Did you know that our traditional exercise and management regimes of performance horses can contribute to a decline in bone health? And may even lead to catastrophic bone injury! 

Learn how to keep bone healthy with world leading equine exercise physiologist Dr Brian Nielsen, Michigan State University and Dr Nerida as they discuss Dr Nielsen’s research into bone health that spans the last three decades.

Find the full scientific review here: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/13/5/789

Find out more and download the MyHappy.Horse App here: https://www.myhappy.horse

If you enjoyed this episode, please leave us a review! It really helps us to get grounded, science-based information to horse owners… and it is their horses who benefit the most! <3

Lucerne before riding? Absolutely — and here’s why.
In this episode, Dr Nerida explains how feeding lucerne (alfalfa) hay before exercise can help protect your horse’s stomach from acid splash and ulcers. Especially important for horses in regular work, this simple strategy could make a big difference to your horse’s comfort, behaviour and gut health.

Discover and download the MyHappy.Horse App: ⁠https://www.myhappy.horse⁠

If you enjoyed this episode, please leave us a review! It really helps us to get grounded, science-based information to horse owners… and it is their horses who benefit the most! <3

A horse's gastrointestinal tract is unique and complex. In this episode, Dr Nerida demystifies the horse's gut!

Discover and download the MyHappy.Horse App: ⁠https://www.myhappy.horse⁠

If you enjoyed this episode, please leave us a review! It really helps us to get grounded, science-based information to horse owners… and it is their horses who benefit the most! <3

Honouring our horses' ancient gut

Welcome to the very first episode of the Happy Horse Nutrition Podcast! 🎙️
If you’ve ever wondered why “normal” modern feeding often leads to issues like colic, ulcers, unpredictable behaviour, poor condition, poor performance or picky eating… this episode is your starting point.

PhD equine nutritionist Dr Nerida takes you back to the horse’s blueprint: 55 million years of evolution as a grazing animal — and shows you the tiny sliver of time our horses have been living the way we keep horses today.

When you understand how the horse’s gut was designed to work, feeding becomes a whole lot simpler (and your horse gets a lot happier and healthier!).

In this episode you’ll walk through the 5 key rules of feeding your horse like a horse:

·       Why forage should be the foundation of every diet

·       How forage and fibre variety supports nutrient intake and gut resilience

·       Why horses need near-constant access to fibre to help protect the stomach from acid

·       The truth about balanced diets (why forage is essential… but often lacking critical nutrients); and

·       The overlooked basics; clean water and salt, and why they directly affect feed intake and colic risk.

This is a practical, science-backed framework, delivered in Dr Nerida’s friendly, matter-of-fact manner, that you can apply whether you have a backyard pony, a performance horse, a racehorse, or a broodmare.

📲 Download the MyHappy.Horse app: https://apps.apple.com/app/myhappy-horse/id6633422324
🌐 Learn more: https://www.myhappy.horse

If this episode helped you, please subscribe so you don’t miss upcoming nutrition deep-dives. And please share it with a friend who wants to feel more confident in their horse's feeding regimes. 🐴💛

Feeding on the road? Don’t leave your horse’s gut behind.
In this episode, Dr Nerida breaks down exactly how to feed during multi-day competitions to support performance, health, and wellbeing. Smart strategies for stress-free travel, happy guts, and horses that perform at their peak.

Discover and download the MyHappy.Horse App: https://www.myhappy.horse

If you enjoyed this episode, please leave us a review! It really helps us to get grounded, science-based information to horse owners… and it is their horses who benefit the most! <3

Feeding through drought? Here’s what your horse really needs.
Drought can be overwhelming — but your feeding choices can make all the difference. In this episode, Dr Nerida shares expert, practical advice to help you keep your horse healthy, nourished, and mentally sound through tough times. Learn which hays are safe, how much to feed, and why vitamin E capsules and carrots might just be drought essentials.

Discover and download the MyHappy.Horse App: https://www.myhappy.horse

If you enjoyed this episode, please leave us a review! It really helps us to get grounded, science-based information to horse owners… and it is their horses who benefit the most! <3

Confused about which supplements your horse actually needs? In this comprehensive episode, PhD equine nutritionist Dr. Nerida cuts through the marketing noise to reveal what's essential, what may be useful, and what's likely a waste of money.

Discover why salt is the one non-negotiable supplement every horse must have access to—and why compressed salt blocks might not be the best option. Learn when electrolytes are truly necessary (and the critical water access rule you must follow), plus get the inside story on hoof supplements, gut health products, mycotoxin binders, and bone mineral supplements.

Nerida shares practical insights on vitamin E deficiency in older hay, the truth about most current bacterial probiotics, how joint supplements fall short, and how to spot "snake oil" products that promise everything but deliver nothing. She also explains why feeding supplements at less than the recommended dose—tempting as it is to save money—often means you're just wasting your investment.

The bottom line? A balanced diet does 90% or more of the work in your horse’s diet. But when supplements are needed, knowing which ones actually work and how to use them properly can make all the difference to your horse's health.

Whether you're feeding a backyard companion or a performance athlete, this episode will help you make informed, evidence-based decisions about your supplement budget.

Discover and download the MyHappy.Horse app: https://www.myhappy.horse

And ask your nutrition questions 24/7 with Dr Nerida AI: https://www.myhappy.horse/nerida-ai

If you enjoyed this episode, please leave us a rating and review and share with your friends! It really helps us to get grounded, science-based information to horse owners… and it is their horses who benefit the most! ❤️

Join professional equine nutritionist Dr Nerida and friend and horse industry colleague Orla for another engaging Q&A session. In this episode, we dive deep into free faecal water syndrome in horses—exploring fecal transplants, microbiome programming from dam to foal, and the crucial role of fibre diversity in gut health.

Discover why paint horses are more prone to free fecal water, how stress impacts the condition, and whether gut supplements really help. We also tackle the sometimes controversial topic of feeding palominos to prevent smutting (and the possible health compromises involved).

Plus, get expert advice on safely putting weight back on thin broodmares after weaning, including the best feeds, forage strategies, and how to avoid hindgut problems during the weight gain process.

Key topics covered:

• Free fecal water syndrome causes and treatments
• Faecal transplants for horses and their effectiveness
• Microbiome diversity and fibre variety in equine diets
• Post-biotics vs probiotics for horse gut health
• Feeding broodmares for healthy weight gain
• Palomino smutting and copper/zinc nutrition
• Pasture-based feeding strategies

Subscribe to the Happy Horse Nutrition podcast for more expert advice on feeding horses for optimal health and performance.

Discover and download the MyHappy.Horse app: https://www.myhappy.horse

And ask your nutrition questions 24/7 with Dr Nerida AI: https://www.myhappy.horse/nerida-ai

If you enjoyed this episode, please leave us a rating and review!

It really helps us to get grounded, science-based information to horse owners… and it is their horses who benefit the most! ❤️

How can you tell if your horse’s hindgut is healthy—or heading for trouble? In this episode, Dr Nerida explains three practical and science-backed ways to assess hindgut health: manure scoring, faecal pH, and microbiome testing. Learn how each method works, what to look for, and how these insights can help you determine if your horse’s hindgut and the microbes who live there are healthy, or not!

Get your manure scoring cheat sheet here: https://www.myhappy.horse/manurescoring 

Discover and download the MyHappy.Horse app: https://www.myhappy.horse

If you enjoyed this episode, please leave us a review! It really helps us to get grounded, science-based information to horse owners… and it is their horses who benefit the most! ❤️

Your horse’s hindgut microbes are the key to their health, happiness, and performance. In this episode, you’ll learn the 4 essential feeding rules that support a healthy hindgut—and why those rules matter more than any gut supplement.

Before you spend money on gut health products, make sure your horse’s diet is doing the basics right. It’s simple, practical, and based on science.

Discover and download the MyHappy.Horse app: https://www.myhappy.horse

If you enjoyed this episode, please leave us a review! It really helps us to get grounded, science-based information to horse owners… and it is their horses who benefit the most! ❤️

Want to unlock better health and performance for your horse? Start with the gut!

In this episode, microbiologist Dr Belinda Chapman guides us through the fascinating world of your horse’s hindgut microbes — who they are, what they do, and why they matter. From the basics of the microbiome to emerging science on how gut bugs shape behaviour, health, and performance, this one’s a must-listen for any serious horse owner.

