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 feed their horses need to the games;
- how you find enough carrots and other behind the scenes Games related stories; - the ground breaking research KER has done over the past 30 years;
- what Dr Pagan wishes all horse owners would keep in mind when feeding their horses;

And so much more.

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

Thanks for riding along with us!

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 they travel to international competitions.

You will learn about:

• The role of an elite professional groom.
• Essentials she always packs for the horses under her care.
• The importance of nutrition for elite equine athletes and the challenges of shipping feed to other countries.
• How horses are transported internationally.
• Paperwork, paperwork, paperwork (we bet that isn’t what comes to mind when you think about grooms!).
• The thing she always forgets (and her riders really need!).
• And more!

Thanks for riding along with us!

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, listener questions, topics including:

-How much hay to feed your retired pasture horse;
-What might be causing excessive flatulence;
-Is feeding a balancer alone enough for a horse working moderately hard;
-And so much more!

If you have questions about feeding your horse, please email us at info@scoopandscale.com

Thanks for riding along with us!

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 vesicular stomatitis. And many horses exhibit signs of insect bite hypersensitivity (IBH), and allergic reaction to the saliva of biting flies that results in hives and severe itching. Effective fly management involves a combination of methods, including eliminating breeding sites, using insecticides and repellents, and providing alternative attractants for flies. It's a constant struggle!

In this episode Dr. Clair and Michelle talk about:

-Using fly traps and tape;
-Effective manure management;
-Nutrition strategies that might help horses cope;
-Applying insecticide and repellent sprays and ointments; and
-Water bucket and feed tub management to limit insect breeding grounds.

Join us as we discuss implementing a multifaceted approach to fly management!

Thanks for riding along with us!

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!