You may be familiar with the terms prebiotics and probiotics, but have you ever heard of postbiotics? This episode covers the basics of postbiotics including what they are and how they can be used in the feeding program to support certain biological functions. Resources • Health promoting microbial metabolites produced by the gut microbiota after p…

Vitamin C is important for many functions in the body. Horses are capable of making their own vitamin C, yet some researchers suggest it be a beneficial addition to horses under certain conditions. In this episode, Dr. Jyme unpacks what the scientific community knows about vitamin C for horses and when it might be useful in the equine diet. Resourc…

It’s fly season and there is nothing more irritating than a barn full of flies zapping the energy right out of your horses. This episode covers feed through fly control options and extra management tips to make your horse’s life as fly-free as possible this summer! Resources • Here are some of Dr. Jyme’s favorite fly control options. Dr. Jyme recei…

The old saying “no hoof, no horse” couldn’t be more true. If you have ever found yourself in a situation with a horse that had foot issues, you quickly realize there isn’t much you can do with that horse from a work or athletic standpoint, you may be devoting hours/days/weeks/months to helping the horse heal, and sometimes the situation may be care…

Confused by all the feed choices out there? Inspired by a listener question, Dr. Nichols explains her 8-step process for selecting the brand or line of feed to best fit your needs. Show Notes: Feed Selection Road Map 1. Is the nutritionist qualified? 2. Least Cost vs Locked Formula 3. Ionophore Stance 4. Feeding Rates 5. Trace Mineral Source a. Zin…

Stallions can fall into a fairly wide range in terms of dietary needs, so there is no one-size-fits-all program. In this episode, Dr. Jyme describes different things to consider in designing a foundational nutrition program for a stallion and then takes it a step further by considering functional technologies that may help with things like semen qu…

If you plan to breed your mare this year, this is your episode! Dr. Jyme explains her pre-breeding checklist and two special functional ingredients you can add to the diet to maximize your chances of an easy conception and healthy baby. References: • Merck Veterinary Manual - https://www.merckvetmanual.com/management-and-nutrition/management-of-rep…

Just because the grass is dormant and covered by a fresh layer of snow doesn’t mean you can forget about laminitis. Winter laminitis can be a concern for horses, especially those predisposed to metabolic conditions. Resources • Winter Laminitis Proceedings 2015 https://www.ecirhorse.org/proceedings-2015.php You can now follow @drjyme on Facebook an…

“Biohacking is a powerful concept that equips individuals with diverse tools and strategies, enabling them to take charge of their health like a CEO steering a successful company,” says Dr. Kien Vuu, M.D. Why not use some of these techniques on our horses to optimize their health, performance, and longevity?? Resources: • [Book] Thrive State: Your …

Weaning can be a stressful time for both mare and foal, but as owners and managers there are things we can do to minimize stress. This episode covers the nutritional aspects of deciding when to wean your foal. You can now follow @drjyme on Facebook and Instagram! Please tell your friends how #feedroomchemist has made you an #empoweredhorseowner! ….…

As a follow up to episode 126 “Sweet Temptations” Dr. Jyme digs into the concepts behind evaluating sugar in the diet and how to apply the findings to specific situations. Resources: • EquiSUMMIT Registration for on-demand replays of the live event: https://bit.ly/440K6tp • Review of WSC and ESC of temperate grass pastures: https://doi.org/10.1016/…

Dr. Jyme was a guest presenter at the 2023 EquiSUMMIT. This is a re-play of her presentation covering the nutritional considerations of horses with sugar sensitivities. To view the video replay of this webinar go to: https://bit.ly/440K6tp You can now follow @drjyme on Facebook and Instagram! Please tell your friends how #feedroomchemist has made y…

Modern feeding practices can have some not so great impacts on our horse’s mouths. In this episode Dr. Jyme explains how current “normal” practices in our horse’s environment can cause unintended consequences for a horse’s dental health. You can now follow @drjyme on Facebook and Instagram! Please tell your friends how #feedroomchemist has made you…

