Author: Greenpet

Toxins in your Horse’s Environment 

4 September, 2025

Toxins in Your Horse’s Environment: What You Need to Know. As horse owners, we do everything we can to keep our equine friends healthy from quality feed to regular vet checks. But one area that often gets overlooked is the environment they live in. Subtle toxins in paddocks, stables, and even hay can have a real impact on your horse’s health over time.  Weed Control Chemicals: A Hidden Risk  Many horse owners use chemical sprays to control weeds in paddocks and on hay crops. While these products can be effective at keeping pastures looking tidy, they contain chemicals that may…

Is Kibble the Healthiest Option for Dogs and Cats?

22 August, 2025

Many pet carers are told that kibble is the healthiest option for dogs and cats, and that it even helps keep teeth clean. While kibble is convenient and widely available, it’s worth taking a closer look at what goes into it and how it affects your pet’s health. From dehydration to processed ingredients, and even its impact on dental health, there are several important factors to consider when deciding what’s best for your furry friends. Kibble and Dehydration Kibble is made by cooking and drying ingredients to create a shelf-stable product. This process removes most of the natural moisture, so…

What’s the Best Type of Pet Bowls?

27 May, 2025

Julie’s Picks – Stainless Steel, Ceramic & Glass When it comes to something as simple as a bowl, the choices might surprise you! From plastic to bamboo to elevated sets, the options can get overwhelming. But when it comes to health, hygiene, and durability, we like to keep it simple and natural. Here’s a quick breakdown of the best materials for your pet’s food and water bowls – and why we love them. Stainless Steel Bowls Stainless steel bowls are a favourite for a reason – * Super Hygienic – easy to clean and doesn’t retain bacteria. * Non-Porous –…

Flower Essences for all Species

2 May, 2025

Gentle, safe, and effective support for all species. Flower essences offer a gentle and holistic way to support the emotional wellbeing of animals. Whether it’s an anxious dog, a clingy cat, or a horse struggling with past trauma, flower essences can provide calm and balance without side effects or interactions. Safe and Non-Invasive One of the most appealing aspects of flower essences is their exceptional safety profile. They can be used for all species of all ages — including dogs, cats, horses, birds, rabbits, and even reptiles with no risk of overdose or adverse reactions. They are also safe to…

Probiotics for Dogs, Cats & Horses

23 January, 2025

Ensuring your furry friend’s gut health is paramount to their overall well-being. Probiotics play a crucial role in supporting digestion, boosting immunity, and maintaining a balanced internal ecosystem. These microorganisms support your animal’s health by: Probiotics can help manage various conditions: To select the most effective probiotic for your pet, consider the following essential factors: While it might be tempting to share your own probiotics with your pet, it’s important to recognize that animals have unique gastrointestinal (GI) tracts. Human probiotics may not provide the same benefits to animals and could even be ineffective. Therefore, choose probiotics specifically formulated for…

Worm & Parasite Control

3 January, 2025

Intestinal worms are a common issue for dogs and cats, and unfortunately, no furry friend is entirely immune. These parasites feed off the waste products in your pet’s digestive system, and while most dogs and cats will encounter worms at some point in their lives, it’s important to keep them in check to avoid any health issues. While a small number of worms may not cause harm, a large infestation can lead to serious problems. Some of the most common worms affecting dogs and cats are: roundworms, hookworm, whipworms, tapeworm and heartworm. In most cases it is difficult to know…

Hay There! Why Feeding Hay is the Key to a Healthy, Happy Horse

2 January, 2025

When it comes to feeding horses, hay is often a key part of the diet. If you have horses, you may wonder why hay is so essential and how it impacts your horse’s overall health. In this article, we’ll dive into why hay is crucial for horses, the benefits of feeding it, and how to choose the right type to ensure your horse stays healthy and happy. Why Hay Matters: Understanding the Horse’s Digestive Needs Horses are herbivores with a digestive system designed to process high-fibre forage. Unlike humans, they are mono-gastric, meaning they have a single-chambered stomach. Their digestive…

Spring Grass – Why does it cause problems?

