Equine Nutrition Australasia (ENA)

26/09/2025

Nikki Meggison BSc Hons - Independent Equine Nutritionist Thanks

Friday focus…it’s the weight of the feed that matters…not the volume!

When nutritionists calculate feed amounts and what the individual horse or pony will receive from this, it is the weight of the feed that is accounted for in our calculations, not the volume!

So if I am trying to help a greedier horse or pony feel fuller and more satisfied, or if they are on restricted forage rations, their feeds can be bulked out really well with low calorie chaffs and mashes. The feeds may look large, but the amount of calories (digestible energy) they will receive, will be minimal when using the right products!

Having the right feeds and forage amounts for those that get ‘hangry’ can really make a huge difference to them and it help can reduce or eliminate their grumpiness. Feeding behaviour is an extremely important consideration when formulating the ration for an individual. I am all for bulking out rations and getting the best balance I can for the horses I see. This makes a huge difference to them, which in turn makes a huge difference to their owners; a happy horse or pony = a happier, less stressed owner!

What I do find quite frustrating is when others comment on feed sizes without knowing what is in the bucket and how many calories this contributes to the diet as a whole. In the case of those on weight loss programmes, the amount of calories this will contribute will be minimal. So unless the person commenting on your horses feed knows what is in the bucket, the weight of the feeds, what this contributes to their overall daily nutrient and calorie intake, and are qualified to know if this is correct for the individual, I would not worry about their comments!

It is all about balance and there has to be one!

26/09/2025

Equus Magazine Thank You

Don't buy clippers until you've read this article. It will give you all the information you need to choose the best type for the hairy jobs that lie ahead. Click the link in the comments to learn more.

26/09/2025

Empowered Equines Thanks

Now that we are seeing hundreds more and more horses started with all R+ or blends of R+ and other techniques, we're seeing more and more horses eagerly accepting riding without the old-school rodeos. Most R+ horses take to riding rather quickly and easily, and usually fairly drama-free. But some horses take to it more easily than others.

Some R+ horses are naturally bold, self-confident, curious, and MOST really love their human. So, when their human climbs on their back they just see this as another silly R+ game, another wonderful way to connect with their human, and a way to keep their favorite person glued to their side. Our Zephyr is very much like this, he just loves having his human wrapped around him where they can't escape his overwhelming loves.

When we have a horse who doesn't take to it as quickly it can feel upsetting, like we messed up or failed somehow. It often makes us question whether we chose the right path with R+, because it's not working according to plan. Sometimes it makes us want to add more forms of control or force to try to patch the problem. But if your horse isn't taking to riding when they've taken to all other things you've done with R+, then there must be a reason why.

First step is always to assess the physical. Often if a horse is great with most things but one thing they're not, there is usually a physical reason for this. So, talk to a body worker, nutritionist, vet, chiro, or whoever might be the right path to check your horse. Sometimes we need to look genetically, some disorders can be hard to see until they're starting under saddle.

Next we need to assess the emotions. Are they emotionally prepared for this skill? Is a Whole ~100lb, upright human, that moves around, makes noises, and is highly stimulating the first full object your horse has ever been asked to carry? Maybe start with some smaller steps. Can they carry a pair of sweatpants that have been stuffed? How about some pool noodles sticking all around them? How about if something is dragging/dangling from their body? How about noise makers? What if it's uncomfortable or unbalanced? What if it falls off the side?

We need to practice all these wild and strange things before putting our own safety at risk. Before we put it all on the line, we need to know how the horse reacts, what triggers them specifically, and if we can learn to see predictor signals so we can dismount before it happens.

We can even TEACH the horse a signal to say "I'm overwhelmed, please get off". A common one is the horse touching your foot or a specific target, then you remove whatever is on their back, eventually yourself. They learn that if they are stressed they can eliminate this issue without using their instinctive programming (bulking/bolting/rearing/etc). Because we are using R+ our horses WANT us to ride them, they want us to climb on and give them lots of treats and do fun things together, just like on the ground. So we can trust that if they ask us to dismount it's a real reason, they wouldn't want to end the fun and food without good reason. If they learn this cue and use it more often than not, it's important to sort out why, go back to checking physical and emotional reasons. This will help you both stay safe while you sort out the issues.

26/09/2025

Vet Physio Phyle Thanks

Imagine going about your day but not being able to talk. How would you communicate your wants, needs, successes, pain…? 🤐

Your only way of communicating is really through your actions.
But you can only communicate with trusted people, if you make a misjudgment and choose the wrong person you will be [at best] ignored.

Horses can only communicate in this way; through their actions, expressions and behaviours. If they have no trusted people (ie. no one that listens OR someone who misinterprets), their actions will get louder and louder.

There are then 3️⃣ paths;
💛 You realise and you listen to your horse, responding as needed.
🖤 Your horses communication efforts are ignored, they get more in dramatic with their actions & behaviour, becoming difficult and dangerous. Pain memory territory.
💔 Your horses communication efforts are not only ignored, but negatively reinforced in ways that mean your horse must get on with it. So they shut down and learn to not communicate.

Listen to each and every communication your horse makes with you, open up for a two way conversation. Imagine the relief you would feel to have someone that would listen to you?

Pain and dysfunction can manifest in so many forms;
🔸 Twisting to the right? Poll tension, jaw pain, dental problems, tack fit, compensation patterns…
🔸 Fine on right rein but struggling left combined with sensitive right flank? Hindgut/digestive issues…
🔸 Fidgety to saddle? Ulcers, preempting discomfort when ridden, poor saddle fit (yes, even if you’ve just had it checked), incorrect girth design
🔸 Unhappy in the field/stable? Freedom, friends, forage - are these needs being met?
🔸 Stiffness? Pain, lack of movement (no, not always ridden)

Just because they can’t vocally say “my pain/struggle/discomfort is HERE”, doesn’t mean it’s not there.

