Happy Horse Nutrition

MyHappy.Horse
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Join Dr. Nerida McGilchrist, a world-renowned PhD equine nutritionist with over 25 years of experience, as she simplifies the science of horse nutrition into actionable insights. Trusted by top trainers and breeders, Nerida combines her passion for data with engaging interviews of leading experts in the field. With her warm, humorous style, she uncovers the latest research and practical tips to optimise your horse's health and performance. Tune in for expert advice that you can apply today!

  1. 1D AGO

    43. Free Faecal Water in Horses: Causes, Diet Fixes and What to Try First

    Free faecal water (also called free fecal liquid) is one of those horse problems that looks “not that bad” on paper… but how 'bad' is it? 🐴💦 In this episode of the Happy Horse Nutrition Podcast, Dr Nerida unpacks potential reasons why FFW is suddenly being talked about everywhere, from first hearing it at a conference in Dijon (2016) to seeing it dominate conversations at AAEP Denver (2025). And yes… she asks the uncomfortable question: is this another disease of modern management impacting an ancient gut? You’ll learn: What FFW is Why it’s likely multifactorial (forage changes, fibre variety, grain load & digestibility, sand irritation, ulcers, nitrates…)The practical “low-hanging fruit” steps to try first, in a logical order to help resolve FFWWhy microbiome research can be misleading when it’s only measured at broad levels (and why species-level testing may be the next big breakthrough); andWhen to loop in your vet (sand assessment, ulcer scoping, more advanced options like faecal transplant)If you’re dealing with FFW, this is your calm, evidence-informed roadmap to helping your horse. As always, please follow the podcast so more horse owners can find this, and if it helped, share it with a friend (or your whole agistment chat 😉). 💛 💖 Want to see how your current feeding program stacks up for gut health? Pop your horse’s diet into MyHappy.Horse and check the gut health score (7-day free trial availabile): https://apps.apple.com/app/myhappy-horse/id6633422324 🦠 Want to know which species of microbes live in your FFW horse's gut, grab a test kit from Dr Belinda and EquiGI - https://www.equigi.com

    1h 3m

  2. MAR 2

    42. Horse Nutrition Q&A: Straw, Diarrhoea, Feed Safety & Muscle Building

    What happens when your horses live on mostly straw for 10 days… and one of them decides to protest with full-blown diarrhoea? 😅 In this Q&A-style catch-up, Dr Nerida and Orla unpack a very relatable “whoops” moment and use it to teach one of the most overlooked fundamentals in horse gut health: fibre diversity. They break down why straw is a very different beast to hay (hello, lignin), why some horses cope while others fall apart, and why “just add a product” isn’t always the smartest first move. From there, the conversation goes behind the scenes of the feed industry, mixed-species feed mills, the very real risk of ionophore contamination, and how to ask the right questions of manufacturers. Then it gets nerdy (in the best way) with least-cost vs set recipes, why crude protein can be misleading, and the lysine + leucine muscle-building “bricklayer and bricks” analogy you’ll love. In this episode you’ll learn: Why restricting forage to one source can trigger loose manure/free faecal water in some horsesWhy gut “fixes in 3 hours” are usually not how physiology works (and when electrolytes can confuse the picture)How to read a feed label to spot vague “least-cost” ingredient wordingWhy protein quality matters (especially for young horses, broodmares, and performance horses)  🐴💛 Want help making sense of your horse’s diet? Download MyHappy.Horse on the Apple App Store (link below) and take the guesswork out of balancing protein, lysine, and the bigger nutrition picture.  And if this episode made you go and check the back of a feed bag… we’d love you to leave us a quick rating and review. It helps other horse owners find science-based feeding help. 🧪❤️   Download MyHappy.Horse here: https://apps.apple.com/app/myhappy-horse/id6633422324

    47 min

  3. FEB 23

    41. OTT Horse Nutrition: The First 12 Months Off The Track

    Feeding an Off The Track (OTT) in the first 12 months can be a worry inducing juggle… appetite, behaviour, ulcers and those classic “why won’t you hold weight?” situations. In this episode of the Happy Horse Nutrition Podcast, Dr Nerida shares her practical approach to feeding OTTs in their first year off the track so they can settle, digest fibre properly, and become easier to keep long-term. Nerida explains why many OTTs arrive with gut health issues. Racing routines and high-energy feeds can increase gastric ulcer occurence and shift the hindgut microbiome away from the good fibre-fermenting microbes. And when the gut isn’t right, it often shows up as a fussy appetite, tricky behaviour, and slow weight gain in OTTs. The episode breaks the first year into two phases: months 1–6 focus on gut rehab with forage first, fibre diversity and balancing vitamins and minerals the focus; then months 6–12 shift to weight and muscle development, with one big caution… weight gain diets change behaviour, sometimes dramatically. Listen to discover how to feed your OTT in the first 12 months off the track for brilliant results… setting your OTT up for a lifetime of health, happiness, calm behaviour and brilliant performance. 🌟 Follow the Happy Horse Nutrition Podcast so you don’t miss the upcoming episode unpacking Allay’s microbiome data with Dr Belinda Chapman.  💖 If this helped, a quick rating on Spotify or Apple Podcasts helps other OTT owners find the show.  📱 Want to check your OTT’s diet is balanced while you adjust feed for behaviour and condition? Try MyHappy.Horse (iOS) with a free 7-day trial:https://apps.apple.com/app/myhappy-horse/id6633422324