24 October, 2024

As spring arrives, many horse owners face concerns about the impact of lush grass on their horses’ health. The high nitrogen and potassium levels in this new growth can disrupt not only digestion but also brain, nerve, and muscle function, leading to various issues commonly referred to as ‘grass-affected’ behaviour. The Effects of Spring Grass During the growth phase, grass has increased leaf area, which boosts its ability to produce soluble sugars. These sugars are quickly absorbed into the bloodstream, causing an insulin response and resulting in excess energy. This can lead to anxiety, over-reactiveness, and spooky behaviour in horses…

Enriching Your Horses Diet – Natural Forage & Herbs

17 October, 2024

As horse carers, we’re always looking for ways to enhance our equine companions’ health and well-being. One effective method is by offering free choice herbs. This practice provides a natural, holistic approach to nutrition and empowers horses to select what they need based on their individual preferences and health requirements. Horses are known for their grazing habits, but they’re also natural foragers. Given the chance, they love to nibble on a variety of plants, which adds diversity to their diet. Incorporating safe plants, herbs, and vegetables into their feeding routine not only boosts their nutrient intake but also enriches their…

Brain Health in Dogs

11 October, 2024

Brain health in dogs is often overlooked in dog owners due to lack of awareness. We all understand the importance of good nutrition and exercise. But exercise shouldn’t only satisfy your dog’s physical needs; they also require mental exercise to keep their brains going! Giving your dog a mental workout reduces boredom and bad behaviour while slowing cognitive decline. Keeping your canine’s brain stimulated is one of the crucial things that will make your pet relaxed, happy and calm. Let’s check out some creative ways to keep your dog’s brain in the best possible condition! Work on a new trick…

Urinary Incontinence – Help with ‘puddle problems’

23 September, 2024

Does your dog or cat need help with ‘puddle problems’? A damp and smelly pet, or a pet who doesn’t quite make it to the litter box or garden can become a frustration, and the constant washing and deodorising can become a burden for the household dealing with the issue. What Is Urinary Incontinence? This “leaky” problem is basically the loss of bladder control in your pet. The severity can range from occasional light leakage and dampness, to the point where they can’t hold on to alleviate themselves in the right spot – outside for dogs or in a litter…

Sea Vegetables for Pets

23 September, 2024

Sea vegetables (seaweed) are edible marine plants and algae. Extremely nutrient-dense, sea vegetables have a mineral content 10 times greater than plants grown in soil and support various aspects of your pet’s health. Rich in fibre, they are highly digestible and support your pet’s gut microbiome. Seaweed may improve thyroid function, support heart health, reduce insulin resistance, increase energy and help maintain healthy skin and coat. Sea vegetables also aid in detoxification, as they contain natural compounds that help eliminate heavy metals and other toxins from the body. We recommend the following sea vegetables for your pets: To incorporate sea…

Travel Anxiety – Avoid the stress.. and the mess!

16 September, 2024

Travel Anxiety – Avoid the stress and the mess! It’s a warm, sunny day so you’ve hopped in the car with your dog to head to the park. Suddenly, Fido doesn’t look so good. Before you’ve had time to pull over, his breakfast has been decanted unceremoniously all over your back seat. Pet motion sickness and travel anxiety is all too familiar. In extreme cases, it can severely limit the experiences that we can enjoy with our pets. No more hiking weekends away with your four-legged friend. No more trips to the beach (unless you’re lucky enough to be within…

Head Flicking in Horses

5 August, 2024

Head flicking in horses (or head shaking) is characterized by some or all of the following: There are a variety of conditions that will ‘trigger’ head-shaking episodes: Important: Head-shaking/flicking is not ‘naughty’ behavior. Forget trying to physically restrict the horse with any kind of ‘tie-down’or trying to ‘school’ him out of it. It is a debilitating, painful condition, see below. The Trigeminal Nerve It has been established that head-shaking/flicking involves the malfunctioning of the trigeminal nerve in the horses head. The trigeminal nerve originates behind the horse’s eye and has branches down to the mouth, nostrils and up to the…

