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

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 horses
  • Why 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 wording
  • Why 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

Jaksot(49)

33. Replay: Your horse's hindgut microbes and their impact on... everything! | Best of 2025

33. Replay: Your horse's hindgut microbes and their impact on... everything! | Best of 2025

To wrap up 2025, we’re resharing our most popular guest interview from Season 1 — and it’s a favourite for good reason.In this episode, microbiology expert Dr Belinda Chapman and Dr Nerida take us ins...

29 Joulu 20251h 32min

32. Five Ingredients I Love (and Five I Avoid!) in Horse Nutrition

32. Five Ingredients I Love (and Five I Avoid!) in Horse Nutrition

In this last new episode for 2025, professional equine nutritionist Dr Nerida shares five ingredients she loves using in real-world diets, and five (actually if you listen carefully, she sneaks in 6!)...

22 Joulu 20251h 7min

31. Is This Horse Fed Right? A Vet's Guide to the Rapid Assessment of Nutrition

31. Is This Horse Fed Right? A Vet's Guide to the Rapid Assessment of Nutrition

When a horse presents with ulcers, colic risk, poor performance, slow healing,  unexplained weight change or a plethora of other health conditions, nutrition may be part of the story—even if it isn’t ...

15 Joulu 202524min

30. Horse Nutrition Q&A: How racehorses are thriving on more fibre, less grain

30. Horse Nutrition Q&A: How racehorses are thriving on more fibre, less grain

The racing world is changing — and happily, it’s science leading the charge.Dr Nerida and Orla return to unpack the data from Ciaron Maher Racing’s nutrition overhaul: less grain, more fibre, and a he...

8 Joulu 202539min

29. Strip Grazing for Horses: How to reduce pasture intake safely and support weight control

29. Strip Grazing for Horses: How to reduce pasture intake safely and support weight control

When used well, strip grazing becomes one of the most effective tools for managing weight, preventing laminitis and protecting pasture. In this episode of the Happy Horse Nutrition Podcast, Dr Nerida ...

1 Joulu 202532min

28. Feeding your horse for an amazing coat

28. Feeding your horse for an amazing coat

A glossy coat isn’t just about looks — it’s a window into your horse’s inner health.In this episode, Dr Nerida takes you through some of the reasons coats lose their shine — from seasonal changes and ...

24 Marras 202540min

27. Horse Nutrition Q&A: Ryegrass Staggers, Mycotoxins, Grain Processing & Faecal pH

27. Horse Nutrition Q&A: Ryegrass Staggers, Mycotoxins, Grain Processing & Faecal pH

Dr. Nerida and Orla are back with another Q&A episode that tackles everything from freaky behaviour on ryegrass and mycotoxin binders to a virtually unknown reason your horse might be completely off i...

17 Marras 202545min

26. Feeding ‘Marey Mares’: What to Feed and Avoid for Behaviourally Challenging Mares

26. Feeding ‘Marey Mares’: What to Feed and Avoid for Behaviourally Challenging Mares

Join Dr. Nerida as she tackles a listener question about feeding “marey mares” — those behaviourally expressive, sensitive, frequently moody, often brilliant mares. This solo Happy Horse Nutrition epi...

10 Marras 202528min

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