Scoop & Scale: An Equine Podcast (Mostly) About Nutrition

Although often considered a solution for overweight equines, the truth is, slow feeders can offer enrichment to all horses. By helping to mimic more natural grazing behaviours these feeders can be a tool to help combat boredom as well as to help manage calorie intake. Making horses work a little harder for their food has many benefits but not all enrichment needs to involve food. In this episode we take a good look at the following:

- slow feed nets
- slow feeders that do not require nets
-  things to consider when introducing slow f...

Gastric ulcers can be a frustrating and costly burden for horse owners to manage, which is why any experienced equestrian who has had to deal with this debilitating condition is highly motivated to prevent them from reoccurring. For those who have been fortunate enough to avoid this affliction thus far it makes sense to take steps to try to avoid having your horse having them. As an equine nutritionist a large number of my clients are people whose horse has been diagnosed with gastric ulcers and in particular recurring ulcers. Often they are looking for a supplement that can...

In this episode we delve into one of the most pressing concerns for horse owners: managing equine gastric ulcers. Many owners reach out to Dr. Clair for help managing their horses diagnosed with equine gastric ulcers, especially chronic and recurrent cases.  In this episode we are joined by guest Dr. Phoebe Smith DVM DACVIM, Veterinarian and Internal Medicine Specialist at Riviera Equine Internal Medicine and Consulting in California. Dr. Phoebe helps us to understand this complex condition while Dr. Clair shares her personal experiences and frustrations of managing ulcers after facing them firsthand with her own horses. Join us a...

Feeding senior horses especially over the winter can be a challenge as many lose condition over these colder months.  Some senior horses require different approaches to feeding to ensure their needs are met as what worked in their younger years may not work any more. Chewing can become a challenge requiring frequent dental care and the possibility of needing alternative feed forms. Additionally some senior horses may benefit from supplements like joint support or digestive aids due to arthritic changes and less efficient digestion. By understanding these needs, paying close attention to their diet, overall health and living situation w...

Feed labels are the informational panels found on the backs of feed bags or seen in to the bottom seem. These labels provide a wealth of important details about the contents and composition of the feed, allowing horse owners to make informed decisions about how the feed might meet the nutritional needs of their horse. While the majority of these labels share a lot of information about the specifics of the feed such as the ingredients included and the amounts of various nutrients such as protein, fat, fiber, they also omit some surprising things.

In this episode...

Many horses are fed hay at some point during the year. Whether only in winter when pastures are sparse or year round due to lack of pasture access, hay is a vital source of nutrition for your horse and a major investment for you. This is the time of year when many owners are making decisions on the type of hay they will feed for the next year and are filling their hay barns. But what type of hay is right for your horse, how do you tell if it's good quality and what are the differences between the...

With more and more knowledge of the importance of gastrointestinal health on our horse's entire health, an ever increasing number of feeds and supplements on the market claim to support gut health. Prebiotics, probiotics and postbiotics have become commonly utilized ingredients but what exactly are they and does your horse need them? 

In this episode we discuss:

- what prebiotics, probiotics and postbiotics are and the difference between them;
- what they actually do;
- when horses might need them in their diet;
- reasons why they don't always work;
- h...

Maintaining optimal weight and peak performance in horses, especially those used for high-intensity athletic activities, can be a delicate and ongoing challenge for even the most experienced equestrian. Throughout the various seasons and demands of the competition calendar, a horse's nutritional and exercise needs are in constant flux, requiring vigilant monitoring and adjustment to ensure they retain their competitive edge. Factors like changes in training load, seasonal shifts in forage quality, and the stresses of travel and competition can all contribute to weight loss and performance deficits. It can be difficult to strike the perfect balance. Even when a...

In part 2 of our 2 part series Behind the Scenes at the Summer Games

Dr. Clair talks to Dr Joe Pagan owner and President of Kentucky Equine Research (KER). In addition to doing equine nutrition and exercise physiology related research work, KER have also sourced the feed for the last 7 Summer Games. 