Mange Mites – How to Manage Naturally

29 July, 2024

Mange mites are tiny parasites that can turn a once healthy-looking pet into a sad and sorry sight indeed. Mange is caused from a mite that burrows under the skin causing discomfort or itching, infection and unsightly hair loss. There are different types of mange mites the most common being sarcoptic mange and demodectic mange. Mange will generally only affect animals with depressed immune function. It is necessary to visit your veterinarian for correct diagnosis of mange, where he or she will do a skin scraping to determine the presence of mites, which are not visible to the naked eye….

Natural Stress Relief for Animals

11 July, 2024

While most of us know the impact of high stress levels on our own health, many people never stop and think about whether our animals are also suffering from similar stresses. With a busy lifestyle you may get stressed out over traffic, work pressures, finances, world events or family problems and although animal’s lives are much more simplified, they can also be filled with everyday stress. Many people still believe that animals do not have the same feelings and emotions as we do, because they don’t talk or cry, but this doesn’t mean they don’t suffer in silence. To try…

Pet Obesity

2 July, 2024

Pet Obesity is a sensitive topic and one that can be an awkward subject to discuss with pet owners. However more awareness needs to be raised around pet obesity as it’s become one of the biggest health threats to our pets today! The Australian Veterinary Association (AVA) 2024 survey results reported that 41% of dogs and 32% of cats are either overweight or obese. Obesity not only makes your pet very uncomfortable, but also decreases their lifespan. This is due to the significant burden placed on the various body systems. Obesity contributes to conditions such as osteoarthritis, cardiovascular disease, heat…

Pet Obesity

11 June, 2024

Pet Obesity is a sensitive topic and one that can be an awkward subject to discuss with pet owners. However more awareness needs to be raised around pet obesity as it’s become one of the biggest health threats to our pets today! The Australian Veterinary Association (AVA) 2024 survey results reported that 41% of dogs and 32% of cats are either overweight or obese. Obesity not only makes your pet very uncomfortable, but also decreases their lifespan. This is due to the significant burden placed on the various body systems. Obesity contributes to conditions such as osteoarthritis, cardiovascular disease, heat…

Minerals For Healthy Animals

13 May, 2024

Minerals For Healthy Animals: Minerals are essential for optimum health for all living species. Requirements differ from one species to the next, but they all need adequate amounts of each mineral for healthy bodily functions. Mineral deficiencies can lead to disease and so can mineral excesses. Therefore, getting the correct amount in the right ratios is the key to optimum health. Most natural diets will provide these minerals in appropriate balances but most commercially prepared diets don’t. Dogs and cats fed on commercial food often suffer from severe imbalances. This is because it is impossible to provide all the nutrients…

Itchy Skin – Natural Support for Pets

13 May, 2024

Itchy Skin is one of the most common questions we get asked at Greenpet. My dog or cat has itchy skin and its not fleas, what can you do to help?ORMy horse is scratching on everything until he or she is bleeding and causing injury. Is there anything that can help?   For Itchy Horses – Click here Well, the answer is YES, natural therapies can greatly assist dogs, cats and horses with itchy skin conditions. Skin problems and allergies are becoming increasingly prevalent among domestic animals today. Using drugs to relieve the itch is not the answer for long-term relief from this…

Leaky Gut in Horses

1 May, 2024

What is leaky gut? Leaky Gut Syndrome in horses is a condition where the lining of the horse’s intestinal tract becomes damaged, leading to increased intestinal permeability. This means that substances that would normally be contained within the gut, such as toxins, bacteria, and undigested food particles, can pass through the compromised gut lining and enter the bloodstream. This condition can lead to a variety of health issues due to systemic inflammation and immune system reactions. Causes and Contributing Factors Several factors can contribute to the development of Leaky Gut Syndrome in horses: High-sugar intake from grazing green grass can…

