Maintaining optimal weight and peak performance in horses, especially those used for high-intensity athletic activities, can be a delicate and ongoing challenge for even the most experienced equestrian. Throughout the various seasons and demands of the competition calendar, a horse's nutritional and exercise needs are in constant flux, requiring vi…

In part 2 of our 2 part series Behind the Scenes at the Summer Games Dr. Clair talks to Dr Joe Pagan owner and President of Kentucky Equine Research (KER). In addition to doing equine nutrition and exercise physiology related research work, KER have also sourced the feed for the last 7 Summer Games. They discuss: - how teams coordinate getting the …

Wonder what goes on behind-the-scenes and what it takes to get horses to major international competitions? In this episode Dr. Clair and Michelle are joined by Max Corcoran, a freelance groom, equestrian event organizer, and former longtime member of the O’Connor Event Team. Max shares what it’s like to manage horses on the U.S. Equestrian Team as …

Equine feed labels and hay analysis results are full of abbreviations such as ADF, NDF, CP, NSC, and WSC and together they make up an alphabet soup. Ever wonder what they all mean and whether they are important to your horse? And what about gas? Has your horse ever passed gas while being ridden? In this episode Dr Clair and Michelle answer some, li…

Fly management is a crucial aspect of horse barn management this time of year. Flies—here we're talking about stable flies, horse flies, gnats, mosquitoes, and more—​are a nuisance to horses and humans alike. They cause our horses discomfort, stress, and even the spread of diseases, such as Potomac horse fever, West Nile virus, pigeon fever, and ve…

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 Bro…

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…

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 (…

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…

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 Ma…

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…

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 p…

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 hea…

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 epi…

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 pr…

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 re…

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 a…

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 fo…

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 an…

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…

Thanks for riding along with us!By Michelle

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 cortiso…

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, c…

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…

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 s…

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…

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 be…

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 reas…

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, cu…

Learning to trust EFT Tapping is one of the best decisions you can make in your life. We need critical thinking and healthy scepticism in this world, but we also need to trust the good things. EFT Tapping is one of the good things. It helps you discern what is safe and what is not. To learn more about the online tapping group The Nest, go to http:/…

Allowing is about facing up to the darkest stuff and dealing with it. Being resilient. Not giving in. But not necessarily with cathartic drama (though of course if that is necessary, do it). Maybe with a cup of tea and a twinkle. Tapping can get you there. To learn more about the online tapping group The Nest, go to http://bit.ly/NestFounders…

EFT Tapping is an amazing self help tool for helping your ride the ups and downs of everyday life. When you feel you can't cope, tapping is there for you. To learn more about the online tapping group The Nest, go to http://bit.ly/NestFounderBy Claire P Hayes

How learning from our nervous system is a win/win. We can use EFT Tapping to support it, while using the functions of the autonomic nervous system to help our tapping. It comes down to self –regulation, allowing and trust. Really lovely states which will help you live life with less stress and more ease. To learn more about the online tapping group…

Can you imagine relaxing, without collapsing? This is not the relaxation of letting go to fall asleep, or to receive a massage. It is the relaxation of being alert, but with no unnecessary tension. The relaxation of using just the right energy for each task, of focus without stress, momentum without rush, of stillness without stuckness. Tapping can…

This episode is to help you carry on. EFT Tapping can be a great help when you feel like giving up. To learn more about the online tapping group The Nest, go to http://bit.ly/NestFoundersBy Claire P Hayes

This month’s theme is Compassion. It’s worth working with self love. It is not a selfish act, but rather gives you strength to love. Please don’t confuse self love with self aggrandizement or egoism. It is about realising that you are lovable and loved. But we can’t simply jump to feeling lovable and loved if we feel unlovable and unloved. So today…

When you love, there is the opportunity to let go of all the judgements, all the limiting beliefs and all the tight containers that keep you small. But actually loving, real love, passionate love, quiet love – and not a saccharine greetings card love– that is not so easy. Because of all those thoughts, all those feelings and all that “stuff” that s…

I’m going to begin by saying that if you are in this place, please reach out for help - from a professional, from a friend, or from an organisation. This podcast does not give you the answer and does not pretend to. But if you are suffering, I hope this short episode acts like a light in a dark place. You are loved, whether that feels true or not. …

This episode begins to look at how you can use EFT Tapping to explore and change your relationship with groups, whether it is to clear past pain or move nearer how you really want to connect in life. Like Episode 67 around relationships, a short podcast can only begin to point the way into how tapping can help. So today I offer an exercise to begin…

This is one of the abiding problems of our time. So many people feel separated from others. Clearly I can only begin on this subject in this episode, but I do give you a specific route to start with. EFT Tapping is hugely helpful to heal relationships so please reach out to a practitioner if you need. To learn more about the online tapping group Th…

This episode continues the theme of “Belonging”, and talks about how to use EF T Tapping to heal that sense of not being in alignment with your true self. To learn more about the online tapping group The Nest, go to http://bit.ly/NestFoundersBy Claire P Hayes

This month’s podcasts are about belonging, and the heart. Belonging is about connection and relationship, and yet it also needs clear boundaries and discernment. When we do not feel we belong, we suffer greatly. This episode is about nurturing our own heart. To learn more about the online tapping group The Nest, go to http://bit.ly/NestFounders…

Often there can be a lot of anxiety when we think we want to change our mind, or we are not sure, or a new path presents itself. Tapping when you want to change your mind, or you are stuck between choices, is an ideal time for tapping. To learn more about the online tapping group The Nest, go to http://bit.ly/NestFounders…

Sometimes we just want things to be easier. It is perfectly possible to achieve things with tension and stress. We all know that working with a certain amount of adrenalin can be just what we need. But often there is stress when you don’t want it. You tie yourself up in knots rather than get on. You put things off. Or you do everything in time but …

Sometimes you need some extra “oomph” in your life, just like a sprinter uses at the start of a run. We can use EFT Tapping to harness your power in the same way. As ever with tapping, you want to clear the “reasons why not”, the stuff that is getting in your way. But once you have done that, you can supercharge your impetus with this easy Impetus …

This episode introduces the theme of Direction and how to use EFT Tapping to help you keep moving gracefully in the direction of your choice. To learn more about the online tapping group The Nest, go to http://bit.ly/NestFoundersBy Claire P Hayes

Expansion needs its own boundaries. This week is all about being energetically safe. For that there is The Protective Veil, within which you are protected but which doesn’t dim your light or voice at all. To learn more about the online tapping group The Nest, go to http://bit.ly/NestFoundersBy Claire P Hayes

In my experience, more people hold themselves back than surge forward, so today’s exercise is a safe way of exploring your possibilities and expanding without being blown away by it all being too much. EFT Tapping provides a safe container in which to explore these possibilities. To learn more about the online tapping group The Nest, go to http://b…

You have a choice to make. There are pros and cons. But you are not sure. You are maybe getting flustered or frustrated or just bewildered. You will be happy to know that this is a brilliant time to tap! This episode teaches you how to use EFT Tapping to help you make choices. To learn more about the online tapping group The Nest, go to http://bit.…

This episode introduces the theme of Expansion and emphasises the importance of coming from Presence when you tap. Then you are centred and grounded so that you can expand in the direction you want to go. To learn more about the online tapping group The Nest, go to http://bit.ly/NestFounders