They discuss: 
- how teams coordinate getting the feed their horses need to the games; 
- how you find enough carrots and other behind the scenes Games related stories; - the ground breaking research KER has done over the past 30 years; 
- wh...

Wonder what goes on behind-the-scenes and what it takes to get horses to major international competitions?  In this episode Dr. Clair and Michelle are joined by Max Corcoran, a freelance groom, equestrian event organizer, and former longtime member of the O’Connor Event Team.  Max shares what it’s like to manage horses on the U.S. Equestrian Team as they travel to international competitions. 

You will learn about:

Equine feed labels and hay analysis results are full of abbreviations such  as ADF, NDF, CP, NSC, and WSC and together they make up an alphabet soup. Ever wonder what they all mean and whether they are important to your horse? And what about gas? Has your horse ever passed gas while being ridden? In this episode Dr Clair and Michelle answer some, listener questions, topics including:

-How much hay to feed your retired pasture horse;
-What might be causing excessive flatulence;
-Is feeding a balancer alone enough for a horse working moderately hard;
...

Fly management is a crucial aspect of horse barn management this time of year. Flies—here we're talking about stable flies, horse flies, gnats, mosquitoes, and more—​are a nuisance to horses and humans alike. They cause our horses discomfort, stress, and even the spread of diseases, such as Potomac horse fever, West Nile virus, pigeon fever, and vesicular stomatitis. And many horses exhibit signs of insect bite hypersensitivity (IBH), and allergic reaction to the saliva of biting flies that results in hives and severe itching. Effective fly management involves a combination of methods, including eliminating breeding sites, using insect...

Temperatures are starting to rise across the country!  We start to think about ways of keeping our horses cool in the summer months.  Switching turn out times to overnight hours, hanging fans and adding electrolytes are some of the common things that people do.  Horses rely heavily on sweating to keep cool.  In this episode, we talk to Dr. Samantha Brooks from the University of Florida where she heads up the Brooks Equine Genetics Lab.  In this episode we talk about:

How horses cool themselves;
What is happening when their cooling systems don't work;
What is an...

As we start our second season of the podcast, Dr. Clair takes time to answer listener questions.  In this episode Dr. Clair answers questions about:

-the difference between dry milled flax and flax oil;
-feeding instructions on feed bags;
-adjusting feed based on exercise;
-and more!
 
If you have questions about feeding your horse, please email us at info@scoopandscale.com  

NRC Equine Nutrition Calculator - https://webassets.nationalacademies.org/nrh/ 

Do you have questions about feeding your horse? Contact us at info@scoopandscale.com

Do you have an easy keeper? Dr. Laura Javsicas, a board-certified internal medicine specialist with Rhinebeck Equine, in New York, joins Clair and Michelle to talk about insulin resistance and dysregulation in horses. 

In this episode, you'll learn about:
Insulin’s relationship to equine metabolic syndrome and pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction (PPID, or equine Cushing’s).
The link between insulin response and laminitis.
The clinical signs of insulin dysregulation and resistance in horses.
How veterinarians test for insulin dysregulation.
Treatment and management of horses with metabolic issues.

Do you have quest...

Horse show season is here! And, while showing is mostly fun, the travel and work intensity competition requires can cause stress for horses and humans. We know stress impacts horses’ digestive health and immune systems, which can set them up for colic, gastric ulcers, and diarrhea. In this episode, Dr. Clair and Michelle discuss ways to prepare and manage your horse during travel to horse shows, clinics, trail rides, or wherever the summer leads you.  In this episode we talk about:

Why travel is stressful for horses;
The importance of hydration and how to keep your hor...

While forages can be assessed visually, the only way to accurately know the nutrient content of your forage is to have it tested by a lab. This is easier and cheaper to do than many people realize and is worth considering if you buy large quantities of forage at a time. In this episode we talk about hay analysis with Cassy Streeter, NIR Services Manager from Equi-Analytical.   Equi-Analytical Laboratory Services specialize in the most modern techniques for determining the nutrient content of forage and feed for horse owners.