Flea Control – Natural Alternatives

11 April, 2024

Flea Control – Natural alternatives are available so you don’t need to poison your animals with chemicals or drugs. Did you know? Choose Natural Alternatives Flea Control using natural alternatives can work equally effectively as the chemical products but will require more frequent use than the artificial treatments. It’s concerning when anthing topical has a warning to avoid contact with human skin yet is supposedly okay to apply to your animal’s skin? (Why is this supposedly okay… I wonder?) Personally, anything that is not safe for human skin contact should not be used on an animal. Regular grooming and running a flea comb…

Smelly Pets – Why do they stink?

5 April, 2024

If your pet has started smelling for no apparent reason, it may have something to do with their failing hygiene or underlying health problems. Common causes of persistent odour: Addressing the root cause of your pet’s odour is crucial for their overall health and well-being. Regular check-ups, proper grooming, a balanced, natural, raw food diet, and a clean environment can all contribute to keeping your pet smelling fresh and healthy. If you’re unsure why your pet smells or if the odour persists despite your efforts, don’t hesitate to seek guidance from our naturopath via an online consultation.

Bad Breath in Dogs or Cats – Is it Normal?

25 March, 2024

Yes, it’s true that your pet’s breath doesn’t always smell fresh and minty! Pets are notorious for eating various things, including some pretty smelly stuff like cat poop, dead animals, or even nappies. However, persistent bad breath in pets is not normal and can indicate an underlying issue. Common Causes of Bad Breath How to help resolve Bad Breath While the occasional unpleasant breath might not be cause for concern, if your pet’s breath consistently smells bad, it’s essential to have them examined by your local veterinarian. Addressing the underlying cause is crucial for their overall health and well-being. Regular…

Does your pet eat weird things?

19 March, 2024

Why is my pet eating weird things? Eating strange items like dirt, sand, poop, clay, paper, chalk, plastic, metal or fabric is referred to as pica. Pica can lead to gastric upset including intestinal obstructions from ingesting indigestible objects, so it is important to try and stop this behaviour to avoid serious complications. If your dog is eating poop, then read our blog – Why does my dog eat poop. What is the cause of pica? It can be difficult to find the cause of pica as it can be due to a range of health issues such as gastrointestinal…

Horses on Pasture

18 March, 2024

If you’ve been fortunate enough to encounter no issues with your horses grazing on your lush pastures, you may skip ahead. However, if your horse is among the numerous experiencing any of the following problems or similar variations, then this is essential reading. Problems Caused by Lush Pasture If any of these issues resonate with you, please read on… The notion that allowing horses to freely roam lush meadows, selecting vegetation to balance their diet instinctively by day’s end is ideal, is far from reality. In our experience, such thinking often contributes significantly to the aforementioned list of issues. Conversely,…

The Health Benefits of Owning a Horse

27 February, 2024

As equestrians, keeping fit physically and mentally in the New Year is a lot easier than you think. Riding can challenge and exhilarate your mind, and it also boosts your health, well-being and much more. In this article, we’ll explore some ways you may or may not know horse riding and horse care can help you be healthier. Owning a horse presents some challenges – it can be expensive, they’re not easy to care for, and they have different preferences and needs depending on their breed, size, gender and more. But the benefits far outweigh these things. Let’s explore a…

The Importance of Offal

19 January, 2024

The Importance of Offal: A natural and nutritionally balanced raw food diet is extremely important in maintaining optimum health for all animals and one of the foundations of Animal Naturopathy. Within the realm of raw feeding, one component stands out for its unparalleled nutritional value – offal, or organ meats. Carnivores instinctively consume the organs of their prey, along with meat, bones, stomach contents, along with skin, fur and feathers. Since domestic pets do not consume whole prey, it falls upon us to provide a balanced diet to meet their nutritional requirements adequately. Nutrient Density Offal serves as a nutrient…

Greenpet Herbal Eye Wash is a truly miraculous product.

