Happy Horse Nutrition10 Nov 2025

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 episode explores why behaviour challenges in mares are rarely caused by specific feed ingredients — and are almost always rooted in gut health, management, or pain.

What You’ll Learn:
• Why hindgut health is THE most important nutrition factor in mare behaviour 🐴
• How the gut-brain axis influences temperament via dopamine and B-vitamin production 🧠
• Why feeding hay before riding is non-negotiable for sensitive mares
• The 3 things all mares need for stable mental health
• How mycotoxin contamination (especially zearalenone in corn 🌽) wreaks hormonal havoc
• Why pain (feet, ovaries, saddle fit) must be ruled out first before blaming the feed
• The right way to test individual ingredients when sensitivities are suspected
• And why your own energy might be mirroring back through your mare’s behaviour 🪞

Dr. Nerida shares how her own anxious horses transformed through life changes, not supplements — and reflects on 25 years in the field, where true ingredient sensitivities are exceedingly rare (just 3 for alfalfa, 1 for soy!).

🎧 Ideal for mare owners navigating grouchiness, grooming drama, or hormonally “hot” behaviour. Get the real framework for fixing it — starting with pain, gut health, and feeding management, not guesswork.

📲 Discover and download the MyHappy.Horse app: 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 this episode helped you or your mare, please leave a review! It helps more horses benefit from grounded, science-based feeding advice. ❤️

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