More about Quantal Bioscience: https://www.quantalbioscience.com/

Hindgut microbe testing (species specific): https://www.equigi.com/home

Discover and download the MyHappy.Horse App: https://www.myhappy.horse

If you enjoyed this episode, please leave us a review! It really helps us to get grounded, science-based information to horse owners… and it is their horses who benefit the most!

Ulcers, anxiety, and weight loss
In this Q&A episode, Dr Nerida tackles real-world feeding challenges: what hay to choose for a horse with ulcers, how to support an anxious mare, and what to feed a Shetland that’s dropping weight (and yes! Who knew this was even possible!! 😂). Practical advice for keeping horses happy and healthy.

Discover and download the MyHappy.Horse App: https://www.myhappy.horse

If you enjoyed this episode, please leave us a review! It really helps us to get grounded, science-based information to horse owners… and it is their horses who benefit the most! <3

Protect your horse from the inside out.
Drought conditions increase the risk of ulcers, sand colic, and digestive upset — but smart feeding can reduce the danger. In this episode, Dr Nerida shares practical tips to keep your horse’s gut safe, happy, and functioning well when forage is scarce.

The pellet I mention that can help with sand removal is: https://eacanimalcare.com/products/in-sand-out-intestinal-sand-removal-pellet

Discover and download the MyHappy.Horse App: https://www.myhappy.horse

If you enjoyed this episode, please leave us a review! It really helps us to get grounded, science-based information to horse owners… and it is their horses who benefit the most! <3

Join PhD equine nutritionist Dr. Nerida as she tackles one of horse owners' most pressing questions: does my horse actually need grain? This comprehensive equine nutrition episode breaks down the science behind horse grain feeding, revealing why most horses don't need grain at all - and the specific cases where they do.

What You'll Learn:

• The ONLY reason to feed grain to horses (it's simpler than you think)
• Which horses should NEVER have grain (insulin dysregulation, PPID, metabolic syndrome)
• How grain feeding can cause laminitis, colic, behavioral issues, and gut dysbiosis
• The "Absolutely Not, No, Maybe, Yes" framework for determining if YOUR horse needs grain
• Safe grain feeding amounts: maximum limits to prevent hindgut damage
• Why cooked grains are essential (except for oats) and which processing methods work best
• Real-world examples from racehorses, yearlings and broodmares

Key Takeaways: Dr. Nerida reveals her ideal maximum of just 0.5kg grain per 100kg body weight (that's only 2.5kg for a 500kg horse!) and explains why performance actually improves when grain is reduced, not increased. She also busts the myth that overweight, lazy horses need more grain - often it's exactly the opposite.

Perfect for horse owners who want evidence-based nutrition advice without the confusion. Whether you're dealing with a good doer, a hard keeper, or a performance horse, this episode gives you the tools to make informed feeding decisions.

Discover and download the MyHappy.Horse app: https://www.myhappy.horse

And ask your nutrition questions 24/7 with Dr Nerida AI: https://www.myhappy.horse/nerida-ai 

If you enjoyed this episode, please leave us a rating and review! It really helps us to get grounded, science-based information to horse owners… and it is their horses who benefit the most! ❤️

Discover the answer to one of the most common questions asked by horse owners worldwide: how much hay does my horse actually need? PhD equine nutritionist Dr. Nerida reveals why this seemingly simple question has life-or-death consequences for your horse's health and performance.

What You'll Learn:

• The deadly consequences of underfeeding hay and how it causes colic, gastric ulcers, and behavioral problems
• That horses evolved to eat 18 hours per day and what happens when we disrupt this
• Dr. Nerida's recommended hay amounts: 2-3% of body weight daily (that's 10-15kg for a 500kg horse)
• The critical 4-hour rule: never let your horse go longer than 4 hours without hay
• How insufficient hay causes psychological stress, leaky gut, and performance issues
• Why hay is a performance horse's "secret weapon" - not just filler

Key Insights: Learn how proper hay feeding prevents gastric ulcers by maintaining saliva production, supports the vital hindgut microbiome, and provides natural muscle buffering through potassium. Dr. Nerida explains why the volatile fatty acids from hay fermentation act like a "fully charged battery" for performance horses, and how proper forage feeding can extend the time to muscle fatigue.

Special Focus on Easy Keepers: Specific advice for overweight horses - don't reduce hay quantity, reduce hay quality instead. Discover how feeding up to 50% straw can help weight loss while maintaining gut health and preventing the behavioral issues that come with hay deprivation.

Practical Solutions: Get specific guidance on using slow-feeding hay nets, measuring hay with luggage scales, and the importance of spreading hay consumption over 24 hours. Plus, learn how the My Happy Horse virtual nutritionist app takes the guesswork out of forage calculations.

Perfect for horse owners who want to understand the science behind forage feeding and avoid the serious health consequences of getting it wrong.

Discover and download the MyHappy.Horse app: https://www.myhappy.horse

And ask your nutrition questions 24/7 with Dr Nerida AI: https://www.myhappy.horse/nerida-ai 

If you enjoyed this episode, please leave us a rating and review! It really helps us to get grounded, science-based information to horse owners… and it is their horses who benefit the most! ❤️

Is your horse experiencing back pain? In this eye-opening episode, equine sports medicine specialist Dr. Nicolle Wiechula and your host Dr Nerida McGilchrist dive deep into everything you need to know about horse back health.

Dr. Nicolle, a registered specialist in equine sports medicine and rehabilitation and official FEI veterinarian, breaks down the "triad" of back health: proper exercise, pain management, and nutrition. You'll discover simple exercises like carrot stretches and trot poles that can transform your horse's muscle support, plus why the source of protein in your horse's diet makes all the difference.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• The difference between primary and secondary back pain (and why it matters)
• How to properly assess if your horse has back pain
• Specific exercises to build topline and core strength
• Why saddle fit checks are more crucial than you think
• The nutrition secrets that actually build muscle

Most importantly, find out why Dr. Wiechula hasn't recommended kissing spine surgery in seven years and how consistent, well-planned exercise programs can often resolve serious back issues without invasive procedures.

Whether you're dealing with back pain right now or want to prevent problems before they start, this episode gives you veterinarian-approved strategies to keep your horse comfortable and strong.

About Dr. Nicolle: BSc DVM MVCS MVS Dipl ACVSMR, registered specialist in equine sports medicine and rehabilitation, FEI veterinarian, and host of the Ultimate Equine Podcast.

Links & Resources:

🎧  Dr. Nicolle's Podcast: Ultimate Equine Podcast

🎥  Dr. Nicolle's Webinar: Strengthening the Back and Hind End – https://www.facebook.com/watch/?mibextid=wwXIfr&v=706522957795092&rdid=WKfkW9xxm2OuOdA5

🐴 Check Your Horse's Nutrition: https://www.myhappy.horse – Analyse your horse’s diet to support their back health and muscle development

📧 Connect with Dr. Nicolle: https://www.camdenequinecentre.com/team_list/dr-nicolle-symond/ 

⭐ Love this episode? Please rate and review to help other horse owners discover these insights!

Dr. Nerida and Orla are back! And in this Q&A, they dive into some of the trickiest horse nutrition topics—because let’s face it, feeding horses isn’t always straightforward.

Tune in as they explore:

Calcium deficiencies in horses grazing lush, fertilized pasture and why lucerne (alfalfa) may be your best friend

Feeding in wet, cold weather—how rain-soaked pasture can lead to weight loss in weanlings and what to do about it

Managing overweight, unmotivated horses (the ones that just won’t get their go forward going forward!)—with smart diet and exercise tips tailored for PSSM and metabolic types

The salt debate—why loose rock salt wins out over blocks, and how electrolytes play into muscle health and performance

Whether your horses are drenched in a soggy winter, grazing rich pasture, or packing a bit too much padding, this episode is full of practical advice and field-tested strategies to keep them healthy.

🧂 🌱 🐴 No fluff—just expert insights, shared laughs, and real solutions.

If you have questions you would love us to answer, please send them to hello@myhappy.horse 🤩

Discover and download the MyHappy.Horse app: https://www.myhappy.horse

And ask your nutrition questions 24/7 with Dr Nerida AI: https://www.myhappy.horse/nerida-ai

If you enjoyed this episode, please leave us a rating and review! It really helps us to get grounded, science-based information to horse owners… and it is their horses who benefit the most! ❤️

If you own a laminitis-prone horse or pony you know well the anxiety this condition creates for us as horse owners! In this essential episode, Dr. Nerida explains why a change in season creates the 'perfect storm' for laminitis - from the science behind how cold nights and sunny days cause dangerous carbohydrate accumulation in pasture plants, to the insulin dysregulation that affects 90% of laminitis cases.