16 January, 2024

Greenpet Herbal Eye Wash is a truly miraculous product. My labrador has a tiny growth on her upper eyelid which the vet said to see how it goes, it may need to be surgically removed if it keeps growing and irritating her eye. The white of her eye had a reddish look from the irritation and she often had eye secretion which I was wiping off all the time with saline wash. My dog runs away when she thinks she is about to get eyedrops so that had made treating the problem really stressful for her and for me. I…

Tempting Fussy Eaters

17 October, 2023

Do you have a fussy pet that will not eat anything but a particular brand of pet food or only one type of meat or fish and nothing else?

Leaky Gut in Dogs & Cats

11 August, 2023

Leaky gut syndrome, also known as intestinal permeability, is a condition that affects both dogs and cats. It occurs when the lining of the gastrointestinal tract becomes damaged, allowing toxins, undigested food particles, and bacteria to leak into the bloodstream. This can trigger a cascade of health issues, ranging from digestive problems to immune system disorders and food sensitivities. The most common causes of leaky gut in dogs & cats is chronic low-grade inflammation which may occur as a result of toxicity, poor diet, overuse of medications, bacterial imbalance (dysbiosis), parasites, food allergies & autoimmune diseases. Diet and Nutrition One…

Grass Choices: Which is best for our Horses

20 June, 2023

Understanding Horse’s Digestive Needs Horses possess a unique digestive system that thrives on a continuous supply of nutrient-dense, high-fibre forage. This forage is digested through fermentation in the hindgut, providing essential nutrients and energy. Impact of Grass Moisture Content The moisture content of grass significantly affects fibre intake. Green grass typically has lower fibre content compared to dry, mature grass. Horses grazing on lush grass day & night, without adequate fibre are at risk of imbalances in their gut microbiome. A horse’s hindgut is a fermentation vat that digests fibre, producing fatty acids for energy and absorption of essential nutrients….

Sophie’s Story… Laminitis.

28 April, 2023

I swore off ever owning another pony with metabolic issues again after having to put our beloved miniature pony to sleep due to ongoing laminitis complications.  Fast forward six months, and I found myself being the owner of a 19-year-old Australian Pony called Sophie. Sophie is one of those dream ponies that has been there and done that.  She was too good of an opportunity to pass up for my daughter who is learning to ride.  But with all of Sophie’s good qualities, there were also some not so good.  Sophie had been previously locked up in a “Jenny Craig”…

Grasses & The Problems They Present

18 April, 2023

Grasses are a common component of a horse’s diet, but not all grasses are created equal. Some grasses can contain compounds that cause symptoms and health issues in horses. In this article, we’ll explore some of the common grasses that can cause problems for horses. Fluorescing pigments are found in some grasses, such as rye, clover, lucerne, St John’s wort, buttercup, and plantain. These pigments give the grass a dark green color, but they can also cause photophobia and photosensitization in horses. Horses that consume these grasses may develop symptoms such as mud-fever and sunburn. Oxalate is another compound that…

Worms ~ How long do they survive on Pasture?

30 March, 2023

Hint: It’s longer than you think. The lifecycle of many gastrointestinal parasites of livestock and horses (in particular, those of the Strongyle family) is such that a vast majority of the worm’s life may be spent on pasture. After eggs are shed in the manure, the eggs will develop and hatch into larvae. These larvae will then further develop, going through stages known as moults. Eggs will hatch into L1 (stage one larvae), which will moult to L2 (stage two larvae), and then a further moult into L3 (stage three larvae). It is at the L3 stage where livestock will…

Grains or No Grains?

