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 anhidrosis;
Is this a permanent condition;
Best practices to help keep horses sweating and cool;
The state of equine research funding in the US;

And so much more!

To learn more about Dr. Samantha Brooks and the Brooks Equine Genetic Lab http://www.ufequinegenetics.org/home.html 

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

Thanks for riding along with us!

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/ 

Thanks for riding along with us!

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 questions about IR or ID? Contact us at info@scoopandscale.com.

Thanks for riding along with us!

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 horse drinking;
How stress affects horses’ gastrointestinal microbiomes;
The role of stomach buffers and preventive treatments in avoiding gastric ulcers;
How forage can help;

And more!

Thanks for riding along with us!

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 test your forage.
-how to test your forage.
-analysis results and so much more!

You can learn more about Equi-Analytical and the services they offer at 
https://equi-analytical.com/   

Cassy Streeter Bio:
Cassy Streeter grew up in Syracuse, New York and started working at a horse boarding facility as a teenager. After graduating from Cornell with a B.S. in Animal Science in 2006, she worked in various lab tech positions before returning to Cornell's Animal Science Department to complete her M.S. studying the genetics of Equine Metabolic Syndrome (EMS) and Equine Pituitary Pars Intermedia Dysfunction (PPID) in the Arabian horse.  Cassy started as an Associate NIR Network Administrator at Dairy One in March 2011 and supervised daily NIR production activities. After moving into her role as NIR Services Manager in 2019, Cassy assumed oversight of the Dairy One NIR Affiliate Network which is currently comprised of more than 30 members in 16 different countries. She is a senior member of the internal QA team and manages several NIR projects, including implementation of on-farm NIR technology.
It is a poorly kept secret at Dairy One that Cassy is a "horse person".  She is an avid horse racing fan and participates in carriage driving shows. She also stays active in the agricultural community by serving as the President of the Sigma Alpha Alumni Chapter of Cornell University. She is currently taking a break from horse ownership but is always on the lookout for her next retired Standardbred. 

Thanks for riding along with us!

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

Thanks for riding along with us!

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 to you veterinarian!), proper training, and a well-fitting saddle, perhaps his or her diet needs another look.

In this episode, Michelle and Dr. Clair cover: 

• What is topline?
• How to support topline development through nutrition.
• Understanding protein quality and its role in topline development.
• And other factors that might affect topline.

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

Thanks for riding along with us!

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 horse’s diet with the seller.

-Safely changing feed schedules.

-What to do when you’re unable to source the horse’s same hay and grain.

-Turnout.

-Ways to manage stress.

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

Thanks for riding along with us!

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 coat quality; and
• The dietary fats horses need to really bloom.

Do you have questions about helping your horse shine this spring? Contact us at info@scoopandscale.com.

Thanks for riding along with us!

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, we talk about:
• What defines a “senior” horse.
• Causes of weight loss in older horses and how senior feeds might help maintain body condition.
• Why senior feeds might not be the right choice for easy-keeping horses with age-related metabolic conditions (like equine metabolic syndrome and insulin dysregulation) that cause weight gain and laminitis.
• The difference between a complete feed and a concentrate.
• The benefits of fat and fiber as calorie sources.
• Why senior feeds might be good for horses with dental issues or prone to choke.
• And more!
Do you have questions about feeding seniors, or feeding senior feeds to younger horses? Contact us at info@scoopandscale.com 

Thanks for riding along with us!

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 good stuff! Dr. Clair and Michelle discuss:
• The difference between a rational balancer and a basic multivitamin-and-mineral supplement.
• How ration balancers can ensure your horses get the nutrition they need to support their soundness, and performance.
• Why ration balancers can cut down on chore time and streamline your feed room, even if you care for horses of different ages and activity levels.
• How to use ration balancers in combination with other feeds and forages.
• Understanding ration balancer pricing and serving size (hint: the bag is more expensive, but you get a lot more servings!).
• What vitamins, minerals, proteins, and electrolytes you might find in them.
• Why they might be the right choice for easy keepers and horses with gastric ulcers, equine metabolic syndrome, insulin dysregulation, and pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction.
Join us and find out if ration balancers are right for your horse.

Thanks for riding along with us!

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 horses with equine asthma, heaves, COPD and RAO.  Ride along as we discuss tips and tricks to managing these conditions. 

Thanks for riding along with us!

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/
https://www.thehaypillow.com/
https://hooftrimmersupply.com/products/heller-red
https://coloradonaturalbalms.com/
https://ultimatehoofpick.com/
https://eqclusive.com/en-us/collections/haas
https://equiformancebands.com/
https://www.jilliankreinbringinspired.com/
https://redhorseproducts.com/shop/hoof-care/artimud/
https://www.aviarsaddles.com/
https://enviroequine.com/product/equine-show-ring-ready-shampoo/
https://eqclusive.com/en-us/collections/haas

Thanks for riding along with us!

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 say she’s very busy! We are thankful she took time to have this conversation with us!

