When to Consult an Equine Nutritionist

There is plenty of information about horse nutrition available on the internet and you are encouraged to read and learn as much as you can. But if you find that you'd like to have assistance from an independent equine nutritionist -- one that can evaluate your horse's specific needs and situation -- that is what Getty Equine Nutrition, LLC can provide. The goal is to help you offer the best feeding plan for your precious equine friend.

8 Reasons to Consider an Equine Nutrition Consultant

You ought to consider an equine nutrition consultant for your horse, if any of the following apply to you and your horse:

1. You have an athlete - whether your horse works on the ranch, or competes in races, is a hunter/jumper, a dressage artist, a rodeo performer, a competitive trail rider, or even a weekend companion on your favorite trail. All athletes have increased nutritional needs and just feeding more food is not necessarily the best approach.
2. You have a broodmare. Breeding has special considerations, both in promoting a pregnancy and in maintaining one. The health of the foal depends upon a healthy mare. And, once the foal is born, the lactating mare needs your nutritional care to maintain her health and to produce nutritious milk.
3. You have a youngster. Growth take years and having the proper nutrients and building blocks to feed growing bones, muscles, and tissues, is critical toward allowing your colt or filly to reach his or her potential.
4. Your horses are more than performers, they are your family. Horses are special and the bonds we form with them are like no other. For all their large size, they are really quite delicate and they rely on us to keep them healthy. Feeding horses appropriately for their age, body condition, physical requirements, and even their emotional temperament, requires more than hay and sunshine.
5. You have a horse that, in your opinion, really could be healthier. Your horse is fine, basically speaking, but not in glowing health. Perhaps all your horse requires is a little tweaking of his/her diet to add that nutrient that's lacking.
6. You have an aging horse. As horses get older, their bodies require additional support. The right nutrients, in tune with their level of health, will keep them in top shape for many years. Through correct feeding and attention to specific nutrients, your horse can grow old gracefully and look and feel far younger than his years.
7. Your horse is ill. Perhaps your horse has suffered from laminitis, insulin resistance, Cushing's disease, arthritis, or allergies, ulcers, recurrent colic, or diarrhea. Maybe your horse is having trouble maintaining a normal weight. Perhaps your horse is recovering from a surgical procedure or is enduring large amounts of stress. Nutritional support, along with proper medical intervention, can be enormously helpful in speeding up healing, boosting the immune system, and even preventing future problems.
8. You're confused by all the supplements that are available on the market. They all sound great. But, which one is ok to use? And, if you use more than one, you may be concerned about overlapping too many nutrients and causing a new set of problems. A qualified equine nutritionist can help ease the confusion and provide a simple plan for you to follow, using the proper supplements, in the correct amounts.

If you relate to any of the above items, a sound nutritional approach, in combination with good medical care, is critical to your horse's health.

About Dr. Getty's Approach

Nutrition is a biological science, and as such, it influences the entire animal's body and mind. When advising horse-owner clients, Dr. Juliet M. Getty takes special care to gain a thorough understanding of all the aspects of the horse's life. This holistic approach allows her to analyze each horse's specific and unique situation. Horses, like people, are individuals. What works for one horse, may not for another. This is why it is confusing to buy a supplement, let's say, based on the advertised benefits. Or, doing what your friend does for her horse may not work for yours. This is where sound nutritional advice from a qualified equine nutrition professional is so beneficial. The advice you receive should be designed for your horse and no one else's. If you find that you need to be more involved in maximizing and maintaining your horse's health through dietary intervention, please consider obtaining assistance from Getty Equine Nutrition, LLC to help you make sense of it all.

Important Note

This is important to note: Nutrition advice is meant to facilitate healing and maintain health. The information provided by Getty Equine Nutrition, LLC is presented for the purpose of educating horse-owners. Clients administer recommendations along with suggested feeds and supplements voluntarily with the understanding that any adverse reaction is the responsibility of the owner. Furthermore, Getty Equine Nutrition, LLC cannot be held accountable for a horse's responsiveness to nutritional intervention.