There’s a saying as old as time: “No foot, No horse”… but what about “No Mouth, No Horse”? Limitations of the mouth can impact a horse’s attitude, body condition, and performance. This episode addresses some nutritional "work arounds" when a horse has some limitations. You can now follow @drjyme on Facebook and Instagram! Please tell your friends h…

Ever find yourself wondering where the “official” start of the digestive tract is? The answer might not be what you think. This is the first episode a three-part series devoted to uncovering some of the links between equine nutrition and dental health. You can now follow @drjyme on Facebook and Instagram! Please tell your friends how #feedroomchemi…

Have you ever wondered about using carnitine as a fat burners for yourself and then somehow your mind drifts over to what that might look like in your horse? Or maybe you have a horse with Insulin Resistance, PSSM2, MFM, or some other disorder and you are searching for ways to open alternative energy pathways for cells in the body? Or maybe, you ha…

Ever wondered if it’s ok to offer your horse a piece of your granola bar? Or curious if there are dangers to feeding a piece of chocolate? This episode covers some of the more common foods that should never enter your horse’s mouth. Resources: · Chocolate [Caffeine and theobromine]: https://aaep.org/sites/default/files/issues/proceedings-07proceedi…

Should you choose first cutting? Second cutting? Third cutting? Does it even matter? This episode uncovers the truth behind the cutting number of hay and why this may not be the best criteria for choosing the best hay for your horse. You can now follow @drjyme on Facebook and Instagram! Please tell your friends how #feedroomchemist has made you an …

Mares carry and care for some of the most precious cargo. We know their health impacts that of the baby they are caring for, so what do you do if your pregnant mare is dangerously overweight? Resources: · Henneke Body Condition Scoring: https://vetmed.tamu.edu/files/vetmed/vmth/laminitis/Equine_Body_Condition_Scoring.pdf You can now follow @drjyme …

Plasma doesn’t only belong in an IV bag! New technologies allow plasma to be sterilized and dried for use in an oral supplement, and with over 600 publishedstudies across multiple species, there’s no question that it benefits the body. Resources: · Article released by ‘The Horse’ on oral plasma: https://thehorse.com/171523/plasma-in-oral-form-a-gam…

Not everything you put in your horse’s mouth is considered “nutritional”. This episode explains the components that should be the foundation of a horse’s diet. Do not waste money feeding any kind of supplement if these foundational cornerstones are not in place first! Resources: ·NRC (National Research Council) Nutrient Requirements of Horses 6th R…

Collagen is a booming topic in the human health, beauty, and wellness world. As the most abundant protein in the body, it begs the question from some horse owners – should I be supplementing my horse with collagen? If so, how much, what type, and how do I know which collagen supplement is best? Resources:• The 2 apps mentioned for my tactical mini …

Who knew the good old term “tying up” could have so many meanings? This episode digs into some different muscle myopathies (i.e. PSSM 1, PSSM 2, RER, and MFM) and provides tips for how we can tweak the diet and manage a horse for the best outcome. Resources: • (ER) Exertional Rhabdomyolysis: https://cvm.msu.edu/research/faculty-research/comparative…

Who else is cutting it wayyyy too close on their winter hay supply?? This episode provides some tips, tricks, and “watch-outs” for sourcing hay during tough times, plus a “how to guide” for planning how much hay you need when you do go buy. You can now follow @drjyme on Facebook and Instagram! Please tell your friends how #feedroomchemist has made …

Did you know your horse’s DNA is influenced by his food and environment? And your horse’s DNA is influenced by food and external factors that his parents and grandparents experienced! This episode is mind blowing… let’s dive in! Additional Resources: · Ancestral Ghosts in Your Genome: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f1Pf5S8Nbfk · Epigenetic Echos o…

The country is an icicle right now, temperatures have plummeted and horses are in cold-weather shock. Here are a few things you can do to reduce cold weather stress in your horses. Additional Resources: · Increase Hay Intake for Winter: https://www.extension.iastate.edu/equine/increase-hay-intake-winter · Winter Water Consumption from AAEP: https:/…