Thanks for riding along with us!

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."

Thanks for riding along with us!

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 researchers believe up to 30% of horses will develop the disease.  

Listen as we cover:  

• What is an equine internal medicine specialist? 
• What is PPID? 
• Clinical signs and how to catch PPID early. 
• How veterinarians test for the disease. 
• Treatment options. 
• Management strategies.
• And how an equine nutritionist can help. 

Thanks for riding along with us!

Thanks for riding along with us!

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:  

• The difference between food supplements and health supplements;
• The types of supplements you might find (hoof, digestive, calming, joint, coat, calories, etc.); and
• Why you might, or might not, need to add supplements to your horse's ration.

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

Thanks for riding along with us!

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 incorporated salt into her horses’ diets.
 
 Plus! Michelle Asks Clair for Free Advice
 
Feed prices keep going up, and Michelle's looking to save some money. Can whole flaxseeds replace stabilized ground flax in her horses' diets? Clair weighs in.

About Us

Clair Thunes, PhD, is an equine nutritionist, busy Pony Club mom, and a dressage and eventing enthusiast. She also owns Clarity Equine Nutrition, an independent consulting company based in Gilbert, Arizona. She works with owners and veterinarians to create diets for individual horses, ranging from retired pasture pets to Olympic athletes. Her services also include formulating feeds and supplements for companies, and there's a good chance you've scooped something she helped develop into your horse's bucket. Clair taught equine nutrition and physiology as an adjunct professor at the University of California, Davis, is a highly sought after speaker. 

Michelle Anderson is a lifelong horseperson  who spent more than two decades writing for and editing equine magazines and websites. In 2022, she started Cadence Marketing + Media, in Bend, Oregon, to support equine-related brands and delivery quality educational content to horse owners. Her clients include equine veterinary hospitals, trainers, boarding stables, and businesses offering professional services for the industry. Her own herd lives at home and includes an aspiring FEI dressage mare, a fiery Arabian-cross trail horse, and a retired Quarter Horse gelding Michelle bred, raised, and (her husband points out) has been feeding for the past 20-plus years. Michelle's goal is to educate owners so they can best care for the horses they love. 

Thanks for riding along with us!

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:

• The differences between ration balancers, concentrates (aka performance or "life stage" feeds," complete feeds, and bagged whole grains.
• How to properly weigh and measure feed.
• The reasons you should read the manufacturer's feeding instructions and plan your horse's diet accordingly.
• Why not all senior feeds are the same.
• Considerations for metabolic horses.
• And more!

About Us

Clair Thunes, PhD, is an equine nutritionist, busy Pony Club mom, and a dressage and eventing enthusiast. She also owns Clarity Equine Nutrition, an independent consulting company based in Gilbert, Arizona. She works with owners and veterinarians to create diets for individual horses, ranging from retired pasture pets to Olympic athletes. Her services also include formulating feeds and supplements for companies, and there's a good chance you've scooped something she helped develop into your horse's bucket. Clair taught equine nutrition and physiology as an adjunct professor at the University of California, Davis, is a highly sought after speaker. 

Michelle Anderson is a lifelong horsewoman who spent two decades writing for and editing equine magazines and websites. In 2022, she started Cadence Marketing + Media, in Bend, Oregon, to support equine-related brands and delivery quality educational content to horse owners. Her clients include equine veterinary hospitals, trainers, boarding stables, and businesses offering professional services for the industry. Her own herd lives at home and includes an aspiring FEI dressage mare, a fiery Arabian-cross trail horse, and a retired Quarter Horse gelding Michelle bred, raised, and (her husband points out) has been feeding for the past 20-plus years. Michelle's goal is to educate owners so they can best care for the horses they love. 

Thanks for riding along with us!

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:

• Find out how much forage a horse should eat each day;
• Learn how many times a day horses should get hay servings;
•  Get tips for feeding horses who can no longer chew hay;
• And more!

About Us

Clair Thunes, PhD, is an equine nutritionist, busy Pony Club mom, and a dressage and eventing enthusiast. She also owns Clarity Equine Nutrition, an independent consulting company based in Gilbert, Arizona. She works with owners and veterinarians to create diets for individual horses, ranging from retired pasture pets to Olympic athletes. Her services also include formulating feeds and supplements for companies, and there's a good chance you've scooped something she helped develop into your horse's bucket. Clair taught equine nutrition and physiology as an adjunct professor at the University of California, Davis, is a highly sought after speaker. 

Michelle Anderson is a lifelong horseperson who spent two decades writing for and editing equine magazines and websites. In 2022, she started Cadence Marketing + Media, in Bend, Oregon, to support equine-related brands and delivery quality educational content to horse owners. Her clients include equine veterinary hospitals, trainers, boarding stables, and businesses offering professional services for the industry. Her own herd lives at home and includes an aspiring FEI dressage mare, a fiery Arabian-cross trail horse, and a retired Quarter Horse gelding Michelle bred, raised, and (her husband points out) has been feeding for the past 20-plus years. Michelle's goal is to educate owners so they can best care for the horses they love. 