In this episode we discuss:
-the reasons to t...

As the cold and snowy winter turns into a bright green spring, we all dream about turning our horses out on a picturesque landscape to graze, but should we?  Is it safe?  The fear of fat ponies, laminitis and other metabolic diseases haunt us.  Dr. Clair and Michelle discuss the importance of being proactive and cautious when transitioning from winter to spring. 
In this episode we discuss:
-sugar content
-pasture management
-grazing muzzles and so much more!

 Do you have questions about feeding your new horse? Contact us at info@scoopandscale.com

Do...

When we refer to “topline,” we’re talking about the entire upper line of the horse’s body. That includes how the neck ties into the shoulder and the development of the back muscles under the saddle area, across the loin, and over the rump. When horses lack musculature over those areas, they are said to “have a poor topline.” Many things can cause poor topline, including incorrect training, an ill-fitting saddle, old age, lameness, or diseases like pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction (PPID, or equine Cushing’s). If your horse is struggling to develop a nice topline despite good health (talk t...

Getting a new horse is exciting! But, for the horse, a new owner can mean lots of change and stress. As herd animals that prefer routine, horses become stressed when moving to a new home with new horses, people, and expectations. Dietary changes during transitions can also cause stress. Combined, these changes increase a horse’s risk of serious health issues, such as gastric ulcers and colic. That’s why taking steps to reduce both dietary and other stress when getting a new horse is important.

In this episode, Dr. Clair and Michelle cover:

-Discussing a ho...

Who doesn’t love a horse with a shiny haircoat and long, full mane and tail? While some horses are more genetically blessed than others in the hair growth and shine department, all healthy manes and tails and glowing coats start with a balanced diet. Grooming can help, of course, but no amount of elbow grease can correct poor nutrition.

In this episode, Clair and Michelle cover:
• How minerals, including copper, bring out a horse’s shine;
• Why amino acids are important for growing high-quality hair;
• The role of vitamins, specifically vitamin E and biotin, in...

You see a sweet old horse on the bag, and the name clearly says “senior” in it. So that’s the right feed for your aged equine, right? Not necessarily. The horse feed industry doesn’t have a standard for what makes a senior feed a senior feed. And, in fact, some products marketed as senior feeds are Dr. Clair’s favorite recommendations for horses requiring high-fat, high-fiber diets to maintain or gain weight. That’s also why Michelle gives a senior feed to a growing 2-year-old, a 7-year-old in full training, and a picky 21-year-old retiree.
In this episode...

Equine ration balancers are multipurpose horse feeds that pack big benefits in small portions. As the name implies, they are meant to “balance” horse diets by providing essential nutrients hay and forage might lack. Ration balancers are typically lower calorie than other concentrates but still designed to meet horses’ basic vitamin, mineral, and protein requirements, which is essential for health. This makes them an especially good option for easy keepers or a solid nutritional foundation you can build on for horses that need more energy from their feed and forage.
Like a ration balancer, this episode is packed with g...

How and what we feed horses with equine asthma matters. Barn air quality is also  a major factor in equine respiratory health, especially during the winter months when horses spend more time inside.  Dr. Clair and Michelle talk about the importance of lower respiratory system health in performance horses and ways to support horse's with respiratory allergies and/or compromised lungs through nutrition and management. Respiratory health is a major performance in all horses, and management early in horse's lives can help them avoid complications as they age. This episode will be of particular interest to horse owners of ho...

With Thanksgiving behind us we are now in the Christmas/Hanukkah/Kwanzaa Countdown. To keep you company while you slowly lose your mind, we decided to do our favorite things episode.  Michelle and Clair share a few products that bring them delight, everything from hoof picks to hay balls to saddles and masterclasses!  Whether you are buying a gift for yourself or your trainer, there is something for everyone.

***We received no compensation and have no affiliation with any of the products mentioned.... they don't even  know we are talking about them yet!

https://ifeednaturally.com...

