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Feeding Pregnant and Growing Horses

Compared to mature horses in no work, nutrient requirements are the highest for pregnant to lactating mares, particularly in the first months of lactation, pretty much the same as their actively growing foals. The main difference is that foals require less energy so the intake needs to be more nutrient dense. It makes sense that the breeding/lactation season is when grass is actively growing, spring/summer hence higher in protein and energy.

This webinar will look at the needs of a mare through the stages of pregnancy, and then into lactation plus the needs of a growing foal.

Carol Layton B.Sc M.Ed of Balanced Equine is an independent equine nutritionist with a science background and a passion for the optimal feeding of horses based on scientific research. In 2008, Carol enrolled in equine nutrition courses provided by Dr Eleanor Kellon VMD and has been a tutor for students in NRC Plus since 2009. Carol is currently a lecturer in Equine Nutrition for the nationally recognised Certificate of Equine Hoof Care Practitioner course (ACEHP) in Australia. Carol is passionate about teaching and sharing her knowledge of equine nutrition to make it easier and simpler for horse owners. So far she has been a speaker at a number of conferences in Australia, the Functional Hoof conferences in 2011 and 2014 and more recently the 2018 Bowker Conference in Australia. In 2012 Carol presented at the World Hoof Care Conference in Prague, Czech Republic and the PHCP Conference in San Diego in 2016, the 2017 NO Laminitis Conference in Tucson, Arizona USA, and the PHCP Conference in Denver in 2022.

Carol has had horses most of her life and in the last 19 years has been a keen competitor in endurance riding. Her own endurance horse, Omani Mr Sqiggle was a 2009 Australian National Points and Distance horse. Together they have completed at top levels, including the 400 km marathon, Shahzada, NSW State Championship rides and the national championship, the 160 km Tom Quilty.