Learn the critical early warning signs every horse owner should know, including how to check digital pulses (your horse's best early detection system), and discover Dr Nerida’s game-changing 'fire blanket' approach to emergency management. Plus, get practical prevention strategies including safe grazing windows, strip grazing techniques, and why having emergency low-NSC hay on standby could literally save your horse.

Whether you're dealing with a laminitis-prone equine or want to prevent this devastating condition, this episode gives you the knowledge and tools to keep your horse safe. Don't wait until it's too late - early detection and fast action can make all the difference!

Discover and download the MyHappy.Horse app: https://www.myhappy.horse

And ask your nutrition questions 24/7 with Dr Nerida AI: https://www.myhappy.horse/nerida-ai

If you enjoyed this episode, please leave us a rating and review! It really helps us to get grounded, science-based information to horse owners… and it is their horses who benefit the most! ❤️

In this evidence-first episode, Prof. Brian Nielsen (Michigan State University) and graduate researcher Renee Harbowy join me to unpack what we really know—and don’t—about glucosamine, chondroitin and MSM. We trace the research history (hello, cell culture studies), talk frankly about why high-quality equine trials are rare, and look at a clever, blinded field study run at an all-girls riding camp with ~80 horses on site.

You’ll hear how horses were screened and balanced into supplement vs placebo groups, what was measured (stride length, flexion tests, IMU-based symmetry), and why lameness naturally fluctuates enough that you can fool yourself into thinking something works when studies are run without a control. We also touch on osteoarthritis prevalence in aging horses—the demand driver behind these products—and a cautionary detour into sheep models that shows why cross-species claims can mislead.

And we finish with a detailed look at what best practice management for joint health actually looks like, including a suggestion to lunge yourself to feel how it feels on your own joints! Such a cool idea! I have to admit this conversation really opened my eyes to what we, as horse owners will be missing if we are relying on joint supplements to protect joints, versus relying on proper nutrition and management.  

If you buy joint supplements, think about your horses joint health a lot, or just want your horse to be healthy and happy for a long lifetime, this conversation is a must!

🧪 Renee's full research paper can be found here (and it is well worth the read, beautifully written and a brilliant piece of science!): https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC13113781/  

Check out the amazing Black River Farm and Ranch (OMG I want to be a kid again so I can go to camp here 😂😍!) - https://blackriverfarmandranch.com 

Discover and download the MyHappy.Horse virtual nutritionist app: https://www.myhappy.horse

If you enjoyed this episode, please leave us a review! It really helps us to get grounded, science-based information to horse owners… and it is their horses who benefit the most! ❤️

In this evidence-first episode, Prof. Brian Nielsen (Michigan State University) and graduate researcher Renee Harbowy join me to unpack what we really know—and don’t—about glucosamine, chondroitin and MSM. We trace the research history (hello, cell culture studies), talk frankly about why high-quality equine trials are rare, and look at a clever, blinded field study run at an all-girls riding camp with ~80 horses on site.

You’ll hear how horses were screened and balanced into supplement vs placebo groups, what was measured (stride length, flexion tests, IMU-based symmetry), and why lameness naturally fluctuates enough that you can fool yourself into thinking something works when studies are run without a control. We also touch on osteoarthritis prevalence in aging horses—the demand driver behind these products—and a cautionary detour into sheep models that shows why cross-species claims can mislead.

And we finish with a detailed look at what best practice management for joint health actually looks like, including a suggestion to lunge yourself to feel how it feels on your own joints! Such a cool idea! I have to admit this conversation really opened my eyes to what we, as horse owners will be missing if we are relying on joint supplements to protect joints, versus relying on proper nutrition and management.  

If you buy joint supplements, think about your horses joint health a lot, or just want your horse to be healthy and happy for a long lifetime, this conversation is a must!

🧪 Renee's full research paper can be found here (and it is well worth the read, beautifully written and a brilliant piece of science!): https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC13113781/  

Check out the amazing Black River Farm and Ranch (OMG I want to be a kid again so I can go to camp here 😂😍!) - https://blackriverfarmandranch.com 

Discover and download the MyHappy.Horse virtual nutritionist app: https://www.myhappy.horse

If you enjoyed this episode, please leave us a review! It really helps us to get grounded, science-based information to horse owners… and it is their horses who benefit the most! ❤️

Join Dr. Nerida McGilchrist and long-time  friend and fellow horse industry veteran Orla for a lively and insightful Q&A. With decades of combined experience—ranging from pasture sampling to product development—these two dive deep into real-world horse nutrition challenges.

In this episode, we unpack:

• When (and when not) to use omeprazole in horses

• Why nitrate testing in hay should be standard practice

• The truth about soy as a protein source for horses

• Practical, low-cost strategies to support gut health and safe weight loss

Whether you're a racehorse trainer, casual competitor, or passionate horse lover, you'll walk away with practical advice and a clearer understanding of the science behind what your horse eats.

🎧 Listen in for no-nonsense answers and great conversation from two women who’ve been there, done that—and are still well and truly in the saddle with it!

Discover and download the MyHappy.Horse app: https://www.myhappy.horse

And ask your nutrition questions 24/7 with Dr Nerida AI: https://www.myhappy.horse/nerida-ai 

If you enjoyed this episode, please leave us a rating and review! It really helps us to get grounded, science-based information to horse owners… and it is their horses who benefit the most! ❤️

The racing world is changing — and happily, it’s science leading the charge.

Dr Nerida and Orla return to unpack the data from Ciaron Maher Racing’s nutrition overhaul: less grain, more fibre, and a healthier, happier gut. Learn how high-fibre feeding transforms energy systems, why “the slump” after a diet change is worth pushing through, and what 12 months of microbiome testing revealed about real equine gut adaptation.

From elite racehorses to everyday mounts, this episode shows how feeding for the hindgut fuels better performance, resilience, and recovery. 🧬💪

📲 Discover and download the MyHappy.Horse app: https://apps.apple.com/app/myhappy-horse/id6633422324 

🤖 Ask your nutrition questions 24/7 with Dr Nerida AI: https://www.myhappy.horse/nerida-ai 

💬 If you loved this discussion, please follow, rate and share — the horses will thank you! ❤️

When used well, strip grazing becomes one of the most effective tools for managing weight, preventing laminitis and protecting pasture. In this episode of the Happy Horse Nutrition Podcast, Dr Nerida walks through exactly how strip grazing works in real life, why it matters and how to tailor it to your climate, pasture growth stage and horse’s body condition.

Drawing on published research, decades of practical experience and her own track-plus-strip system at home, Nerida explains how to move fences strategically, when to increase or decrease allocations, why early-morning moves matter in spring and how straw can be a powerful safety net for easy keepers. She also covers the role of back fencing, how to protect pasture species, and how track systems improve movement, welfare and gut health.

If you manage good doers, laminitis-prone horses or simply want clearer guidance on how much to move the fence and when, this episode gives you the practical framework you need.

Discover and download the MyHappy.Horse app: https://www.myhappy.horse

And ask your nutrition questions 24/7 with Dr Nerida AI: https://www.myhappy.horse/nerida-ai

If today’s episode gave you something useful to take back to your horses, I’d love it if you left a rating or review. It helps more owners find trustworthy nutrition info instead of guesswork. ❤️

RESOURCES

Strip grazing: Changes in biomass, nutrient content and digestibility of temperate, midsummer pasture by strip-grazed or 'free'-grazing ponies, over 4 weeks

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37890600/

The impact of restricted grazing systems on the behaviour and welfare of ponies

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39275860/

A glossy coat isn’t just about looks — it’s a window into your horse’s inner health.

In this episode, Dr Nerida takes you through some of the reasons coats lose their shine — from seasonal changes and mineral imbalances to sun bleaching and plain old horse individuality. Learn why copper  and zinc  are non-negotiables, how diet balance drives coat brilliance, and why balanced diets and good ol’ fashined patience often outshine any supplement.