Equine Metabolic Syndrome (EMS) is a condition that is gaining awareness among horse owners as researchers uncover more information on the associated risk factors, signs and symptoms. The nutritional program is one critical piece of successfully managing an EMS horse. Additional Resources: · Equine Metabolic Syndrome: A Complex Disease Influenced b…

Who likes their horse fat? Most of us, right? Well, fat is not healthy and it can lead to some serious problems. This episode explains how to determine if your horse is too fat, why it may be dangerous, and how you can safely bring your horse back to an appropriate body condition. Additional Resources: ● Ellis & Hollands (2002). Use of height-speci…

Horse hair analysis (HHA) is gaining popularity as purported tool to assess the diet, but research reports hair analysis is NOT a reliable tool for assessing mineral intake in horses. Additional Resources: Commercial hair analysis in horses: A tool to assess mineral intake?, Journal of Equine Veterinary Science (2022), https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jev…

The behaviors of cribbing and wood chewing are developed by a percentage of domestic horses. Dr. Nichols talks about what these behaviors are and how to prevent them. Additional Resources: · 2010 - Crib-biting in horses: a review. Applied Animal Behavior Science 12: 1-9. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.applanim.2010.07.002 · 2018 - Potential role for sel…

You just found the perfect prospect and are thinking about purchasing a weanling. This episode provides the details on how to care for the nutritional needs of your new horse. Additional Resources: · Developmental Orthopaedic Diseases in Foals (2010) doi:10.9775/kvfd.2010.2206 · Oklahoma State University Extension AFS-3978 (2020), Weaning and Manag…

Faulty theory?? Should be fasted overnight and not administered a meal until 90 minutes after dosing with omeprazole?? There has been is a misunderstanding!!! Listen to this episode! Studies referenced: Hypothesis Article: Sykes (2019) https://beva.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/eve.12894 Study: Sykes (2017) https://beva.onlinelibrary.wile…

Ah the complex and complicated problem of poopy butt…. More formally known as free fecal water syndrome. Check out this episode to learn more about this annoying situation and what you may be able to do to help. Products mentioned in this episode include: TurboMag BCAA, Travel Paste, Equilene Pro Care, GI Calm, LIFELINE+, Gastro pHix, ADR Powder. Y…

I don’t care about your protein percent! This episode explains why crude protein is a [virtually] useless number in horse nutrition. You can now follow @drjyme on Facebook and Instagram! Please tell your friends how #feedroomchemist has made you an #empoweredhorseowner! …. If you have a topic or question you would like addressed on a future episode…

How accurate are serum allergy tests? Do you really need to use an elimination diet or buy allergy shots for your horse? This episode is likely to take you by surprise! You can now follow @drjyme on Facebook and Instagram! Please tell your friends how #feedroomchemist has made you an #empoweredhorseowner! Show Notes: · Study in HORSES shows serum a…

The microbiome is the second brain of the horse, meaning it is responsible for far more than just digesting forage! Catch the audio replay of Dr. Nichol’s talk from the 2022 EquiSUMMIT virtual conference. You can now follow @drjyme on Facebook and Instagram! Please tell your friends how #feedroomchemist has made you an #empoweredhorseowner! Show No…

Continuing on with the forage series, this episode recaps what we learned about alfalfa in the pilot episode of Feed Room Chemist. *Replay of episode 1. You can now follow @drjyme on Facebook and Instagram! Please tell your friends how #feedroomchemist has made you an #empoweredhorseowner! Show Notes: 101 Diet Balancer - a tool for filling the gaps…

Continuing on with the hay series, this episode explains the cool season grass called Fescue and its implications in the horse’s diet. You can now follow @drjyme on Facebook and Instagram! Please tell your friends how #feedroomchemist has made you an #empoweredhorseowner! Show Notes: · Scientific name for tall fescue: Festuca arundinacea · Managing…

