that is thought to be the result of exposure to a plant‐derived neurotoxin. Multiple host and environmental risk factors […]


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