July 2018

Holistic Horsekeeping
How to have a healthy happy horse.
Volume 23, Number 7

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In This Issue:

1. Feeding Horses that Have No Pasture
2. Getting Your Horse Questions Answered

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1. Feeding Horses that Have No Pasture
There are many reasons for horses to be denied pasture grazing. Arid climate, limited land, show training, or metabolic issues keep horses from having some critical nutrients and the natural grazing patterns they thrive on. Luckily, there are supplements that can provide the nutrients missing in native grass pasture and management strategies that allow horses to move around.

Native, fresh grass pasture provides beta carotene which is needed to make Vitamin A. Once Vitamin A has been manufactured from beta carotene it can be stored in the liver for up to 6 months. With extended drought, that dries or eliminates grass, even horses on pasture will deplete their Vitamin A stores. With lower Vitamin A levels you are likely to see chronic eye and skin problems.

Beta carotene itself is also needed for reproductive system health. In the mare, the ovaries need beta carotene to function properly. Erratic heat cycles or lack of cycles can be related to beta carotene deficiency. Stallions need beta carotene for sperm health. Beta carotene needs to come from whole foods. Blue green algae is a wonderful whole food source of beta carotene.

Native grass pastures provide a wide range of micronutrients and phytochemicals that the body uses for carbohydrate metabolism and body detoxification. Minerals and vitamins are easily assimilated from native plants. Horses will browse on weeds and shrubs to get the specific nutrients they need. Blue green algae also provides a multitude of these micronutrients and phytonutrients. Another good source is Whole Pastures. This product contains herbs that would be routinely found in native grass pastures. I offer the daily amount to my horses in a free choice feeder and they gobble it up.

Another important nutrient found in fresh grass is fatty acids. Fatty acids are used for energy in the body. The shorter chain fatty acids are also important for their anti-inflammatory action. Lung problems, stiff joints and urinary issues can develop when short chain fatty acids are deficient. Fatty acids degrade quickly and are essentially absent in hay. Blue green algae contains these fatty acids when it is processed in a special way to preserve them. Another source of fatty acids is fish oil. Fish oil can be contaminated with heavy metals so I use WellPride because this product is tested for any contamination.

Horses that don’t have access to pasture should have exercise provided along with the nutrient supplements. The longer the turnout time, assuming good weather, the better even if it is in a dry lot. Hand walking, mechanical walkers or riding can provide exercise but horses really enjoy being able to move as they please and interact with other horses.

Some metabolic horses can’t have pasture because of the carbohydrates found in grass and herbs. These horses can still benefit from the value of grazing by creating a pasture paradise system. In this system, temporary fencing is used within a solid pen to create a maze for horses to wander through. Hay can be stationed at different locations within the fencing so horses have to keep moving to eat. Water and salt sources can also be placed at opposite ends of the maze.

Ideally, horses would have access to native pasture but for many horses this is just not a reality. Luckily, they can still get the nutrition and emotional support they need with the right management.

2. Getting Your Horse Questions Answered

The Holistic Horsekeeping website is indeed a wealth of holistic horse care information. If you have questions about issues with your horse, you can search through our extensive article library and blog articles for answers. You’ll also find other useful information such as suggested reading and holistic vets in other areas on our resource page. If you are looking for just more general information on holistic care or specifics on subjects such as hoofcare, temperament typing, vaccinations or nutrition, take a look at our many affordable ebooks, books, audios, DVDs and Kindle books.

We also have a very extensive listing of products that have proven themselves to be effective. By checking out the various product sections you may recognize the best choice for your horse.

Horse Health Maintanence
Digestive Products
Hoof, Laminitis & Cushing’s Products 
Products for Joint, Muscle, and Tendon Support
Blue green algae products
Horse Temperament Balancing Formulas

If you are looking for a specific product that you know the name of, you can find an alphabetical listing of all the products we carry at http://www.holistichorsekeeping.com/product-list.html. Or if you can’t remember the name, but know the brand name try using the guide at http://www.holistichorsekeeping.com/brands.html

If you are not able to get the information you need from all these sources then a consult can be done to get individualized help for your horse.

Should you decide you want to deepen your understanding of nutrition or homeopathy, Madalyn offers mentoring for select individuals. You can find information on the Mentoring Program at http://www.holistichorsekeeping.com/mentoring.html.

Temperament typing is another area to gain a deeper understanding of your horse and what he needs from you. You will find lots of information about the temperament types including an online course available and help from trained temperament typists at http://horsetemperament.com.

With all these resources available to you 24/7, you will probably find the answer to your horse questions. If you still need more insight, message us on our Holistic Horsekeeping Facebook page or Horse Harmony Facebook page and we will post your question to the Facebook forum to ask others for input.

And finally, we offer a free weekly newsletter you can sign up for to keep up with the latest holistic horse care topics, learn more about your own health and see answers to clients that may be similar to your concerns with your horse. You can sign up for the free newsletter at http://blog.horseharmony.com/.

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