Yep, they do!

In looking at 13 pasture samples from one farm it is very clear that the higher the NSC content, the higher the digestible energy (calorie) content. The pastures shown here were all sampled between 11 am and 2 pm on the same day. They were all dried at the same time and all were analyzed by Equi-Analytical.

Podcast #14. 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.

Podcast #13. 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.

Podcast #12. 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.

Podcast #11. 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!

Podcast #10. 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.

Podcast #9. Want to unlock better health and performance for your horse? Start with the gut!

Podcast #8. 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!!)

Podcast #7. 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.

Is copra meal a good feed for horses?! This has to be one of the most common questions I have been asked in my career. What do I think of copra meal? Let’s dig into that…

Cooking cereal grains before you feed them to your horse is absolutely essential (with the exception of oats). Cooking improves how easy the starch inside the grain is to digest. The starch (the white stuff you can see in the middle of the grain) is the major source of energy contained in grains and it is the single reason we feed cereal grains to horses.

Podcast #6. Feeding through drought? Here’s what your horse really needs.

As horse owners, one thing we LOVE is when our horses are well muscled! It looks beautiful AND it is also very functional!

Podcast #5. Feeding on the road? Don’t leave your horse’s gut behind.

Podcast #4. 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! 

Podcast #3. Lucerne before riding? Absolutely — and here’s why…

Podcast #2. A horse's gastrointestinal tract is unique and complex. In this episode, Dr Nerida demystifies the horse's gut!

Podcast #1. In this episode, Dr Nerida talks about feeding your horse, like a horse... We can't (and shouldn't) fight 55 million years of evolution.

There is a very good reason the saying “You eat like a horse” exists; Horses. Eat. A. Lot!!! The amount of forage you feed your horse has a HUGE impact on the health, welfare, behaviour, gut health and performance of your horse as well as your horse’s risk of diseases like colic and gastric ulcers.

Weanlings are funny little creatures, endlessly curious, prone to mischief and constantly walking the tricky balance between growing fast enough to achieve their genetic potential but not growing so fast that they end up with bone or joint disease.

And because of this balance that must be achieved between growth and skeletal health, their nutrition can be challenging.