    1 hr

  4. FEB 16

    40. What is NSC? And is it bad for my horse?

    NSC is one of those three-letter acronyms that pops up on feed bags and hay reports… and consistently manages to confuse even the most dedicated horse owners. In this episode of the Happy Horse Nutrition Podcast, Dr Nerida McGilchrist unpacks Non-Structural Carbohydrates (NSC) in a practical, horse-owner-friendly way. This episode looks at what NSC actually is (starch + water soluble carbohydrates; WSC), how it relates to WSC, whether we should be using WSC or ESC to calculate NSC (see, it gets confusing!), and why that 'fructan piece' matters for both laminitis risk and the hindgut microbiome. You’ll learn why NSC is everywhere in hay, pasture and feeds, and why it’s levels can fluctuate so dramatically, depending on plant type, time of day, climate, temperature, drought stress, and even soil fertility.  Nerida shares real-world examples (including from her own horses) to explain what happens when NSC is too high. Problems can include crazy high insulin levels, laminitis, colic, tooth decay and microbial dysbiosis. And she explores why “not enough NSC” can also be a problem in performance horses where energy intake, palatability, and gut function matter. If you’re feeding a pony with insulin dysregulation, a horse with PPID/Cushing’s, a laminitis-prone horse, or a metabolically healthy high performance athlete, this episode will help you make informed, smarter decisions around NSC.   📱 If you’d like help applying this to your horse, download the MyHappy.Horse app on the Apple App Store and start building a diet you can feel confident about. https://apps.apple.com/au/app/myhappy-horse/id6633422324   💖 And if this episode helped you, please share it with a horsey friend (especially the one currently arguing about pasture sugar on Facebook 😅)

    53 min

  5. FEB 9

    39. Horse not eating? Learn the 4 most common causes of loss of appetite

    A horse that won’t eat isn’t being “fussy”… it’s a red flag. In this episode of the Happy Horse Nutrition Podcast, Dr Nerida, PhD equine nutritionist and founder of the MyHappy.Horse app, breaks down the most common nutrition-related reasons horses go off their feed, what they look like in real life, and what actually helps. Nerida covers hindgut disturbance (including hindgut acidosis) and the appetite knock-on effects, including the destruction of  vitamin B1, why some horses go off grain but still eat hay, and how faecal/manure pH can be a handy monitoring tool (with the key low-pH threshold to watch). You’ll also hear how gastric ulcers can affect appetite (and why it’s not always obvious), plus the salt trap: too much salt can make feeds unpalatable (and may worsen discomfort in ulcer-prone horses), while too little sodium, especially after watery diarrhoea or heavy sweating, can switch appetite off entirely. And don’t miss the quick but important one: DON mycotoxin (“vomitoxin”). If a new batch of feed is eaten for a few days, then suddenly refused, it may be the feed, not your horse, and testing can help confirm it. You’ll also hear the story of Breeze, Nerida’s very old mare, and the tiny, cheap change that brought her appetite back and genuinely saved her life.   Download the MyHappy.Horse app: https://apps.apple.com/app/myhappy-horse/id6633422324   Learn more: https://www.myhappy.horse And, if you know someone with a horse that isn’t eating well, please share this episode! And we’d love you to follow the Happy Horse Nutrition podcast… following us helps more horse people find science-based feeding help 🐴🙏🏼❤️

