Podcast #72. Bentley had been a healthy horse for years, until an injury, prolonged antibiotic treatment and a cascade of gut problems changed everything. Persistent colic, abdominal pain, diarrhoea, gastric ulcers and gas eventually led us to look more closely at his hindgut microbiome.

In this episode, Dr Nerida shares Bentley’s roller-coaster ride case study, from microbiome testing and low microbial diversity, through increasing dietary fibre diversity and two faecal microbiota transplants (FMT), to the gradual return of a comfortable, happy horse. We also look at free faecal water, faecal pH, vitamin B2, fibre-fermenting bacteria and what Bentley’s before-and-after microbiome results might tell us about equine dysbiosis, gut health and colic risk.

Podcast #71. When it comes to fuelling performance, muscle glycogen and grain feeding get most of the attention, but that’s only half of the story.

In this episode, Dr Nerida breaks down the dual fuel tank theory of performance horse nutrition: the finite store of muscle glycogen used for speed and high-intensity work, and the continuous supply of energy in the form of volatile fatty acids (VFAs) produced via fibre fermentation in the hindgut.

Podcast #70. Has your horse suddenly become anxious, spooky, reactive or unpredictable — despite being normally calm and sensible?

In this episode, Dr Nerida explores how perennial ryegrass mycotoxins can affect horse behaviour, coordination and performance. Learn about lolitrem B and ergovaline, the toxins associated with ryegrass staggers, tremors, hypersensitivity, exaggerated startle responses, heat intolerance and dramatic behavioural changes.

Podcast #69. How high can the starch content of clover really get? Can lupins be too high in protein? And does adding lots of different fibre sources actually help your horse’s hindgut microbiome?

In this Q&A episode, Dr Nerida and Orla unpack a mix of practical horse nutrition questions, including clover and insulin dysregulation, faba beans and resistant starch, high-protein diets, gastric ulcers, and why even a skinny horse can still be metabolically at risk.

Podcast #68. Did you know the microbes living in your horse’s hindgut may be influencing how well they perform?

In this episode, Dr Nerida explores fascinating research linking hindgut microbiome diversity, fibre fermentation and performance in horses. We look at studies in Thoroughbreds and trotters showing that higher microbial diversity and greater fibre-fermenting capacity are associated with better racing performance, while greater starch fermentation is linked with poorer performance.

Podcast #67. Managing a laminitis-prone horse through spring can feel like a full-time job — especially when pasture sugar levels can change dramatically with the weather.

In this episode, Dr Nerida and Orla talk through the practical realities of managing horses with laminitis and insulin dysregulation, including why frosty nights and sunny days can make spring pasture particularly risky, when grass is likely to be safest to graze, and how grazing muzzles, strip grazing and low-NSC hay can help.

Podcast #66. In this episode, Dr Nerida is joined by Dr Luke Wells-Smith, dual qualified  equine veterinarian and farrier, for a unique perspective on laminitis. Dr Luke unpacks what’s happening inside the hoof during laminitis, the early warning signs horse owners can watch for, insulin dysregulation, digital pulses and hoof growth rings. ‍

Podcast #65. In this episode, equine nutritionist Dr Nerida explains why lucerne—or alfalfa—full-fat soybean, lupins, sugar beet pulp and copra meal are five of her favourite horse weight-gain ingredients. Discover how each ingredient supplies energy, fermentable fibre or quality protein, and how the right combination can help horses build body condition and muscle without simply relying on more grain.

Podcast #64. Join Dr Nerida and Orla as they discuss how powerful exercise can be for insulin sensitivity, metabolic health and weight management. Plus they talk feeding for muscle development, and how whey protein, soybean and leucine play a role.

They also dive into digestive enzymes, why they are being added to more feeds, and how enzymes may help some horses digest starch more efficiently when grain-based feeds are used.

Podcast #63. Preventing squamous gastric ulcers takes more than just feeding enough forage. In this episode, Dr Nerida explains four additional nutrition strategies: feeding a balanced diet, controlling grain and starch intake, supplying high-quality protein, and using lucerne or alfalfa strategically. You’ll also learn why grain is not automatically the problem, how key nutrients support stomach repair, and why lucerne can be so valuable for gut health. 

Podcast #62. Preventing gastric ulcers in horses starts with forage, not feeds or supplements. Dr Nerida explains the three essential steps that help protect against equine squamous gastric ulcers: feeding enough forage, minimising fasting and feeding hay around exercise.

You’ll also learn why “free-choice hay” may not mean your horse is actually eating enough, and how herd dynamics and hay nets can quietly increase ulcer risk.

Podcast #61. Orla is back on the Happy Horse Nutrition Podcast, and this time she and Dr Nerida are answering listener questions, sharing stories from the gastroscope, and chat themselves down a number of rabbit holes.

In this (very) relaxed Q&A episode, Nerida and Orla talk about sand, gravel and soil in the gut, when psyllium may be useful, and why forage and fibre are so important for helping horses move dirt through the digestive tract. They also discuss the tricky balance between using haynets to slow intake, while still keeping horses comfortable, chewing and ulcer-safe.

Podcast #60. What really happens inside an off-the-track’s gut when you take away the racing diet and start to rebuild the horse from the hindgut up?

In this episode of the Happy Horse Nutrition Podcast, Dr Nerida is joined again by Dr Belinda to talk all about Allay, Nerida’s beautiful off-the-track Thoroughbred mare, and what happened inside her gut as she transitioned from racehorse life into life after racing.

Allay’s story gives us a rare look at the hindgut microbiome in real life. Over her first 12 months with Nerida, her diet, behaviour, condition and microbiome were tracked, showing what can happen when an off-the-track horse is given time, fibre, forage diversity and the right nutritional support.

Podcast #59. How much does broodmare nutrition really matter? In this episode, Dr Nerida is joined again by Jess, an equine science student from Charles Sturt University, for a practical Q&A on feeding pregnant and lactating broodmares.

They unpack the common idea of “feeding for two”, and why pregnant mares do not need large amounts of extra energy and protein from day one, but absolutely do need a balanced diet from the very beginning.