Whether your horse is looking “rough around the edges” or you’re chasing that moonlit gleam, this episode helps you feed and manage for healthy skin, strong colour, and natural glow. ✨

❤️ Learn more about the MyHappy.Horse virtual nutritionist: https://www.myhappy.horse

📲 Download the MyHappy.Horse app: https://apps.apple.com/app/myhappy-horse/id6633422324

💬 If you enjoyed this episode, please follow us and leave a rating and review — it helps more horse owners find science-based nutrition advice that truly benefits their horses! ❤️

Dr. Nerida and Orla are back with another Q&A episode that tackles everything from freaky behaviour on ryegrass and mycotoxin binders to a virtually unknown reason your horse might be completely off its feed, plus, how to tell if your grain is safe to feed.

What You’ll Learn:
• The early signs of ryegrass staggers (and why some horses go totally “goblin mode” 👻)
• Which pasture mycotoxins are most dangerous and how to manage them
• Why mycotoxin binders don’t work the same for all toxins—and when they do work brilliantly
• The truth about cooking grains: does heat destroy nutrients or improve digestibility?
• How to test if your horse’s grain is properly processed (and why faecal pH is your new secret weapon)
• Real-world case studies from broodmares to racehorses, including why fescue can delay foaling
• The surprising fact that some horses seem more resistant to pasture toxicity than others

Dr. Nerida and Orla also cover how starch is packaged up like “golf balls” in raw grain and how heat + moisture busts those open for efficient digestion.

Plus, you’ll learn how the MyHappy.Horse app can help you track your horse’s gut health using real data like faecal pH; practical, evidence-based tools every horse owner should be using.

🎙️ Whether you're managing a quirky pony or fine-tuning a racehorse’s diet, this episode will help you decode behaviour, evaluate risk, and feed with clarity and confidence.

👇
Discover and download the MyHappy.Horse app: https://apps.apple.com/app/myhappy-horse/id6633422324

And ask your nutrition questions 24/7 with Dr Nerida AI: https://www.myhappy.horse/nerida-ai

Enjoyed this episode? Leave us a review—it helps more horses get fed right. ❤️

Join Dr. Nerida as she tackles a listener question about feeding “marey mares” — those behaviourally expressive, sensitive, frequently moody, often brilliant mares. This solo Happy Horse Nutrition episode explores why behaviour challenges in mares are rarely caused by specific feed ingredients — and are almost always rooted in gut health, management, or pain.

What You’ll Learn:
• Why hindgut health is THE most important nutrition factor in mare behaviour 🐴
• How the gut-brain axis influences temperament via dopamine and B-vitamin production 🧠
• Why feeding hay before riding is non-negotiable for sensitive mares
• The 3 things all mares need for stable mental health
• How mycotoxin contamination (especially zearalenone in corn 🌽) wreaks hormonal havoc
• Why pain (feet, ovaries, saddle fit) must be ruled out first before blaming the feed
• The right way to test individual ingredients when sensitivities are suspected
• And why your own energy might be mirroring back through your mare’s behaviour 🪞

Dr. Nerida shares how her own anxious horses transformed through life changes, not supplements — and reflects on 25 years in the field, where true ingredient sensitivities are exceedingly rare (just 3 for alfalfa, 1 for soy!).

🎧 Ideal for mare owners navigating grouchiness, grooming drama, or hormonally “hot” behaviour. Get the real framework for fixing it — starting with pain, gut health, and feeding management, not guesswork.

📲 Discover and download the MyHappy.Horse app: https://apps.apple.com/app/myhappy-horse/id6633422324
🤖 Ask your nutrition questions 24/7 with Dr Nerida AI: https://www.myhappy.horse/nerida-ai

If this episode helped you or your mare, please leave a review! It helps more horses benefit from grounded, science-based feeding advice. ❤️

Discover how Ciaron Maher Racing (CMR) is pushing the boundaries in the Australian thoroughbred racing industry and breaking away from traditional nutrition strategies. In this in-depth conversation, PhD equine nutritionist Dr. Nerida sits down with Katrina Anderson (Sports Science Lead) and Josh Kadlec-Cavanagh (Head of Data and Performance) to reveal the data-driven approach that's challenging decades of traditional feeding practices.

The trio discuss:

• Why feeding less grain (but more digestible grain) leads to better racehorse performance
• The critical role of hindgut microbiome health in racing success
• How faecal pH monitoring allows them to fine tune their feeding program
• The connection between gut health and chronic issues like foot soreness and tying-up
• Why the "footy horses" at CMR have virtually disappeared
• The remarkable case of Saint George: how targeted nutrition reversed severe thrush and fungal issues and got him back on the track
• Understanding the performance slump when transitioning to more digestible feeds; and
• The hard reality about gastric ulcers and race day challenges
  

Kat, Josh and Nerida also cover fiber fermentation vs. grain-based energy systems, managing the grain-to-bodyweight ratio for optimal performance, microbiome testing and its practical applications, reducing dependency on supplements and medications like omeprazole and the importance of lucerne hay before morning work.

With over 400 horses in training, CMR provides unprecedented data insights into what works—and what doesn't—in modern racehorse nutrition. Whether you're a trainer, owner, stable hand, veterinarian, or equine nutritionist, this episode is packed with, science-backed strategies to improve racehorse health, welfare, and performance.

If you’d like to read more about the brilliant microbiome study we discuss, see:

Wunderlich G, Bull M, McGilchrist N, Zhao C, Ross T, Rose M, Chapman B. The horse gut bacteriome and anaerobic mycobiome are influenced by seasonal forages and small intestinal starch digestibility. J Appl Microbiol. 2025 Sep 1;136(9):lxaf203. doi: 10.1093/jambio/lxaf203. PMID: 40802476. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40802476/

Discover and download the MyHappy.Horse nutrition app: https://www.myhappy.horse

And ask your nutrition questions 24/7 with Dr Nerida AI: https://www.myhappy.horse/nerida-ai

If you enjoyed this episode, we would LOVE if you would leave us a rating and review and share with your friends! It really helps us to get grounded, science-based information to horse owners and trainers… and it is their horses who benefit the most! ❤️

Join Dr. Nerida as she explores why ingredient variety is absolutely critical for your horse's health. In this episode, which comes complete with Lucky the Goat 🐐anecdotes, Dr Nerida reveals the three reasons diverse diets keep horses healthier, happier, and more resilient - and why feeding just one or two ingredients is putting your horse’s health at risk.

What You'll Learn:

• Why horses chew bark and fences (and what it tells us about their diet)
• The THREE critical benefits of ingredient variety: balanced nutrients, toxin dilution, and microbiome diversity
• How different forages and feed ingredients work together to meet nutrient requirements
• Why nitrate and mycotoxin testing is essential for racing stables and performance horses
• The downsides of monoculture pastures and why horses need species diversity
• Protein combining: how different proteins work together as "Tetris pieces"; and
• Dr. Nerida's personal feeding program for her daughter's OTTB (with multiple forage and fiber sources)

Dr. Nerida reveals that the more ingredients in your horse's diet, the better chance you have of meeting complete nutrient requirements - it's like putting together a puzzle where each ingredient fills specific gaps. She explains how ingredient diversity protects horses from toxins (like nitrate in hay or mycotoxins in moldy feed) by either allowing them to avoid problem forages or diluting toxins to safe levels. And she explains how horses with diverse microbiomes can handle stress events like competition and travel without developing colic or diarrhea, while horses on limited diets are far more vulnerable to dysbiosis. 

📲 Discover and download the MyHappy.Horse app: https://www.myhappy.horse

🤍 And ask your nutrition questions 24/7 with Dr Nerida AI: https://www.myhappy.horse/nerida-ai

If you enjoyed this episode, please leave us a rating and review! It really helps us to get grounded, science-based information to horse owners… and it is their horses who benefit the most! ❤️

Join equine nutritionist and Happy Horse Nutrition host Dr Nerida as she sits down with renowned nutritionist and Grand Prix dressage rider Liz Owens to discuss the FEI's ‘Be A Guardian’ initiative and the critical role nutrition plays in horse welfare.

In this comprehensive episode, Liz shares her extensive experience working with Olympic equestrian teams and competing at the highest levels of dressage. Together, they explore:

• The single biggest feeding mistake horse owners make (and how to fix it)
• Why 24/7 forage access should be non-negotiable for horse welfare
• The truth about horse allergies and unnecessary supplements
• How proper nutrition directly impacts performance in competition horses
• Body condition management for dressage and sport horses
• The gut-brain connection and its effect on horse behavior and welfare
• Feeding guidelines that Liz and Nerida think should be mandated for all horses

Whether you're an elite competitor or a simply have horses for the love of them, this episode provides down-to-earth advice on meeting your horse's basic nutritional needs while boosting their performance and wellbeing.