30 March, 2023

Grains or No Grains? What is the answer to feeding or not feeding them to your pet? As you may have discovered by investigation, there is a variety of information on the inclusion of grains in a pets diet. Should you add them, lots of them, a small portion of grains or no grains at all? Did you know? Are Grains Safe? Yes, they are safe when implementing them into your pet’s diet. See below for my reasons why: Dogs Versus Cats What is the difference between dogs and cats when it comes to grains? Lenny’s Kitchen Natural & Complete…

Raw diet transition helps with digestion issues

2 February, 2023

Raw diet transition helps with digestion issues My 4 yo German shepherd has improved out of sight, she had severe deep fistulas around her anus, couldn’t poop & was in great pain. Vet said glands were also involved and she had dying tissue. Looked a mess and thought we would lose her. Medication from vets made her more constipated. Her appetite is back, fur looks fluffy and glowing, one fistula has closed and the other is small. Her poops are still thin but regular every day and she skips around afterwards. She’s on raw mince, Taste of wild kibble soaked,…

“Supreme” recovery after floods

17 January, 2023

“Supreme” recovery after floods I bought the Calm Healthy Horses Supreme MVA supplement from Greenpet a month ago. Straight away my horses were happy to eat their feed with the supplements mixed in, and some water. These horses have had a rough year, we went through 3 major floods and the horses all suffered low grade to more serious grade laminitis, as well as some mud fever, rain scald and abscesses. Also, after I tried giving them some other supplements, my oldest gelding suffered vitiligo – the loss of colour around his muzzle and eyes, showing as pink patches. It…

Does your pet eat weird things?

14 October, 2022

Why is my pet eating weird things? Eating strange items like dirt, sand, poop, clay, paper, chalk, plastic, metal or fabric is referred to as pica. Pica can lead to gastric upset including intestinal obstructions from ingesting indigestible objects, so it is important to try and stop this behaviour to avoid serious complications. If your dog is eating poop, then click the link to read our blog – Why does my dog eat poop. What is the cause of pica? It can be difficult to find the cause of pica as it can be due to a range of health…

FLUTD Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease

23 August, 2022

FLUTD Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease is a term used to describe conditions that affect the urinary tract of cats. Some symptoms that may occur with FLUTD include Some cats may show one or more of the above symptoms when suffering from FLUTD. This condition is more frequently seen in cats that are neutered, overweight, lead a very sedentary lifestyle, live completely indoors or fed on dry food. FLUTD causes may include How to help prevent FLUTD Natural supplements that may support cats with FLUTD Take measures to help reduce stress What to feed cats to maintain a healthy urinary…

Pooch is stable after tumour

26 May, 2022

Pooch is stable after tumour My almost 12 year old dog had a 1.5 kg tumour removed on 11 January 2022 and we were told by the vet that we might only have him for 2 – 6 weeks. In conjunction with his daily medication, as he has cancer, I found your Turkey tail mushroom powder online and he has been taking this since his operation – that was almost 14 weeks ago!!! I took him to the vet yesterday for a check up and the vet was incredulous and his prognosis was that our pooch is “stable”…

Rainscald & Midge allergy

19 May, 2022

Just giving you an update on Chief’s condition. With all this rain we have been having, he did have a 2nd relapse, but with perseverance we got there, with all his “medicated baths”, scrubbing of skin adhesions and this wonderful Calafea oil, it has been a godsend. Would highly recommend it to anyone that has rain scald, or a grass or midge allergy. Thank you once again for your help. Tracey W.

Why does my dog eat Poop?

