Kentucky Equine Research has created a free 90-page guide titled Nutrition of the Performance Horse that broadly covers the best ways to manage equine athletes, regardless of discipline, and includes practical management strategies and effective solutions for nutrition-related problems. In-depth discussions are also included regarding common issues such as gastric ulcers, hindgut acidosis, joint care, […]

Proton pump inhibitors like omeprazole reduce nutrient digestibility in humans. This study determined the effect of omeprazole on the digestibility of diets containing limestone or marine-derived calcium (BMC) and to assess changes in blood parameters associated with gastric acid production and calcium status in horses. Thoroughbreds were used to evaluate the digestibility of diets containing […]

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 […]

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 […]

Bone quality is important for the long-term health and soundness of performance horses. In racehorses, insufficient bone density is associated with shin soreness, an important cause of lost training time and reduced starts, as well as other aspects of bone fatigue. Risks of injury during training are associated with insufficient bone density. Research has previously […]

Equine gastric ulcer syndrome (EGUS) is very common, with a prevalence estimated from 53% to 93%. A major contributor to its pathogenesis is excessive gastric acid. 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 […]

Bone density and strength are important for the long-term health and soundness of performance horses.  Marine-derived calcium mineral complexes have been shown to improve bone density and strength in laboratory animals and humans. This study evaluated the effect of a supplement containing marine-derived calcium (Triacton™) (TA) on bone density in Thoroughbred racehorses.  Thirteen horses (average […]

Genetically modified (GM) crops represent an important segment of worldwide agriculture, as evidenced by the amount of land used to cultivate them and their widespread use in both human and animal industries. Genetic modification allows desirable traits to be imparted to plants, primary of which are insect resistance (Bt technology) and herbicide tolerance (Ht or […]

C. Whitehouse, J.D. Pagan, R.J. Coleman, Responses in fecal pH from low to high starch intakes in healthy horses. Journal of Equine Veterinary Science. Volume 33, Issue 5, Pages 358-359. (Proceedings of the 2013 Equine Science Society Symposium) Fecal pH is often used as an indicator of the hindgut environment. The relationship between cecal, colon […]

Mesquita, V., Pagan, J., Valberg, S., Waldridge, B. and Whitehouse, C. (2014), Effect of Non-Structural Carbohydrate, Fat and Fiber Intake on Glycogen Repletion Following Intense Exercise. Equine Veterinary Journal, 46: 33. (International Conference on Equine Exercise Physiology 2014) Muscle glycogen is a potentially limiting substrate for horses during intense exercise. Low-starch, high-fat concentrates have become popular […]