Liz's straightforward approach cuts through industry myths and focuses on evidence-based feeding practices that every horse guardian should know.

Discover and download the MyHappy.Horse nutrition app: https://www.myhappy.horse

And ask your nutrition questions 24/7 with Dr Nerida AI: https://www.myhappy.horse/nerida-ai

If you enjoyed this episode, we would LOVE if you would leave us a rating and review and share with your friends! It really helps us to get grounded, science-based information to horse owners and trainers… and it is their horses who benefit the most! ❤️

Join Dr. Nerida and Orla for a rapid-fire Q&A session (well, maybe not rapid fire, but fast moving!) tackling listener questions on omega-3 supplementation, PSSM tying up, and solving anhidrosis in hot climates. Complete with ‘Friends’ references and an ‘Irish joke’, this episode also manages to deliver some practical, science-based answers to real-life horse feeding challenges.

Dr. Nerida reveals the research based, post-work rehydration formula (90 grams salt to 10 liters water) that keeps horses drinking after competition and why it is also critical to offer fresh water! She explains why excess protein depletes electrolytes through urination, and shares dramatic case studies of "problem horses" transformed through simple dietary changes. Learn why that chronically bucking warmblood might just be asking for a PSSM-safe diet.

Plus learn about hemp seed benefits, cod liver oil vitamin A toxicity risks, why vitamin A and E disappear from hay after 12 months, and the reason horses won't drink even though you know they are dehydrated.

Key topics covered in this episode include:

• Fish oil vs flaxseed oil: when each is best for a horse’s omega-3 needs
• Why fish oil is better with high grain diets
• PSSM diet management: recognizing subtle symptoms like chronic bucking and laziness
• How to feed PSSM horses safely without expensive genetic testing
• Anhidrosis causes: the protein and electrolyte connection in hot climates
• Critical electrolyte requirements: 70 grams PLUS daily in tropical conditions
• Why lucerne/alfalfa has caused entire stables to tie up in humid weather
  

We would love you to subscribe to the Happy Horse Nutrition podcast for more expert advice on feeding horses for optimal health and performance.

Discover and download the MyHappy.Horse app: https://www.myhappy.horse

And ask your nutrition questions 24/7 with Dr Nerida AI: https://www.myhappy.horse/nerida-ai 

If you enjoyed this episode, please leave us a rating and review! 

It really helps us to get grounded, science-based information to horse owners… and it is their horses who benefit the most! ❤️

When a horse presents with ulcers, colic risk, poor performance, slow healing,  unexplained weight change or a plethora of other health conditions, nutrition may be part of the story—even if it isn’t the primary cause.

In this episode, Dr Nerida, PhD shares a practical, vet-friendly framework for a rapid field assessment of diet: the same fast mental checklist nutritionists run through when they first meet a case.

You’ll walk away with three high-impact screening steps: 

(1) is there enough forage (and are there long fasting gaps that increase gut risk), 

(2) is grain being fed appropriately and in a digestible form (to avoid starch overflow into the hindgut); and 

(3) is the horse actually receiving correct supplementation—meaning a fortified feed/balancer/vitamin-mineral supplement at the proper feeding rate to cover common nutrient gaps and prevent “silent” deficiencies.

✅ See all the figures and tables used in Dr Nerida’s AAEP presentation and read more about the rapid diet assessment framework https://www.myhappy.horse/rapidassess

👇 Download the MyHappy.Horse app and use the Rapid Diet Assessment tool to quickly find red flags and decide when a full nutrition assessment is needed.
https://apps.apple.com/app/myhappy-horse/id6633422324

To kick off Season 2 (2026), we’re re-sharing our most listened-to Season 1 episode of the Happy Horse Nutrition Podcast, and it’s a classic for a reason.

In this practical, science-backed episode, PhD equine nutritionist Dr Nerida breaks down what it really means to feed your horse like a horse, using evolution and gut physiology to help you understand and make modern feeding choices that truly honour your horse’s gastrointestinal physiology.

You’ll learn the 5 non-negotiables:

• Why forage-first is the cornerstone of gut health
• How fibre/forage variety supports microbial diversity (and why that matters for the whole horse)
• Why horses need near-constant access to fibre to help protect the stomach
• Why forage alone won’t cut it and the importance of a balanced diet; and
• The importance of clean water + salt, every day

Whether you’re a horse owner, trainer, or vet, this episode gives you a simple, foundational understanding of every horse’s basic nutrition needs

📲 Download the MyHappy.Horse app: https://apps.apple.com/app/myhappy-horse/id6633422324

🌐 Learn more: https://www.myhappy.horse

P.S. if you enjoyed this episode, we'd love you to subscribe so you don’t miss all the good stuff that is coming in 2026. We'd also love you to please share this episode with a friend who loves a nutrition deep-dive as much as you do! 🐴💛

To wrap up 2025, we’re resharing our most popular guest interview from Season 1 — and it’s a favourite for good reason.

In this episode, microbiology expert Dr Belinda Chapman and Dr Nerida take us inside your horse’s hindgut ecosystem.

Together, they look at what the microbiome actually is, why horses rely on microbes far more than we do, and how the balance between the fibre-loving “good guys” and the weedy, greedy starch-fermenters can influence everything from digestion and energy production to health, performance, and behaviour.

Dr Belinda and Dr Nerida also dive into some seriously fascinating concepts (in a very listenable way), including:

• Why horses have a more complex microbiome than humans
• The underappreciated role of anaerobic fungi in fibre breakdown
• What “quorum sensing” is (and why it’s a bit mind-blowing); and
• Why microbial diversity = resilience (and what that means in the real world)

If this episode helps you see feeding through a new lens, we’d love you to subscribe so you don’t miss the practical, science-backed episodes coming in 2026 - and we’d really love ypu to share this with a friend who loves a good horse nutrition rabbit hole as much as you do, they’ll thank you for it.💛

More about Quantal Bioscience: ⁠https://www.quantalbioscience.com/⁠

Hindgut microbiome testing with Dr Belinda: ⁠https://www.equigi.com/home⁠

Discover and download the MyHappy.Horse App: ⁠https://www.myhappy.horse

In this last new episode for 2025, professional equine nutritionist Dr Nerida shares five ingredients she loves using in real-world diets, and five (actually if you listen carefully, she sneaks in 6!) ingredients she tries hard to avoid, including a couple she’d happily see disappear from horse feeds altogether!

Listen as Dr Nerida frames nutrition the way she actually practices it — like a big jigsaw puzzle. No magic ingredient, no perfect feed… just smart puzzle pieces put together in the right way to support horses and to honour the physiology of their ancient gut.

Plus find out which feed ingredient(s) makes it onto the ‘avoid’ list, mainly because of their marketing claims (hello “grain-free” when you’re not actually grain free!). 

This episode is an easy listen, and will help you think clearly about nutrition, read labels better, and make more confident feeding decisions that your horse and their hindgut will thank you for.

Wishing you a happy and safe festive season 🎄❤️

Remember to Subscribe so you don’t miss what’s coming in 2026 🤍 — and if this episode helped, we’d love you to share it with a horse friend who’s feeling stuck with feeding!

Racing Queensland's Off The Track Nutrition Hub (free resources): ⁠https://www.racingqueensland.com.au/animal-welfare/off-the-track/nutrition-education-hub⁠

Download the MyHappy.Horse app (iOS): https://apps.apple.com/app/myhappy-horse/id6633422324
Learn more about MyHappy.Horse: https://www.myhappy.horse

Feeding horses during emergencies (bushfires, floods, storms, evacuations) can quickly become a “take what you can get” situation, but the choices you make in your makeshift feed room can determine whether your horse copes… or tips into dehydration, gastric ulcers, hindgut dysbiosis, colic, or even laminitis. In this practical episode of the Happy Horse Nutrition Podcast, PhD equine nutritionist Dr Nerida shares her approach to natural disaster horse feeding with one core rule: keep the diet as close to normal as possible.