Continuing on with the hay series, this episode explains the cool season grass called Orchardgrass and its implications in the horse’s diet. You can now follow @drjyme on Facebook and Instagram! Please tell your friends how #feedroomchemist has made you an #empoweredhorseowner! Show Notes: · Scientific name for orchardgrass: Dactylis glomerata. · 1…

Raise your hand if you have ever heard bermudagrass causes colic…. Dr. Jyme digs into this common misconception and explains all you need to know about feeding bermudagrass hay. You can now follow @drjyme on Facebook and Instagram! Please tell your friends how #feedroomchemist has made you an #empoweredhorseowner! Show Notes: · EquiSUMMIT Registrat…

Low carb hay, ever heard of it? How about Teff hay, does that ring a bell? Researchers are looking for ways to replace cool season grass hays with warm season hays to help lower the sugar content in the horse’s diet. Teff is one possible solution, but it all comes down to how it is grown. You can now follow @drjyme on Facebook and Instagram! Please…

Veterinarian, Dr. Ken Kopp, joins Dr. Nichols for a 2-part episode on heat stress in horses. If you missed part 1 (episode 95) stop, and go start there! You can now follow @drjyme on Facebook and Instagram! Please tell your friends how #feedroomchemist has made you an #empoweredhorseowner! Show Notes: · Register for 2022 EquiSUMMIT: http://attendeq…

Veterinarian, Dr. Ken Kopp, joins Dr. Nichols for a 2-part episode on heat stress in horses. There are all kinds of goodies in this one! Stay tuned for part 2 (episode 96) next week. You can now follow @drjyme on Facebook and Instagram! Please tell your friends how #feedroomchemist has made you an #empoweredhorseowner! Show Notes: · Register for 20…

Dr. Nichols covers four listener questions around topics of spirulina for allergies, silicon and zeolite for bone health, and what do to if you find your horse eating his own poop! You can now follow @drjyme on Facebook and Instagram! Please tell your friends how #feedroomchemist has made you an #empoweredhorseowner! Show Notes: · Spirulina researc…

Dr. Nichols explains fodder in terms of horse nutrition, when it might be a good fit, and when it might not. You can now follow @drjyme on Facebook and Instagram! Please tell your friends how #feedroomchemist has made you an #empoweredhorseowner! …. If you have a topic or question you would like addressed on a future episode please email info@acblu…

Learn how to transition your horses off of hay and onto grass, along with other helpful tips this spring season. You can now follow @drjyme on Facebook and Instagram! Please tell your friends how #feedroomchemist has made you an #empoweredhorseowner! Show Notes: Fish Oil Factor - https://strideanimalhealth.com/fish-oil-factor/ Vitamin E/C - https:/…

Is lignin sulfonate really a bad ingredient? Have you heard you should avoid it? That might not be necessary, and this episode will explain why! You can now follow @drjyme on Facebook and Instagram! Please tell your friends how #feedroomchemist has made you an #empoweredhorseowner! …. If you have a topic or question you would like addressed on a fu…

Hay cubes can be very useful in certain situations. This episode offers advice on when and how to offer hay cubes along with times to avoid them. You can now follow @drjyme on Facebook and Instagram! Please tell your friends how #feedroomchemist has made you an #empoweredhorseowner! Show Notes: · Differences in Chewing Activity and Dust Concentrati…

Stress affects behavior which affects attitude, physical appearance, and wellbeing. This episode connects the dots between nutrition, behavior, and stress to help your horse achieve unicorn status. You can now follow @drjyme on Facebook and Instagram! Please tell your friends how #feedroomchemist has made you an #empoweredhorseowner! Show Notes: · …

This one is for all you snowbirds! In episode 86, Dr. Jyme discussed relocating a horse from a warm climate to cold. This episode does the opposite – it addresses how to handle taking a horse from the cold to the warm and back again. You can now follow @drjyme on Facebook and Instagram! Please tell your friends how #feedroomchemist has made you an …