You asked, we answered! In the first "work from home" episode of our monthly series, Ask the Vet, Dr. Lydia Gray and SmartPaker Dan answer 5 new questions on topics like carrots for horses, how to tell if a horse is pregnant, spirulina for horses, alfalfa as the only source of forage, the best horse health reference book, and so much more!
00:00 Introduction
01:37 How to tell if a horse is pregnant
08:33 Best horse health reference book
13:24 Carrots for horses
20:14 Spirulina for horses
24:02 Alfalfa as a horse's only source of forage
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Additional reading/watching material mentioned in the video:
Ask the Vet individual topics playlist: • Ask the Vet individual...
Ask the Vet blogs: blog.smartpakequine.com/catego...
Horse Health Library Videos: pak.horse/HHLvids
Ask the Vet form: pak.horse/2gkBThy
Ask the Vet - COVID-19 and equine coronavirus: pak.horse/ATVCOVID19
Buy "Nutrient Requirements of Horses: Sixth Revised Edition": www.nap.edu/catalog/11653/nut...
How much sugar are you feeding your horse? (video): pak.horse/2XZjeeK
Spirulina study: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/arti...
Ask the Vet - Should I feed alfalfa cubes or alfalfa pellets?: • Ask the Vet - Should I...
Ask the Vet - Magnesium in horses: • Ask the Vet - Magnesiu...
Ask the Equine Nutritionist playlist: • Ask the Equine Nutriti...
Ask the Vet - How to introduce a horse to grass in the spring: • Ask the Vet - How to i...
Ask the Equine Nutritionist - Alfalfa and the calcium-to-phosphorus ratio: • Ask the Equine Nutriti...
Questions answered in this episode:
1. I have a 2.5 year old from the BLM and she has been progressively getting round in the belly. But she doesn’t really seem fat, if that makes sense. I have suspicions she may be pregnant. Are there any signs that I could be looking for or anything at all I should do aside from just getting the vet out and doing a test? Ultimately that is what I will do. If she is pregnant, how does pregnancy effect a young horse? Is the process harder on them?
2. What is the best reference book about horse health & veterinary care that a rider should be aware of & read some parts of it or look for it if he/she had a question?
3. How many carrots a day is allowed to be given to a horse? When is the best time to give it? Is it better to give it right after a ride or should we wait for a specific time & then feed him/her or before riding is the best time?
4. What are the benefits and uses of feeding spirulina to horses?
5. Can you explain why alfalfa is not good to feed exclusively? More specifically, is feeding a hard keeping senior full alfalfa forage during winter ok?