11 November, 2021

We may find this habit ‘gross’ but for dogs it’s actually quite common. The technical term is coprophagia. Eating poop can be due to an underlying health issue, but some dogs just enjoy the taste! Below are some of the possible reasons your dog may fancy snacking on poop A common cause is nutrient deficiencies from poor quality foods or parasite infections which can leach nutrients from the body. Digestive issues such as gut malabsorption or enzyme deficiencies. Many dogs enjoy feasting on cow pats and manure from other livestock. Cow manure is rich in enzymes and partially digested proteins…

Lily’s Got No More Leaks

8 September, 2021

Lily’s Got No More Leaks I just wanted to write and tell you of the wonderful results I’ve had with my elderly dog’s incontinence using your natural remedies. Lily is an 11 year old Jack Russell cross and had been ‘leaking’ on her bedding many times a day, in quite large amounts. We had her on pills from the vet as I was unaware that dogs could use human herbs. She was on these for 2 years and whilst they worked, she started getting an upset tummy the day after taking them. I swapped her onto your herbs and there…

Inflammation in Cats & Dogs

14 July, 2021

Inflammation in cats and dogs is a common physiological response, typically triggered by injury or illness. It serves as the body’s mechanism for protection and self-healing by expanding blood vessels and dispatching white blood cells to the affected area. While this immune response is essential for survival, it can at times spiral out of control. When this happens, the healthy inflammatory response doesn’t switch off when it is meant to, which causes chronic, low-grade inflammation. While acute inflammation helps the body heal, chronic inflammation can be harmful and is associated with various health problems and increases the risk for disease….

PSSM vs ‘Grass Affected’ Is there a difference?

12 July, 2021

Our observation is that horses exhibiting PSSM symptoms can also be found anywhere that grass grows and the horse is not being managed in such a way as to prevent the grass causing issues for that horse. In some cases where green grass isn’t part of the horse’s diet, the hay needs to be checked/analysed. ​There are far too many similarities for this to be merely coincidence ​Compare the list below which is from the following link:       http://www.pssm.eu/en/symptoms–of-pssm.html with the Calm healthy horses – Horse symptom Checklist ​Comparing the two lists we found Like ‘grass-affected’ horses there is a wide variety…

Horse Diet – Feeding Naturally

9 July, 2021

Horse diets vary significantly based on the individual horse and its regular activities. The nutritional needs of a racehorse, for instance, are markedly different from those of a weekend leisure pony. The following is provided as a basic guideline and will need to be varied according to your horse’s breed, workload, and nutritional needs. Horses are grazing animals and naturally cover extensive distances in the wild (averaging 30+ km daily) to find food and water. Wild horses spend around 18-20 hours daily grazing on native grasses with relatively low nutritional content. This differs from the lifestyle of most domestic horses,…

Pasture Management for Healthy Horses

9 July, 2021

There are two different approaches to the whole subject of pasture management depending on what sort of horses you own. If you just want the quiet ride at the weekend and safe ponies for your children then you will do things somewhat differently from someone who has performance and/or breeding horses. In either case: NEVER apply commercial fertilisers: No super, no potash, no NPK, no urea, they will all cause the grass to be even more unsuitable for your horses. Sufficient nitrogen for grass growth can come from occasionally (but not frequently!) harrowing manure. Originally, we thought it was just…

EMS – Equine Metabolic Syndrome

8 July, 2021

Horses who show signs of Equine Metabolic Syndrome are prone to laminitis any time of the year but the risk goes up in spring and autumn. A horse with EMS is not a healthy horse but the condition can be successfully reversed with dietary and lifestyle adjustments. Understanding the syndrome is Step 1. Most people know these horses need a diet which is low in sugars and starches (<10%) and an increase in exercise but EMS is not the same as being over-weight. Some EMS horses are over-weight and some are not but EMS horses are distinguishable by their ‘lumpy…

Feeding Grass Affected Horses

8 July, 2021

If your horse has diet related issues, what you feed in the way of hard feed can either reduce the problem or add to it. So, for the horse’s metabolism to ‘rest’ and ‘reset’ their self-regulating mechanisms, we keep hard feeds as simple and basic as possible. Over the years we have realised that potassium, crude protein and soluble sugar content are the nutrients we need to be mindful of. When there is an excess presense they place undue and cumulative stress on the horse’s metabolism. Green feed like lucerne/alfalfa, fresh herbs, willow or poplar leaves and other items such…