You’ll learn how to prioritise clean water (and what to do when horses won’t drink), why hay and fibre are your horse’s lifeline, and how to reduce risk when you’re forced to swap feeds or hays fast. We cover smart strategies like ingredient/forage variety, feeding little and often when hay is limited, avoiding the trap of over-using grain/hard feed, and why you should keep hay available when pasture regrows. There’s also specific guidance for horses with PPID (Cushing’s), insulin dysregulation, and laminitis, including when soaking hay might help in a tight spot.

If you want a simple emergency checklist to protect hydration and gut health when your horse’s world is upside down, this one’s for you.

✅ Follow the Happy Horse Nutrition Podcast on Spotify/Apple so you don’t miss new episodes.

Useful links & resources

📲 MyHappy.Horse app (iOS): https://apps.apple.com/app/myhappy-horse/id6633422324

🎧 Start here: Episode 1 - Feed Your Horse Like a Horse (foundation principles for gut health and safer feeding)

🎧 Also helpful: Episode 24 - Ingredient Variety and Why it Matters in Horse Nutrition 

🎧 For metabolic/laminitis horses: Episode 15 – All about laminitis – keeping your horse safe

Should you feed before you ride? After? Or let your horse graze along the trail? 🐴

In this myth-busting Q&A, Dr Nerida and Orla tackle some feeding folklore that just won’t die. Learn why lucerne before exercise protects the stomach from acid splash, why water restriction after work is probably just a Black Beauty hangover, and how letting horses snack mid-ride actually supports gut health. Plus they briefly cover mare abortions caused by hairy caterpillars and reading feed labels.

It’s the perfect blend of evidence, experience, and friendly banter, plus a few stories from the saddle! 🌙🥕💧

🐛 Research article on mare abortions caused by the hairy caterpillars: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23452012/ and https://en.engormix.com/equines/horse-health/equine-amnionitis-foetal-loss_a34801/

🏷️ Reading a Feed Label from Racing Queensland's Queensland Off the Track Nutrition Hub: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1B-tixE0Jhg

📲 Discover and download the MyHappy.Horse app on the App Store: https://apps.apple.com/app/myhappy-horse/id6633422324

🤖 Ask your nutrition questions 24/7 with Dr Nerida AI: https://www.myhappy.horse/nerida-ai

❤️ If you enjoyed this episode, please follow, rate and review — it helps us share science-based horse nutrition with more owners like you!

Forage sits at the very heart of equine nutrition, yet for most horse owners, the numbers on a hay or pasture analysis can feel like a foreign language. In this deep-dive episode of the Happy Horse Nutrition Podcast, Dr Nerida sits down with Anthony Balzer and Kimberly Detmers from Feed Central and Local Ag for an enlightening conversation about what’s really in our forage, how much it changes, and why testing matters more than most people realise.

Together, they explore how hay and pasture analysis can influence everything from basic health to performance, soundness, growth, and healthy pregnancies. You’ll hear:

• Why forage can make or break a horse’s health—and sometimes an entire racing stable
• How hay and pasture testing actually works
• The critical mineral shifts that dictate whether a youngster grows sound joints or ends up with OCD
• Why nitrate levels matter (and the way it affects laminitis, broodmare health, and athletic performance)
• What “safe” NSC levels look like for laminitic horses
• Why TEFF hay is not always the low-sugar safe option many believe
• How ingredient and species diversity in forage protects gut health and reduces colic risk
• How to dilute risk by feeding multiple, tested forages
• What makes a “near perfect” performance horse hay—and why no single hay is perfect for every horse; and
• Where to send hay and pasture for analysis in Australia or overseas

With practical examples, on-farm stories, and clear explanations, this episode makes hay and pasture numbers approachable for every horse owner—from broodmare managers to everyday riders.

If you’ve ever wondered what your hay and pasture is really doing inside your horse, this episode is essential listening. Understanding forage is one of the most powerful ways to keep your horses healthy, performing well, and protected from avoidable nutrition-related issues.

📱 Download the MyHappy.Horse app:https://apps.apple.com/app/myhappy-horse/id6633422324

🔬 Find out more about hay and pasture testing or submit a sample: https://www.feedcentral.com.au/how-to-submit-a-feed-sample-for-testing/

🌱 Buy Aussie hay that has already been tested: https://www.localag.com.au/buy

🐴 Check out the analysis services from Equi-Analytical: https://equi-analytical.com

If this episode helped you feel more confident about what’s in your hay and pasture, a quick rating or review in your podcast app really helps more horse owners find the show, and more horses get fed the way that’s best 💗

In this episode of the Happy Horse Nutrition Podcast, Dr Nerida tackles a pasture risk that catches many good horse owners out: high-oxalate warm-season grasses that can block calcium absorption, slowly weaken bone, and set horses up for nutritional secondary hyperparathyroidism (Bighead disease). 

You’ll learn the simple physiology behind it (the “bone calcium bank” concept), why blood calcium can look normal even when bones are being depleted, and the real-world signs that are easy to misread; shifting lameness, sore or grumpy behaviour, odd gait, skull changes, loud breathing noise under work, dental issues and poor hoof quality. 

Nerida walks you through practical pasture ID tips for the big culprits—kikuyu, buffel, couch/bermudagrass, and the high-risk one: setaria! And explains how oxalate levels and risk change with growth stage and location (including cooler regions in summer). 

Finally, she outlines prevention: targeting a calcium: oxalate ratio of at least 0.5:1, keeping calcium balanced with phosphorus and magnesium, why lucerne/alfalfa helps on multiple fronts, and when it’s smarter to use a properly formulated balancer or get expert help… especially if setaria is involved.

✅ Want help checking whether your horse’s diet is actually balanced for these pastures (without doing the maths)? Download the MyHappy.Horse app: https://apps.apple.com/app/myhappy-horse/id6633422324

❤️ If this episode helped, please follow the podcast on Apple Podcasts/Spotify and share it with a horse owner in warm, wet coastal regions (or anyone feeding teff or bermudagrass hay).

🕖 Until next time… go have a quick paddock walk! Your feed room decisions should always start with your grass. 🌱🐴

Track systems (perimeter grazing systems) can look deceptively simple… but when they’re designed well, they deliver things horses are wired for: friends, freedom, and forage… with extra movement built in.

In this episode, Dr Nerida is joined by the wonderful Dr Katherine Goldberg (DVM, LCSW), a veterinarian and clinical social worker,  to unpack what “species-appropriate husbandry” actually means in the real world, and why track systems aren’t just a “weight loss tool” for good doers, but a way we can help horses to live in a way that truly honours their needs. 

Dr Nerida and Dr Katherine talk about the concept of horses being behaviourally starving even when obese, the two welfare rules Katherine won’t budge on, and how meeting these basic needs changes behaviour, safety, gut health, and the horse–human relationship.

You’ll also get practical, immediately usable setup guidance on track width, why varying widths can create natural movement patterns, and how separating resources (water, hay, shelter) encourages that nomadic, forage-and-walk lifestyle horses evolved for. 

Dr Katherine is the most beautiful human, driven by the desire to help us all create better, happier, more species-appropriate lives for our equine friends in which our horse-human relationships and horse goals, whatever they may be, can flourish! If you’d like to get in contact with Dr Katherine, you can find her at horsesfirststewardship@gmail.com

And if you would like more information on what we do here at MyHappy.Horse you can find us over at https://www.myhappy.horse

Thanks so much for being here 💖💛

Free faecal water (also called free fecal liquid) is one of those horse problems that looks “not that bad” on paper… but how 'bad' is it? 🐴💦

In this episode of the Happy Horse Nutrition Podcast, Dr Nerida unpacks potential reasons why FFW is suddenly being talked about everywhere, from first hearing it at a conference in Dijon (2016) to seeing it dominate conversations at AAEP Denver (2025). And yes… she asks the uncomfortable question: is this another disease of modern management impacting an ancient gut?

You’ll learn:

• What FFW is 
• Why it’s likely multifactorial (forage changes, fibre variety, grain load & digestibility, sand irritation, ulcers, nitrates…)
• The practical “low-hanging fruit” steps to try first, in a logical order to help resolve FFW
• Why microbiome research can be misleading when it’s only measured at broad levels (and why species-level testing may be the next big breakthrough); and
• When to loop in your vet (sand assessment, ulcer scoping, more advanced options like faecal transplant)

If you’re dealing with FFW, this is your calm, evidence-informed roadmap to helping your horse.

