17 Hand Equine Nutrition

04/29/2026

My lovely client Buck reminding us why he’s getting a grazing muzzle! (Don’t worry, his is on the way!)

Grazing muzzles are tools for FREEDOM for horses, as they still allow for turnout with friends and good movement while restricting the intake of sugary spring grass. They can reduce pasture intake by about 30% (or more with smaller holes) which is very helpful with overweight horses or those with metabolic concerns.

Do you use a grazing muzzle for your horse?

04/24/2026

I work with many horses with gastric and digestive concerns and conditions, and I often find owners are using supplements that either don’t have sufficient amounts of researched ingredients or they are using them incorrectly.

Here’s a quick overview of some common supplements on the market and what they are meant for, how to use them, and key ingredients to look for when making decisions.

I hope this is helpful, but if you want one on one personalized help catered to your horse and situation, reach out to me!

04/19/2026

Sloane Kuney Rosenthal has written this humorous and lovely blog about managing the diets of a barn full of varieties, and the first installment discusses the reason I was brought in- the foundation of it all- to assess the hay! Give it a read!

In horse nutrition, sometimes the right answer is to keep asking questions.

04/17/2026

I recently had a conversation with a client about a negative experience they had with a different equine professional. My client said that the vibes from the first conversation she and I had could not be more different and she felt listened to and respected. The negative previous experience with someone else left her feeling… icky. Salesy. Pushy. Unheard.

Nah bro. We don’t need those bad vibes here. Conversation drives connections, and you and your horse are not just another task on a list- you are important to me!

Have you been on the fence about speaking with an equine nutrition advisor? Schedule a free discovery call with me to chat, and to see if working together feels right to you.

https://calendly.com/17handequine/30-min-discovery-call

04/15/2026

If your horse needs weight, always start by maximizing the amount of forage and quality. And observe if your horse ACTUALLY EATS the amount of hay you think they do!

Once you have provided as much forage as possible, potentially with a higher quality forage like alfalfa mixed in, and your horse still needs calories to reach and maintain condition, THEN we can add in an appropriate feed to boost caloric density.

Don’t work backwards. The horse’s digestive tract will thank you.

04/06/2026

Jini came to me last year when her beautiful quarter horse Alice had been diagnosed with reoccurring gastric ulcers, free f***l water syndrome, overweight, and inappetence. Through our program we had to tweak and pivot a few times to get it right, which is expected with these multifaceted cases.

This email made me shout “YES!” out of joy and I am so thankful for this kind of update a year later! Thank you for trusting me, Jini!