    48 min

  6. FEB 2

    38. Danger in the Grass: High-Oxalate Pastures, Calcium Deficiency & Bighead Disease in Horses

    In this episode of the Happy Horse Nutrition Podcast, Dr Nerida tackles a pasture risk that catches many good horse owners out: high-oxalate warm-season grasses that can block calcium absorption, slowly weaken bone, and set horses up for nutritional secondary hyperparathyroidism (Bighead disease).  You’ll learn the simple physiology behind it (the “bone calcium bank” concept), why blood calcium can look normal even when bones are being depleted, and the real-world signs that are easy to misread; shifting lameness, sore or grumpy behaviour, odd gait, skull changes, loud breathing noise under work, dental issues and poor hoof quality.  Nerida walks you through practical pasture ID tips for the big culprits—kikuyu, buffel, couch/bermudagrass, and the high-risk one: setaria! And explains how oxalate levels and risk change with growth stage and location (including cooler regions in summer).  Finally, she outlines prevention: targeting a calcium: oxalate ratio of at least 0.5:1, keeping calcium balanced with phosphorus and magnesium, why lucerne/alfalfa helps on multiple fronts, and when it’s smarter to use a properly formulated balancer or get expert help… especially if setaria is involved. ✅ Want help checking whether your horse’s diet is actually balanced for these pastures (without doing the maths)? Download the MyHappy.Horse app: https://apps.apple.com/app/myhappy-horse/id6633422324 ❤️ If this episode helped, please follow the podcast on Apple Podcasts/Spotify and share it with a horse owner in warm, wet coastal regions (or anyone feeding teff or bermudagrass hay).   🕖 Until next time… go have a quick paddock walk! Your feed room decisions should always start with your grass. 🌱🐴

    45 min

  7. JAN 26

    37. Natural Disaster Horse Nutrition: What to Feed When Everything Changes

    Feeding horses during emergencies (bushfires, floods, storms, evacuations) can quickly become a “take what you can get” situation, but the choices you make in your makeshift feed room can determine whether your horse copes… or tips into dehydration, gastric ulcers, hindgut dysbiosis, colic, or even laminitis. In this practical episode of the Happy Horse Nutrition Podcast, PhD equine nutritionist Dr Nerida shares her approach to natural disaster horse feeding with one core rule: keep the diet as close to normal as possible. You’ll learn how to prioritise clean water (and what to do when horses won’t drink), why hay and fibre are your horse’s lifeline, and how to reduce risk when you’re forced to swap feeds or hays fast. We cover smart strategies like ingredient/forage variety, feeding little and often when hay is limited, avoiding the trap of over-using grain/hard feed, and why you should keep hay available when pasture regrows. There’s also specific guidance for horses with PPID (Cushing’s), insulin dysregulation, and laminitis, including when soaking hay might help in a tight spot. If you want a simple emergency checklist to protect hydration and gut health when your horse’s world is upside down, this one’s for you.   ✅ Follow the Happy Horse Nutrition Podcast on Spotify/Apple so you don’t miss new episodes.   Useful links & resources 📲 MyHappy.Horse app (iOS): https://apps.apple.com/app/myhappy-horse/id6633422324 🎧 Start here: Episode 1 - Feed Your Horse Like a Horse (foundation principles for gut health and safer feeding) 🎧 Also helpful: Episode 24 - Ingredient Variety and Why it Matters in Horse Nutrition  🎧 For metabolic/laminitis horses: Episode 15 – All about laminitis – keeping your horse safe

    51 min

  8. JAN 19

    36. Horse Nutrition Q&A: Feeding Before Riding, Hydration Myths & Trail Snacks

    Should you feed before you ride? After? Or let your horse graze along the trail? 🐴 In this myth-busting Q&A, Dr Nerida and Orla tackle some feeding folklore that just won’t die. Learn why lucerne before exercise protects the stomach from acid splash, why water restriction after work is probably just a Black Beauty hangover, and how letting horses snack mid-ride actually supports gut health. Plus they briefly cover mare abortions caused by hairy caterpillars and reading feed labels. It’s the perfect blend of evidence, experience, and friendly banter, plus a few stories from the saddle! 🌙🥕💧   🐛 Research article on mare abortions caused by the hairy caterpillars: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23452012/ and https://en.engormix.com/equines/horse-health/equine-amnionitis-foetal-loss_a34801/ 🏷️ Reading a Feed Label from Racing Queensland's Queensland Off the Track Nutrition Hub: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1B-tixE0Jhg 📲 Discover and download the MyHappy.Horse app on the App Store: https://apps.apple.com/app/myhappy-horse/id6633422324 🤖 Ask your nutrition questions 24/7 with Dr Nerida AI: https://www.myhappy.horse/nerida-ai ❤️ If you enjoyed this episode, please follow, rate and review — it helps us share science-based horse nutrition with more owners like you!

    43 min
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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
2 Ratings

About

Join Dr. Nerida McGilchrist, a world-renowned PhD equine nutritionist with over 25 years of experience, as she simplifies the science of horse nutrition into actionable insights. Trusted by top trainers and breeders, Nerida combines her passion for data with engaging interviews of leading experts in the field. With her warm, humorous style, she uncovers the latest research and practical tips to optimise your horse's health and performance. Tune in for expert advice that you can apply today!

Information

  • Creator
    MyHappy.Horse
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    43
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © MyHappy.Horse
  • Show Website
    Happy Horse Nutrition

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