Nutrition

Feeding a horse requires the right balance of forage, energy, protein, vitamins, minerals, water, and salt to support digestion, maintain body condition, and promote overall health at every stage of life. While no single feeding program works for every horse,...

Omneity® is Mad Barn's all-in-one vitamin and mineral supplement designed to balance forage-based diets and provide a complete daily nutritional foundation for horses. Many horses receive enough forage, calories, and protein to maintain body condition, but their diet may still...

Choosing the best vitamin E supplement for your horse is not as simple as picking the product with the highest IU per scoop. The right choice depends on what your horse is actually missing from the diet, including vitamin E...

Strong respiratory health is essential for your horse's comfort, stamina, recovery, and athletic performance, but choosing the right respiratory supplement is not always straightforward. With so many products marketed for breathing support, it can be difficult to know which options...

Iron, zinc and copper are essential trace minerals in the horse's diet. Although required in small amounts, these nutrients have wide-ranging effects on equine health including oxygen transport, immune function, antioxidant defense and cellular energy production. Equine diets need to...

Helping a horse gain weight is not always as simple as feeding more grain or adding extra supplements. Weight gain depends on the horse consuming more calories than it needs, but factors such as forage quality, digestion, protein intake, workload,...

Topline supplements are one of the first solutions many horse owners look for when trying to improve muscle, condition, and overall appearance. A well-formulated supplement can support muscle development, especially when poor topline is related to gaps in essential amino...

Digestive health plays a central role in your horse's comfort, performance, and overall well being, but choosing the right gut supplement is not always straightforward. With a range of products targeting different areas of the digestive system, it can be...

Beer is sometimes discussed in horse care, particularly in working barns and hot climates where it has been used as a traditional remedy. Horse owners may offer small amounts for reasons such as encouraging appetite, supporting digestion, or mitigating heat...

Apples are almost universally associated with horses; in barns everywhere, apple slices and treats remain the go-to reward after a good ride. Apples are also widely used as ingredients in commercial feeds and baked horse treats, where they enhance palatability...

Strong, healthy hooves are essential for your horse's soundness, comfort, and performance, but choosing the right hoof supplement is not always straightforward. With so many products on the market, it can be difficult to know which option will actually improve...

Bio-Sponge®, or di-tri-octahedral smectite (DTO smectite) is a naturally occurring clay mineral used in equine medicine to support gastrointestinal health. Smectite's properties allow it to bind water, toxins, bacteria, and other potentially harmful substances within the gastrointestinal tract. In equine...

Adequate vitamin and mineral intake is essential to maintaining your horse’s health and well-being. But with so many different supplement options on the market, how do you know which one to choose? The best vitamin and mineral supplement for your...

Horse owners often wonder what supplements their horse actually needs to stay healthy and perform well. While feed rooms are often filled with products promising support for gut health, joints, [...]

Thiamine, also known as vitamin B1, is a crucial water-soluble nutrient for horses. It helps convert carbohydrates into energy, supporting muscles, nerves, and other tissues. Since horses store only small amounts, they depend on regular intake to maintain their health...

Bermudagrass is a widely used equine forage used in the southern United States, valued for its adaptability, productivity, and cost-effectiveness. As a warm-season perennial, Bermudagrass thrives in hot weather and provides consistent forage during summer months when cool-season grasses decline....

Rhizoma Perennial Peanut is a warm-season legume commonly fed to horses as hay. It offers a clean, nutrient-dense option generally considered palatable to horses. Regions across the southeastern United States, including Florida, Georgia, and Alabama, use it widely because it...

Wild or feral horses spend most of their day grazing on a variety of grasses, shrubs, and other natural forage, carefully selecting plants to meet their nutritional needs. In contrast, domestic horses are often provided with concentrated feeds, hay, and...

Bahiagrass is a warm-season perennial grass commonly used for horse pastures. First identified in the 1800s and introduced to Florida in 1913, it has since spread throughout the southern U.S. The grass thrives in sandy, low-fertility soils and is well-suited...

Bromegrasses, including Smooth and Meadow Bromegrass, are cool-season perennials widely used for equine forage in North America. Valued for their drought tolerance, adaptability to soil types, and consistent nutritional profile, these grasses are a reliable option for many equine diets....

Timothy hay offers moderate energy and protein content, making it suitable for a wide range of horses. Depending on Timothy’s growing and harvesting conditions, it can be produced at varying nutritional levels to suit different horse’s needs- from growing and...

Ryegrass is a widely used forage for horses, most commonly provided in its annual and perennial forms. These grasses are known for their high yields and strong nutritional profiles, making them suitable for many types of horses. Although ryegrass can...

Treats play a meaningful role in strengthening the bond between caregivers and their horses, offering a way to reinforce trust and encourage positive behavior. They can also serve as an effective tool in equine training, as using treats in training...

First cutting hay is traditionally harvested in the spring and tends to be coarse and high in fiber. This is because the plants have had more time to mature, resulting in a higher concentration of structural carbohydrates. First-cutting hay is...

Orchardgrass is a cool-season perennial grass widely grown in temperate regions and commonly used as forage for horses. It thrives in well-drained soils and moderate climates, producing dense, leafy growth that is typically quite palatable to horses. On average, orchardgrass...

Emerging equine research is the cornerstone of expanding our understanding of equine health, nutrition, management, and performance. This growing body of research provides valuable insights for veterinarians, equine professionals, and researchers seeking to apply evidence-based approaches in both clinical and...

Protein is an essential nutrient for horses and a key component of the equine diet. Adequate protein is required for supplying the amino acids needed to build and maintain muscle, vital organs, bones, hooves and other tissues. A horse's protein...

Horses are muscular animals, with a high proportion of muscle mass relative to their body weight. This impressive musculature has been shaped through centuries of selective breeding for athletic traits, including speed and strength, that enable horses to excel in...

Manganese is an essential trace mineral involved in multiple physiological processes within a horse’s body. It is an important component of antioxidant enzymes and plays key roles in skeletal, muscular, and nervous system health. Because of its importance, certain groups...

Understanding your horse's energy requirement is important for formulating a balanced diet that supports athletic performance, weight maintenance and overall function. Horses, like all animals, rely on energy from their diet to fuel their everyday activities. Energy is required for...