In this episode, Clair and Michelle get more than a little nerdy about equine supplements! They are joined by Dr. Lydia Gray to talk about supplement regulations and how new products come to market.

Dr. Gray spent 16 years at SmartPak, where she served as Staff Veterinarian and Medical and Research Director. She has also worked in equine welfare and rescue. She's now an independent consultant and helps equine-related organizations with things like strategic planning, product labeling, and research and development … plus she does writing and speaking … and judges and competes in dressage and combined driving. That’s all to...

Proper hay and feed storage saves money, keeps horses safe, and gives rodents one less reason to move into our barns during the cold winter months. In this episode, equine nutritionist Dr. Clair Thunes and horse owner Michelle Anderson discuss hay and feed storage strategies, health risks related to horses accidentally accessing and gorging on feed (spoiler alert, it's laminitis!), ways to keep rodents out of your bins, and how to know when feed has spoiled or "gone off."

Do you have questions about feeding your horse? Contact us at info@scoopandscale.com

Thanks for...

Do you have questions about feeding your horse? Contact us at info@scoopandscale.com

Thanks for riding along with us!

In this episode internal medicine specialist Laura Javsicas, VMD, Dipl. ACVIM, of Rhinebeck Equine, in New York, joins us to discuss pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction (PPID, or more commonly “equine Cushing’s disease”). This syndrome results from an enlargement of the middle lobe of the pituitary gland, which leads to elevated levels of cortisol and other hormones. An abnormally shaggy coat is a telltale sign. Horses with PPID are also at a higher risk for laminitis. PPID is mostly identified in horses during their teen years and beyond, although onset can be earlier than we horse owners might recognize. Most r...

Join us for a walk down the supplement aisle as we discuss what horses might—and might not—need added to their diets. 

It seems like there's a supplement for just about anything your horse might need. In this episode, we cover:  

Plus, Clair gives Michelle advice about transitioning her horses to a new load of hay.

Do you...

It's hot outside! As the U.S. faces extreme heat advisories across the country, ensuring your horses stay hydrated is critical to support their natural evaporative cooling systems (that's sweating). In addition to water consumption, electrolytes are an important part of the cooling equation. But knowing if your horse is getting enough, or selecting the right kind to feed, is often confusing. 
 
In this episode, Dr. Clair Thunes explains how electrolytes work and why and when horses need them (and it's not just during hot weather and summer exercise!).  Michelle shares how Clair's advice changed how she inc...

Have you stood in your feed store staring at shelves of bagged horse  feed and felt overwhelmed by the options?

You are not alone! 

In this episode we cover:

About Us

Clair Thunes, PhD, is an equine nu...

Hay, equine nutrition gets complicated quicky! So, to keep things simple, we're taking a step back and covering the basics. In this episode, we discuss why forage is the most important part of a horse's diet. 

Forage comes in several forms. Most commonly, horses consume forage as baled hay or grass pastures. But beet pulp, alfalfa pellets, hay cubes, and even some complete bagged feeds count as forage.

Join our conversation to:

It's Kentucky Derby time and the beginning of Triple Crown season, a five-week stretch when horse-related searches online surge and the general public's interest in horses peaks. In honor of the horses, we took this episode as an opportunity to talk about feeding Thoroughbreds as they transition from life on the track to their second careers and beyond.

You'll learn about:

Alfalfa is one of the most debated feeds in the horse world. Some swear by it for weight gain and performance, while others worry it’s “too hot” or risky for certain horses. So what’s the truth about feeding alfalfa to horses?

In this first episode of Scoop and Scale, we break down everything you need to know about alfalfa in the equine diet, including:

Vitamin E has become one of the most talked-about nutrients in horse nutrition and for good reason. This powerful antioxidant plays a key role in muscle health, immune function, and the nervous system. While fresh grass is a natural source, many horses don’t get enough year-round, especially those without consistent pasture access.

In this episode, Clair and Michelle break down everything you need to know about Vitamin E for horses, including: