Can it be?? A Seminar all about FOOD!

Hay Folks!

It’s that time of the year again. No, I’m not talking about roses, chocolate, and candlelight dinners. Sunday, February 8^th is the annual Horse Management Seminar and I can’t wait!  This year’s topic is all about FOOD! The official title is, “Grazing Rewards and Concerns: How and Why to Care for Your Pastures”.  It may not be about growing delicious doughnuts (I wish!), but more about cultivating lush pastures and maintaining healthy body weight for your horses.

Super Turf

Hay Kids! Today is a great day because I am going to share with you some super cool science. Recently, a team of scientists at Rutgers studied different grasses and their qualities in horse pastures. You probably are saying, “Yea, so what? Scientists study at a lot of stuff; what’s the big deal about grass?” Well, I am excited to tell you what scientists have discovered, that will help you A LOT, just by staring at grass! What is even more exciting is that you can hear all about preserving and maximizing your pasture grass at the Equine Science Center’s special event “Evening of Celebration and Science” on November 19! Register NOW!!

Backyard Bacteria

Recently I have been getting questions from equine enthusiasts about two specific kinds of horse illnesses. I realized that not only is it important that I answer their questions, but that I also share this important information with my fans and fellow horse lovers too!

I believe that it takes “hooves-on” interaction to really get the most out of your learning. So, let’s play Jeopardy!

Horse Care and Management for 1000 points, please…

Summer, Storms and Mold

Happy summer my fellow science-seekers! I hope everyone is enjoying the new leisurely change of pace that this season brings; although, I have been known to lounge around the farm all year long! Now, I know the saying goes, “April showers brings May flowers,” but what happens when June and July are super-soaking stormy months also? Did you know that in June alone we had almost 10 inches of rain? That is more than double the monthly average! Like most horses, I love to splash in puddles and roll around in mud baths! But, all of this rain can have some negative effects on pastures and forage for horses.

Staying Storm Savvy

I am sure that the last couple of weeks have been a challenge for all of us here in New Jersey and surrounding areas. In the wake of the two severe storms, there is even MORE work to be done now in the home and in the pasture.

Pruning Out Poisonous Plants!

I hope that you have been enjoying the fresh weather breezing in throughout the month of October lately! My favorite gal pal Hugme Christi and I enjoy a brisk morning romp in our field and then graze leisurely while soaking up the warm sun rays during the day. Do you know why fall is the best time of the year? Not only do we get to roll around in all of the leaf piles, but because it smells like a tasty vegetarian Thanksgiving feast for horses! Every day, the air becomes a little more aromatic with the sweet smell of turning leaves and sweet grasses. It’s like an olfactory sensory explosion, and I really just can’t get enough of it! It is almost as tantalizing as an apple-filled doughnut sitting on the picnic table outside my pasture.  Almost.

Sugar in Grass?? Sweet!

Have I mentioned how much I love this time of year?  Although the weather has been a bit dreary, I took full advantage of one the few nice days we’ve had and went apple picking with my good friend Magic.  The apple orchard is one of my favorite places to be; red delicious snacks above me and lush green grass below!  Speaking of grass, have you noticed how quickly it’s been growing lately? All the precipitation and cooler weather provide the perfect conditions for rapid pasture growth.  But as much as I love grass, I know that you can have too much of a good thing.

You may be surprised to hear that grasses contain large amounts of…sugar!  It’s no wonder why horses love it so much!  But just like humans, an excess of sugar could cause problems for horses.  Grass accumulates sugar and starch throughout the day and uses it for growth overnight, unless there is a freeze.

Consuming high sugar grass can cause a metabolic disorder called laminitis or founder in some horses, especially old guys like me, and also “easy keepers”; the chubby ponies and horses that get fat just thinking about grass.  Although it is not necessarily a bad thing, you should be careful not to use this term with a mare….I once told Christi she was an “easy keeper” and nearly got kicked in the noggin!  

If a horse is an easy keeper or has had laminitis before, limiting sugar intake by grazing it early in the morning before the grasses accumulate sugar (provided there was no overnight freeze) or by using a grazing muzzle throughout the day can hinder the development of metabolic disease.  This is especially important in the spring and fall, when sugar content is at its greatest.  My friends at the Equine Science Center are experts on this type of stuff!  For more information on metabolic disease, check out their Fact Sheet - Metabolic Problems in the Horse: Sorting out the Diagnosis.

 

Well I’m off to lunch…all this talking about grass and sugar is making me hungry! 

Until next time friends,

Lord Nelson

If You Can't Stand the Heat...

...get out of the sun!

While most of my human friends can enjoy the air conditioning on a hot and humid day, I seek the shade of a tree or run-in shed to keep cool. This heat is tough on any horse, and since I'm (a little) older than most, I have to be especially careful to be sure I'm consuming enough calories to keep my body functioning and maintain a healthy body weight. Some horses may lose as much as 7 to 10 percent of body weight in sweat per hour in extreme temperatures. That's about 9-10 gallons of horse sweat...gross! Dr. Malinowski keeps my diet high in calories by increasing my grain, adding corn oil to my feed, and feeding me a wide variety of...doughnuts!

"April Showers bring May Flowers..."

You've heard the phrase "April showers bring May flowers", but rain also brings lush green pastures that horses love! And now is the time for a delicious salad made from dandelions. As the spring season goes on, it makes me happy to see new sprouts of grass grow out of the dirt that dominated the pasture in the winter months. Don't get me wrong; I love hay, but there's nothing like grabbing a huge mouthful of fresh grass from the ground as the sun shines down and a warm breeze makes my tail float in the wind...it's almost enough to make me forget that the rider on my back is trying to get my head up!