I’m constantly working to refine my understanding of his communication, and also dissolving other opinions along the way that are not helpful.

If you have ever for even a moment put a ❓over something about your horse, listen… zoom in… see what makes it better, what makes it worse… & if you’re not sure, ask a trusted professional 🤍

📸

26/09/2025

Emotional Horsemanship by Lockie Phillips Thanks

That moment when a horse looks at you, not because they KNOW they did what you asked. But because they ASK you...
"Is this good?"
"Is this good... for you?"
"Is this what we are to each other?"

It is easy, if you have great timing, know the buttons to push, and leverage up, to button press a horse into amazing behaviours that make social media say WOW. That is easy.

I find it much harder (and more interesting to observe and work on) to create trainings where the horse thinks and feels their way through it, rather than behaves their way through it.

Why train horses this way? Why prioritise more nuanced, less specific cues?

For me, the easiest way to answer, is because this manner of training allows the horse to offer THEIR IDEAS into the training. From the beginning.

You create the language together. Rather than dictate a finished language to them that they have to learn. You offer symbols for the horse to learn. And the horse does the same for you, the horse offers YOU symbols for you to learn.

Often, but not always, the symbols the horse presents you are wrapped up in behaviour/actions horse people label as
1. Incorrect
2. Unwanted
3. Hazardous
4. Unhealthy

Yet often, but not always, these things hide the early, undeveloped, raw ingredients of a horses sense of consent, the horses ideas of training, the horses character and personality.

Accepting them, and then blending them with your ideas leads to a horse that doesn't understand what is wanted because you released your aids with good timing, but a horse that is actively contributing to the learning and building of the horsesmanship as much as you are.

But you won't know that unless you try it.... all the way. You cannot half step this manner of training and have it bloom for you. It needs total commitment from us to both sign up for its key features, and also resign from training elements that contra-indicate it.

Which is why I am no longer a bridge to be walked over. But an open door for anyone to walk in, and try things on. Completely.

26/09/2025

C. Kent Thames, DVM
Thanks

26/09/2025

Lindsay Burer, MS - Equine Nutrition Consultant
Thanks

🌟 Bringing a weanling home? Exciting for you… but stressful for them! Here are 4 tips to help your youngster settle in:

1️⃣ Balance their diet
Don’t skip this! Use a quality diet balancer or measured fortified feed based on weight. Key minerals like calcium, phosphorus, and trace minerals help prevent developmental issues.

2️⃣ Forage first
High-quality forage should be the foundation. Tested hay if possible! Alfalfa is a great protein source with essential amino acids + natural vitamins and minerals.

3️⃣ Hire a babysitter
An equine one 😉 A gentle companion horse or a group of babies helps them feel safe and social.

4️⃣ Room to run
Colts and fillies need space to play, buck, and explore. Movement = stronger, healthier bones for growing horses.

💙 Set your weanling up for success with the right start!

26/09/2025

Dr Shelley Appleton Calm Willing Confident Horses
Thanks

How are your rope skills - and why they might be your problem

I’m big on rope skills. Why? Because if you don’t have rope skills, everything else you do with a horse is already compromised.

Think about it: when you hang onto something that’s connected to a horse’s head, that’s not a casual accessory - it’s a line straight into their brain. Rope skills aren’t just about teaching a horse to feel the rope instead of bracing against it. They’re also about risk management.

The reason I’m confident with horses isn’t magic, fairy dust, or secret handshakes - it’s primarily my rope skills. I can pick up a rope and give it meaning. I can control the pressure a horse experiences with me. I can send energy down it to say “go back,” or soften it to say “come.” It’s how I build the building blocks that eventually become the reins. But also, the rope is the telephone line the horse first gets to hear how I explain myself - and that matters a lot.

You see rope skills aren’t about fancy tricks. They start with the most boring, overlooked thing of all—how you pick it up. Next time you go out, watch how your hand takes hold of that lead rope. Watch how your horse responds. Because whether you like it or not, they’re already giving you a report card.

When you pick up the rope do they follow willingly or are they dragging you to the grass or do they suddenly stare off into the distance?

If you’re struggling with your horse, this is where you start. Because the rope in your hand isn’t just a rope - it’s how you establish dialogue with your horse. And if you butcher the grammar here, don’t be surprised when the essay later reads like gibberish.

This is my Collective Advice entry 36/365 of my notebook challenge - save it, share it but don't copy and paste it.

IMAGE📸: Me drawing attention at my clinic to my hand on the rope and the impact the rope has on the horse.

26/09/2025

International Horse College Thanks

Horse Trivia Time!

Did you know horses can see two different things at the same time? Thanks to monocular vision, each eye works independently.

Allowing them to graze peacefully while keeping one eye on the lookout for predators. Talk about multitasking! 🐎🌾

🔍 Source: https://thehorse.com/110211/visual-acuity-in-horses/

Learn more: https://www.internationalhorsecollege.com/

26/09/2025

The Balanced Horse Thanks

26/09/2025

American Farriers Journal Thanks

No doubt you have some thoughts on a horse’s hoof length. I recently wrote about the three important lengths for the soundness of the horse — dorsal length, horizontal length and vertical length (or depth).

26/09/2025

"MANIKATO" arguably one of the greatest sprinter/milers in Australian horse racing history is recognized at Moonee Valley racecourse in Melbourne, Australia tonight with the running of the Group One 1200m weight for age, Manikato Stakes on turf with AUD$2 million in prizemoney.