Welcome to the Foal Patrol Education Blog!
Questions or comments? Contact us at foalpatrol@racingmuseum.net
Weaning can be a tough time of transition for foals, but the right diet can help during the weaning process and beyond. Check out this article by Denise Steffanus available on the Paulick Report for more information on how a combination of diet high in fat and fiber and a low-stress weaning method can calm some weaning woes and have a positive influence on the weanling's behavior as it matures.
We received a question from a viewer yesterday about if and how horses' diets change on and off the track. Other Education Blog posts throughout the season have focused on the shifting dietary needs of a horse from foaling to retirement, but this article by Jonathan Horowitz available on the Paulick Report focuses on some considerations for horses who have moved on to second careers after racing.
We heard from a viewer this morning with a question about gut health in horses. With a heightened focus on the importance of intestinal microbiome health in recent years, this article by Dr. Stacey Oke available on the Paulick Report provides a great overview of gut microbiome-centered feeding approaches and some practical pointers to better ensure a robust, balanced microbiome.
With so many feed, hay, and supplement choices, it can be difficult to know just what a horse needs to eat to promote optimal health. This online resource by Kylee Jo Duberstein with the University of Georgia Extension provides a straightforward overview of the basic principles of horse nutrition and some guidelines for determining if a horse's nutritional needs are being met.
In response to a viewer's question about nutrition and reproductive performance, this online article by Benjamin Espy available on The Horse provides an overview of body condition score, or BCS (an assessment of a horse's fat covering), as a predictor of reproductive performance and efficiency in breeding stallions and broodmares. Be sure to contact an equine veterinarian with any case-specific questions.