Thanks for riding along with us!

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:

•  How racehorses are fed and how that might differ from other horses.
• Why horses newly off the track still need a lot more calories than you might imagine.
• Why people in general consider Thoroughbreds "hard keepers" when it comes to feeding them.
• Getting off-track Thoroughbreds (OTTB) to eat forage-first diets.
• And the role gut health plays in the OTTB diet.

About Us

Clair Thunes, PhD, is an equine nutritionist, busy Pony Club mom, and a dressage and eventing enthusiast. She also owns Clarity Equine Nutrition, an independent consulting company based in Gilbert, Arizona. She works with owners and veterinarians to create diets for individual horses, ranging from retired pasture pets to Olympic athletes. Her services also include formulating feeds and supplements for companies, and there's a good chance you've scooped something she helped develop into your horse's bucket. Clair taught equine nutrition and physiology as an adjunct professor at the University of California, Davis, is a highly sought after speaker. 

Michelle Anderson is a lifelong horsewoman who spent two decades writing for and editing equine magazines and websites. In 2022, she started Cadence Marketing + Media, in Bend, Oregon, to support equine-related brands and delivery quality educational content to horse owners. Her clients include equine veterinary hospitals, trainers, boarding stables, and businesses offering professional services for the industry. Her own herd lives at home and includes an aspiring FEI dressage mare, a fiery Arabian-cross trail horse, and a retired Quarter Horse gelding Michelle bred, raised, and (her husband points out) has been feeding for the past 20-plus years. Michelle's goal is to educate owners so they can best care for the horses they love. 

Thanks for riding along with us!

Does it seem like you've been hearing a lot recently about vitamin E in equine diets?  That's for a good reason. This antioxidant is essential for horses' muscle and neurologic health. Fresh grass provides a natural source of vitamin E, but we all know year-round pasture access isn't always an option. And now researchers are discovering genetic reasons some horses require additional supplementation. In this episode we discuss the different types of vitamin E and their bioavailability, signs of deficiency, related diseases, testing, and how to know if your horse needs supplementation.

About Your Hosts

Clair Thunes, PhD, is an equine nutritionist, busy Pony Club mom, and a dressage and eventing enthusiast. She also owns Clarity Equine Nutrition, an independent consulting company based in Gilbert, Arizona. She also works with owners and veterinarians to create diets for individual horses, ranging from retired pasture pets to Olympic athletes. Her services also include formulating feeds and supplements for companies, and there's a good chance you've scooped something she helped develop into your horse's bucket. Clair taught equine nutrition and physiology as an adjunct professor at the University of California, Davis, is a highly sought after speaker. 

Michelle Anderson is a lifelong horsewoman who spent two decades writing for and editing equine magazines and websites. In 2022, she started Cadence Marketing + Media, in Bend, Oregon, to support equine-related brands and delivery quality educational content to horse owners. Her clients include equine veterinary hospitals, trainers, boarding stables, and businesses offering professional services for the industry. Her own herd lives at home and includes an aspiring FEI dressage mare, a fiery Arabian-cross trail horse, and a retired Quarter Horse gelding Michelle bred, raised, and (her husband points out) has been feeding for the past 20-plus years. Michelle's goal is to educate owners so they can best care for the horses they love. 

Thanks for riding along with us!

Welcome to the first episode of the Scoop & Scale podcast! We're excited to start off  with a topic we know horse owners will eat up: Alfalfa! We'll cover why to feed it, or not, and common questions we often hear about this popular legume. 

 Learn about:

• Which horses might benefit from alfalfa.
• The differences and similarities between alfalfa hay, cubes, and pellets.
• And why eating a little alfalfa before riding or exercise might be good for your horse.
• And more!

About Us

Clair Thunes, PhD, is an equine nutritionist, busy Pony Club mom, and a dressage and eventing enthusiast. She also owns Clarity Equine Nutrition, an independent consulting company based in Gilbert, Arizona. Her services include working with owners and veterinarians to create diets for individual horses, ranging from retired pasture pets to Olympic athletes. She also  formulates feeds and supplements for companies, and there's a good chance you've scooped something she helped develop into your horse's bucket. Clair taught equine nutrition and physiology as an adjunct professor at the University of California, Davis, and is a highly sought after speaker. 

Michelle Anderson is a lifelong horsewoman who spent two decades writing for and editing well-known equine magazines and websites. In 2022, she started Cadence Marketing + Media to support equine-related brands and delivery quality educational content to horse owners. Her clients include equine veterinary hospitals, trainers, boarding stables, and businesses offering professional services for the horse industry. Her own herd lives at home, in Bend, Oregon, and includes an aspiring FEI dressage mare, a fiery Arabian-cross trail horse, and a retired Quarter Horse gelding Michelle bred, raised, and (her husband points out) has been feeding for the past 20-plus years. Michelle's goal is to educate owners so they can best care for the horses they love.

Thanks for riding along with us!