Everlasting Hope Equine Haven and Educational Foundation

04/05/2026

Putting Weight on Older Horses
As horses age, some have a harder time maintaining weight. Learn how to use forage, commercial feeds, fat, and beet pulp to help your senior horse gain weight.

Here's how to utilize forage, commercial feeds, fat, and beet pulp to help your senior horse gain weight.

04/05/2026

The senior horse population is larger now than ever before, with many horses leading healthy lives into their 30s. This increase in older horses is primarily attributable to the focused efforts of veterinarians, nutritionists, and owners to improve understanding of the special needs of senior steeds.

The senior horse population is larger now than ever before, with many horses leading healthy lives into their 30s. This increase in older horses is primarily attributable to the focused efforts of veterinarians, nutritionists, and owners to improve understanding of the special needs of senior steeds...

04/05/2026

Top 7 Weight Gain Feeds for Horses to Improve Body Condition

Weight gain feeds for horses include beet pulp, legume forages, brans, oils, dry fat supplements, flax seed, and hay cubes. Tips for helping horses of all ages

04/05/2026

04/05/2026

🐴 Prebiotics, Probiotics & Postbiotics: What’s the Difference?

“Biotics” are often used to support digestive health, but each type plays a different role in the hindgut ecosystem.

🌱 Prebiotics
Non-digestible fibers that feed beneficial microbes already living in the gut, helping support a stable microbial population and fiber digestion.

🦠 Probiotics
Live microorganisms that are introduced into the gut to help support microbial balance, particularly during times of stress or disruption.

⚗️ Postbiotics
Bioactive compounds produced by microbes (such as fermentation products) that directly support gut function and immune health, without relying on live organisms.

🔄 What about synbiotics?
Synbiotics combine prebiotics and probiotics to support both the microbes themselves and the environment they live in.

Several Mad Barn products, including Omneity, AminoTrace+, Visceral+, Optimum Digestive Health, and Optimum Probiotics, contain different types of biotics to help support digestive function and maintain a healthy hindgut environment.

Biotics can be a useful tool, but their role depends on your horse’s diet, management, and specific needs.

04/05/2026

🐴 Understanding your horse’s digestive anatomy is key to supporting gut health and overall performance.

The equine digestive system is divided into two main regions: the foregut and the hindgut, each with a specific role in breaking down and utilizing nutrients.

The foregut includes the mouth, stomach, and small intestine. This is where feed is initially broken down through chewing and enzymatic digestion, allowing nutrients like proteins, fats, and sugars to be absorbed.

The hindgut, made up of the cecum, colon, and re**um, is the powerhouse of fiber digestion. Here, microbes ferment forage to produce energy in the form of volatile fatty acids, which supply a large portion of the horse’s energy needs.

Because horses rely heavily on hindgut fermentation, their digestive system is designed for continuous forage intake and gradual dietary changes to maintain microbial balance and prevent disruption.

💬 Did you know the majority of your horse’s digestive tract is the hindgut?

To learn more, check out this article👇
🇨🇦-https://madbarn.ca/horse-digestive-anatomy/
🇺🇸-https://madbarn.com/horse-digestive-anatomy/

04/05/2026

🐎 💧Tip of the Day!

It only takes 10 seconds to check your horse's hydration!

🤏 To do so, gently pinch the skin on your horse's neck or shoulder. If the skin doesn't snap back within 1-2 seconds, your horse may be dehydrated.

Regular hydration checks are especially important during hot weather, intense exercise, or travel, when horses lose more fluids through sweat.

⏱️ A quick 10-second check can help protect your horse's health, recovery, and performance.

To learn more about dehydration signs clink the link below:

CA: https://madbarn.ca/dehydration-in-horses/
US:https://madbarn.com/dehydration-in-horses/

04/04/2026

🐴 Gastric ulcers are one of the most common conditions affecting horses, especially those in training or performance programs. In fact, up to 90% of performance horses will develop ulcers at some point.

Ulcers form when stomach acid irritates the sensitive lining of the stomach, particularly in the upper (squamous) region that lacks natural protection. Over time, this irritation can lead to discomfort and a wide range of subtle changes.

Because the signs are often mild or easy to overlook, ulcers can go undetected. Changes in appetite, behavior, digestion, or performance may be early indicators that something isn’t right.

Recognizing these signs early is key to supporting your horse’s health and preventing severe ulcers.

👉 Swipe through to learn the most common signs of squamous ulcers and what to watch for in your horse.

⚠️ If you suspect your horse may have ulcers, consult your veterinarian for proper diagnosis and appropriate treatment.

04/04/2026

The Vet’s Scoop 🐴✨

📣 This week’s highlight: Forage Testing & Diet Accuracy

“Hay quality can vary dramatically from load to load. Testing forage is one of the most effective ways to take the guesswork out of feeding.”

— Dr. Fran Rowe, DVM, Veterinary Nutritionist

Forage makes up the majority of most horses’ diets, but its nutrient content is not always consistent. Variations in soil, harvest timing, storage, and plant maturity can all impact protein, energy, and mineral levels.

Without testing, it’s difficult to know exactly what your horse is receiving. A forage analysis allows you to identify gaps in the diet and build a more precise feeding program to support performance, health, and overall balance.

Looking to balance your horses diet?

Send us a message to chat with one of our nutritionists💬

04/04/2026

04/04/2026

Give yourself permission to be unavailable…
and not feel guilty about it.

Not every message needs a reply straight away.
Not every invite needs a yes.
Not every version of you has the capacity you had last week.

Sometimes the strongest, kindest, most regulated thing you can do…
is step back.

Because when your nervous system is full,
when your mind is loud,
when everything feels a bit “too much”…

pushing through doesn’t make you stronger.
It just takes you further away from yourself.

And here’s the bit we don’t say enough in the horse world…

The horses don’t need the busiest, most productive version of you.
They need the most present version of you.

The one who isn’t rushing.
The one who can breathe.
The one who isn’t carrying ten conversations, three expectations and a silent guilt trip into the stable.

So if tomorrow looks like:
• leaving the phone in the car
• saying “not today” without a full explanation
• going to the field just to be, not to achieve
• choosing quiet over chaos

That’s not you being difficult.
That’s you listening.

And just like with horses…
when we actually listen instead of override,
everything softens.

You’re not withdrawing.
You’re regulating.

And that matters more than anything 💜