As always, please follow the podcast so more horse owners can find this, and if it helped, share it with a friend (or your whole agistment chat 😉). 💛

💖 Want to see how your current feeding program stacks up for gut health? Pop your horse’s diet into MyHappy.Horse and check the gut health score (7-day free trial availabile): https://apps.apple.com/app/myhappy-horse/id6633422324

🦠 Want to know which species of microbes live in your FFW horse's gut, grab a test kit from Dr Belinda and EquiGI - https://www.equigi.com

What happens when your horses live on mostly straw for 10 days… and one of them decides to protest with full-blown diarrhoea? 😅 In this Q&A-style catch-up, Dr Nerida and Orla unpack a very relatable “whoops” moment and use it to teach one of the most overlooked fundamentals in horse gut health: fibre diversity.

They break down why straw is a very different beast to hay (hello, lignin), why some horses cope while others fall apart, and why “just add a product” isn’t always the smartest first move. From there, the conversation goes behind the scenes of the feed industry, mixed-species feed mills, the very real risk of ionophore contamination, and how to ask the right questions of manufacturers. Then it gets nerdy (in the best way) with least-cost vs set recipes, why crude protein can be misleading, and the lysine + leucine muscle-building “bricklayer and bricks” analogy you’ll love.

In this episode you’ll learn:

• Why restricting forage to one source can trigger loose manure/free faecal water in some horses
• Why gut “fixes in 3 hours” are usually not how physiology works (and when electrolytes can confuse the picture)
• How to read a feed label to spot vague “least-cost” ingredient wording
• Why protein quality matters (especially for young horses, broodmares, and performance horses)

🐴💛 Want help making sense of your horse’s diet? Download MyHappy.Horse on the Apple App Store (link below) and take the guesswork out of balancing protein, lysine, and the bigger nutrition picture. 

And if this episode made you go and check the back of a feed bag… we’d love you to leave us a quick rating and review. It helps other horse owners find science-based feeding help. 🧪❤️

Download MyHappy.Horse here: https://apps.apple.com/app/myhappy-horse/id6633422324

Feeding an Off The Track (OTT) in the first 12 months can be a worry inducing juggle… appetite, behaviour, ulcers and those classic “why won’t you hold weight?” situations. In this episode of the Happy Horse Nutrition Podcast, Dr Nerida shares her practical approach to feeding OTTs in their first year off the track so they can settle, digest fibre properly, and become easier to keep long-term.

Nerida explains why many OTTs arrive with gut health issues. Racing routines and high-energy feeds can increase gastric ulcer occurence and shift the hindgut microbiome away from the good fibre-fermenting microbes. And when the gut isn’t right, it often shows up as a fussy appetite, tricky behaviour, and slow weight gain in OTTs. The episode breaks the first year into two phases: months 1–6 focus on gut rehab with forage first, fibre diversity and balancing vitamins and minerals the focus; then months 6–12 shift to weight and muscle development, with one big caution… weight gain diets change behaviour, sometimes dramatically.

Listen to discover how to feed your OTT in the first 12 months off the track for brilliant results… setting your OTT up for a lifetime of health, happiness, calm behaviour and brilliant performance.

🌟 Follow the Happy Horse Nutrition Podcast so you don’t miss the upcoming episode unpacking Allay’s microbiome data with Dr Belinda Chapman. 

💖 If this helped, a quick rating on Spotify or Apple Podcasts helps other OTT owners find the show. 

📱 Want to check your OTT’s diet is balanced while you adjust feed for behaviour and condition? Try MyHappy.Horse (iOS) with a free 7-day trial:
https://apps.apple.com/app/myhappy-horse/id6633422324

NSC is one of those three-letter acronyms that pops up on feed bags and hay reports… and consistently manages to confuse even the most dedicated horse owners. In this episode of the Happy Horse Nutrition Podcast, Dr Nerida McGilchrist unpacks Non-Structural Carbohydrates (NSC) in a practical, horse-owner-friendly way.

This episode looks at what NSC actually is (starch + water soluble carbohydrates; WSC), how it relates to WSC, whether we should be using WSC or ESC to calculate NSC (see, it gets confusing!), and why that 'fructan piece' matters for both laminitis risk and the hindgut microbiome.

You’ll learn why NSC is everywhere in hay, pasture and feeds, and why it’s levels can fluctuate so dramatically, depending on plant type, time of day, climate, temperature, drought stress, and even soil fertility. 

Nerida shares real-world examples (including from her own horses) to explain what happens when NSC is too high. Problems can include crazy high insulin levels, laminitis, colic, tooth decay and microbial dysbiosis. And she explores why “not enough NSC” can also be a problem in performance horses where energy intake, palatability, and gut function matter.

If you’re feeding a pony with insulin dysregulation, a horse with PPID/Cushing’s, a laminitis-prone horse, or a metabolically healthy high performance athlete, this episode will help you make informed, smarter decisions around NSC.

📱 If you’d like help applying this to your horse, download the MyHappy.Horse app on the Apple App Store and start building a diet you can feel confident about. https://apps.apple.com/au/app/myhappy-horse/id6633422324

💖 And if this episode helped you, please share it with a horsey friend (especially the one currently arguing about pasture sugar on Facebook 😅)

A horse that won’t eat isn’t being “fussy”… it’s a red flag. In this episode of the Happy Horse Nutrition Podcast, Dr Nerida, PhD equine nutritionist and founder of the MyHappy.Horse app, breaks down the most common nutrition-related reasons horses go off their feed, what they look like in real life, and what actually helps.

Nerida covers hindgut disturbance (including hindgut acidosis) and the appetite knock-on effects, including the destruction of  vitamin B1, why some horses go off grain but still eat hay, and how faecal/manure pH can be a handy monitoring tool (with the key low-pH threshold to watch).

You’ll also hear how gastric ulcers can affect appetite (and why it’s not always obvious), plus the salt trap: too much salt can make feeds unpalatable (and may worsen discomfort in ulcer-prone horses), while too little sodium, especially after watery diarrhoea or heavy sweating, can switch appetite off entirely.

And don’t miss the quick but important one: DON mycotoxin (“vomitoxin”). If a new batch of feed is eaten for a few days, then suddenly refused, it may be the feed, not your horse, and testing can help confirm it.

You’ll also hear the story of Breeze, Nerida’s very old mare, and the tiny, cheap change that brought her appetite back and genuinely saved her life.

Download the MyHappy.Horse app: https://apps.apple.com/app/myhappy-horse/id6633422324

Learn more: https://www.myhappy.horse

And, if you know someone with a horse that isn’t eating well, please share this episode! And we’d love you to follow the Happy Horse Nutrition podcast… following us helps more horse people find science-based feeding help 🐴🙏🏼❤️

In this episode of the Happy Horse Nutrition Podcast, Dr Nerida is joined by Joanna Lepiarczyk from Horses Explained for a fascinating and deeply important conversation about horse mental health, equine behaviour, and the role that nutrition and feeding systems play in shaping a horse’s emotional wellbeing.

We explore why behaviour is so often a form of communication, why a quiet compliant horse is not always a happy horse, and how chronic stress can affect a horse far more profoundly than many owners realise. Joanna shares her perspective on horse depression, the emotional cost of restricted forage and limited choice, and why the foundations of a good horse life are surprisingly simple: forage, freedom, and friends.

We also talk about the importance of constant access to something to chew, forage variety, movement, predictability, agency, and why these are not “nice extras” but core building blocks for a horse’s physical, mental, and emotional wellbeing.

This is a thoughtful, compassionate, and at times confronting conversation that will encourage you to look beyond behaviour and think more deeply about how your horse is actually experiencing daily life.

If you care about horse welfare, equine mental and emotional health, feeding management, and giving horses the conditions they need to truly thrive, this is an episode you won’t want to miss. 🐴

🌟 Joanna Lepiarczyk is an equine behaviour expert, classical riding coach, and the author of Understanding Horse Depression, with a focus on equine mental health, horse personality, and helping riders understand horses more deeply.

🧡 You can connect with Joanna at https://www.horsesexplained.com and follow Joanna’s work @horsesexplained

Joanna’s favourite book is ‘Training Showjumpers’ by Anthony Paalman

📲 To find out more about what we do here at MyHappy.Horse you can go to https://www.myhappy.horse or download the app (7-day free trial availabile): https://apps.apple.com/app/myhappy-horse/id6633422324

Grains are one of those ingredients that get demonised in the horse world… or are fed completely on autopilot. And neither is an ideal situation.

In this episode of the Happy Horse Nutrition Podcast, Dr Nerida digs deep into her PhD research and explains why grain itself isn’t bad — it’s more like a power tool. Used well, in the right horse, grains are incredibly useful. Used carelessly (wrong type, wrong form, wrong amount), and grains can rapidly destroy hindgut health… and in severe cases, even cause death.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Why the real issue is starch, and why starch must be digested in the small intestine (and not dumped into the hindgut)
• How uncooked/poorly processed grains can drive hindgut acidosis, microbial dysbiosis, leaky gut, inflammation, behaviour changes, colic and laminitis risk
• Why cracking, grinding, and soaking don’t solve the core problem 
• What “cooked grain” actually means and why extrusion tends to win on digestibility
• Where oats fit and why uncooked corn/maize is a hard no!
• Which horses should avoid grain altogether (including insulin dysregulation/PPID/EMS, PSSM/tying up) vs when grain is genuinely helpful (including thoroughbred racehorses, high-performance athletes)

Grans are incredibly useful ingredients IF you know how to safely feed them. This episode helps you understand why grains are often unsafe AND how to make them safe to feed in appropriate situations.

📲 Want to see how your current feeding program stacks up for gut health? Pop your horse’s diet into MyHappy.Horse and check the gut health score (7-day free trial availabile): https://apps.apple.com/app/myhappy-horse/id6633422324

🌾 If this helped, share it with a horsey friend who’s feeding grain “because that’s what we’ve always done” — and hit follow so you don’t miss the next episode. 🐴💛

Is your horse an “air fern” who seems to gain weight just by looking at grass?

In this episode of the Happy Horse Nutrition Podcast, Dr Nerida walks you through how to feed overweight horses and good doers for safe, sustainable weight loss, without leaving them hungry, stressed, nutritionally deficient or at higher risk of problems like gastric ulcers.

Weight loss for good doers is not as simple as “feed less”. In fact, restricting forage too harshly will create serious gut health, welfare and behaviour problems. Instead, Nerida explains how to reduce calorie intake while still keeping your horse chewing, happy and with all of their nutrient requirements met.

You’ll learn the five key steps to feeding horses for weight loss, including remove high-energy feeds, manage access to pasture and high quality hay, use low-calorie forages like mature grass hay and straw, balance vitamins and minerals correctly, and how exercise and winter can make such a difference.

This episode also covers practical tools for managing laminitis-prone , insulin-dysregulated , cresty-necked and easy keeper horses, including use of forage testing, slow feeders, track systems, controlled grazing and the importance of measuring body condition, body weight and cresty neck score over time.

If you have agood doer or an overweight horse that needs to lose weight safely, this episode will help you understand how to create a weight loss diet that protects gut health, supports the hindgut microbiome and keeps your horse (and you!) as happy as possible.

 📲 Download the MyHappy.Horse nutrition app to check your horse’s calorie intake and make sure your weight loss diet is properly balanced https://apps.apple.com/au/app/myhappy-horse/id6633422324 ⁠ 

💖 If you found this episode helpful, please follow the Happy Horse Nutrition Podcast and  share it with a horse owning friend who is struggling with getting their air fern to lose some weight!.

🌾 And here is Sammy Julliand’s work on hay assessment using the human senses https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1751731118003725

Is your horse underweight, a classic hard keeper, or one of those horses who seems to need a ridiculous amount of feed just to hold condition? In this episode of the Happy Horse Nutrition Podcast, Dr Nerida takes a practical, gut-first look at feeding horses for safe, effective and sustainable weight gain.

Because weight gain is not simply a matter of “just feed more”. Yes, a horse needs to eat more energy than they use in order to gain weight, but they also need to be able to digest and use that energy. And that is where so many weight gain diets go wrong. If the cause of weight loss has not been identified, the hindgut is struggling, the diet is unbalanced, or the horse is being pushed too hard with high-starch feeds, owners can end up feeding more and more, while the horse still fails to thrive.

In this episode, Nerida walks through the five key steps to feeding for weight gain, starting with identifying why the horse is underweight in the first place. From there, she explains why the hindgut must become a fibre-fermenting powerhouse, why forage variety and fibre diversity matter, how to balance the diet properly, why high-quality protein is essential for building muscle and topline, and how to add high-energy ingredients like super fibres, oils and well-cooked grains safely.

Nerida also talks about something every owner needs to understand before starting a weight gain diet: higher-energy diets can affect behaviour. The aim is not to create a fire-breathing dragon under saddle. The aim is to build a healthier horse who can gain condition, support muscle development, maintain better gut health and eventually hold weight without relying on huge amounts of supplementary feed forever.

📲 For help assessing your horse’s diet and building a balanced feeding plan, download the MyHappy.Horse app and let it help you feed with more confidence. https://apps.apple.com/au/app/myhappy-horse/id6633422324

💖 If you find this episode helpful, please follow the Happy Horse Nutrition Podcast and  share it with a horse owning friend who is struggling with weight gain.
🌟And we'd love you to leave us a review so more horse owners can find practical, science-based nutrition advice.

Is canola oil really as bad as people say… or has it simply been one of the most unfairly demonised ingredients in horse nutrition?

In this episode of the Happy Horse Nutrition Podcast, Dr Nerida is joined by Orla for a fascinating and surprisingly fun deep dive into the real story behind canola oil. They unpack where the wild claims came from, including the viral email that helped fuel decades of fear, and separate old rapeseed oil facts from modern canola oil fiction.

Dr Nerida and Orla talk about erucic acid, GMO confusion, the strange myths linking canola to everything from blindness to mad cow disease, and why scary misinformation can stick so powerfully in people’s minds. They also bring it back to what really matters for horse owners: where canola oil fits in equine diets, how its omega-3 and omega-6 profile compares with other oils, and why it can actually be a very useful and appropriate choice in the right situation.

If you have ever wondered whether canola oil is truly harmful, or whether this is another nutrition myth that has taken on a life of its own, this episode is for you.

Here is the full, crazy backstory canola oil email in case you’d like to read it: https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/canola-oil/

If you are tired of guessing and would love a clearer picture of your own horse’s diet, come and see what we do at MyHappy.Horse. Download the app and start feeding with more confidence and a whole lot less worry.

Download MyHappy.Horse (7-day free trial available):  https://apps.apple.com/app/myhappy-horse/id6633422324

Orla is back in the Q&A seat… and she’s come armed 😅 In this episode of the Happy Horse Nutrition Podcast, Orla has curated a stack of listener questions (and kept Dr Nerida completely in the dark), so it’s a fast-paced, practical chat that bounces from industry ethics to real-life feeding decisions you’ll recognise instantly.

We start with a big one: what actually makes someone a “nutritionist” in the horse world, and why that label can be meaningful… or totally meaningless. Nerida unpacks the difference between qualifications, experience, and the uncomfortable reality of “armchair experts” giving confident advice that can cost horses their health.

From there, the conversation gets wonderfully hearty:

• Raw/cracked grains (especially corn): why this can be a hindgut wrecking ball when fed inappropriately, and what “gold standard” feeding looks like when welfare and performance matter.
• Hair analysis: when it might be useful (think toxins/heavy metals), why it often isn’t reliable for everyday nutrition decisions, and why diet analysis beats guessing, every time.
• Metabolic ponies + ulcers: why so many EMS “good doers” end up with serious gastric ulcers, and the management patterns that quietly set them up to fail (hello, long hours without forage).
• Orphan foals: Nerida shares a practical, “doable in the real world” approach to feeding orphan foals, including a simple milk-mixing recipe and how frequency of feeds can make or break a foal’s gut.

If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed by conflicting advice, marketing masquerading as science, or you just want a clearer path to feeding with confidence—this one’s for you. 🐴💛

Here is the link to the 'How to feed an orphan foal' article from Dr Nerida: https://www.myhappy.horse/blog-posts/rearing-the-orphan-foal

Want to analyse your horse’s diet properly (without the stress)? Download MyHappy.Horse here: https://apps.apple.com/app/myhappy-horse/id6633422324

And if you enjoyed the Q&A chaos with Orla 🤪🧡, we'd be so grateful if you'd leave a quick review on Apple or Spotify, it helps other horse owners find the show 🙏🏼