The most recent issue of Equinews, the official health and nutrition publication of Kentucky Equine Research (KER), is now available online.

One highlight of the summer issue is a synopsis of muscular problems that affect horses and nutritional recommendations designed to manage horses with these myopathies. Much of the information in the article, titled "Current Diagnosis and Nutritional Management of Tying-Up," was gleaned from a paper Stephanie Valberg, D.V.M., Ph.D., presented at the 2010 KER Nutrition Conference in April. The complete paper is also available on ker.com.

In addition, the current issue contains several articles that underscore the scope of KER's success in formulating feeds appropriate for two very different groups of equine athletes--racehorses and three-day eventers. KER Team Members Hallway Feeds, Pennfield Feed Technologies, and Saracen Horse Feeds manufacture the KER-formulated feeds referred to in these articles:

• "KER Team Member Feeds the Triple Crown"
• "Saracen Horse Feeds at the Sales"
• "Rolex Three-Day Event Showcases Elite Riders"

Kathleen Crandell, Ph.D., one of KER's staff nutritionists, also responds to a case report involving a Thoroughbred mare with lactation tetany or hypocalcemia.

The next issue of Equinews will be available online this fall. Look for it in October!

Continue to follow KER at ker.com. Sign up for KER's free electronic newsletters and get the chance to win free tickets to the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games.

Articles on forage, pasture management, hoof health, and digestive tract problems offer horse owners a wealth of helpful tips in Equinews, Volume 13, Issue 2.

As the basis of all equine diets, forage is vital for keeping the horse's gastrointestinal organs working properly, and articles address the topics of long-stem vs. short-stem forage as well as the composition, quality, intake, and digestibility of this important nutrition source.

"Spruce Up Your Green Areas" contains hints on keeping pastures in good condition. An article on hoof quality explains the role of proper nutrition in keeping horses sound, and "Equinews Q & A" discusses prevention and treatment of gastric ulceration and hindgut acidosis. Finally, Kentucky Equine Research is proud to welcome its newest affiliate, Korean feed manufacturer Je Il, and readers can explore that country's horse industry in "Korean Company Added to Team Member Program."

Equinews, Kentucky Equine Research's nutrition and health quarterly magazine, shares tips for feed management in Volume 13, Issue 1. Recent changes in the nutritional requirements of broodmares are listed in a featured article, and the story of a Canadian-bred racing Quarter Horse explains the benefits of monitoring foal development for slow, steady growth. A new partnership between Kentucky Equine Research (KER) and Alimentos Concentrados Raza, S.A. will extend KER's feed formulation expertise to South American horse breeders and owners in Colombia. A short article makes horse owners aware of the dangers posed by the toxins in moldy corn, and another suggests high-protein alternatives to soybeans for horses that may be allergic to that common feed ingredient. The magazine contains reports of racing, cutting, driving, and endurance riding successes by horses fueled by KER-formulated feeds and supplements. Finally, the issue pays tribute to Dr. Larry Lawrence, KER's senior equine nutritionist who passed away in late 2009. To see articles in this magazine, click here.

Two feature articles in Equinews, Volume 12, Issue 3 address metabolic problems in horses. In "For the Love of Valentine," readers will meet a horse suffering from tying-up, the severe muscle cramping that puts a stop to training and exercise in susceptible animals. A dietary change freed the gelding from his discomfort, producing a turnaround in attitude and performance. "Metabolism Woes" explains equine metabolic syndrome and the research findings that have pointed the way toward strategies to manage affected horses.

Should foals have access to creep-feeders? Analysis of this practice has shown that moderate consumption of low-starch feeds may keep young horses healthier than free access to conventional grains, according to "Equinews Q & A." Another nutrition article, "Source of Omegas May Matter," points out the superiority of marine-derived omega-3 fatty acids in equine diets.

"Success Stories" shares tales of winning horses in a variety of disciplines. The equines have all been fueled by KER-formulated feed products distributed by Team Member companies in the U.S. and around the world. Mules and donkeys are also popular mounts for a range of activities, and their uses, feeding regimens, and management strategies are covered in "Modern Mules are a New Breed."

The KER intern program offers equine science students an opportunity to live and work at the KER research farm for periods of three to eighteen months. What do these young adults gain from the experience? Readers can check out their stories in "Stable Environment."

Copies of Equinews, Volume 12, Issue 3 can be picked up at KER Team Member outlets. To browse the online version, click HERE.

Readers will find an array of interesting, informative articles in Equinews Volume 12, Issue 2. The magazine opens with an introduction to KER's newly designed Web site that offers updated features to horse owners, feed manufacturers, and veterinarians. The enhanced library allows browsers to access research reports and information on virtually any equine topic. Visitors can easily locate a KER Team Member in their area, and shoppers may visit the on-line store to purchase nutritional supplements, publications, and software.

Some horses are too thin; others are too fat. If your horse falls into the first category, read "Bulking Up" for tips on increasing body weight. For brood mares that may tend to put on excess weight, "Equinews Q & A" offers ideas for avoiding obesity. A horse at the correct weight tends to perform better and may achieve successes like those sponsored by KER and its Team Members in this year's Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event. Their stories, including Buck Davidson's third-place finish, are detailed in "Fueled by Kentucky Equine Research."

More tales of KER-fueled performances are related in "Success Stories" and also in "Going Green," a feature on Horse Sport Ireland and its partnership with KER Team Member Bluegrass Horse Feeds.

Finally, while premium nutrition and careful management usually lead to good times, no farm is immune to natural disasters. Preparing for and dealing with floods, fire, and winter storms can be a challenge to any equine operation. In "Dealing With Disaster," readers will encounter the experiences of individuals who have lived through unexpected crises and are well on the way to recovery.

Equinews (Volume 12, Issue 1) is packed with information about nutrition management for active horses. "Feeding Performance Horses" explains the fat, carbohydrate, mineral, and vitamin requirements of working horses and gives owners tips on how to meet nutrient needs while avoiding digestive upsets. Reading "Working Hard or Hardly Working?" will allow riders to determine work intensity and match feeding guidelines to a horse's energy expenditure. An article about water highlights the critical importance of this vital part of the horse's diet, and a feature on yeast culture points out the benefits of adding this gut-friendly ingredient to equine rations. Low-starch feeds are appropriate for some horses but not for others, and Equinews Q and A explores this subject as it related to working horses in moderate body condition. Finally, articles on a Western event champion (customer of KER Team Member Feed Mill Express in Minnesota) and an international medal-winning vaulter (sponsored by KER Team Member Fitmin in the Czech Republic) show that great feeds lead to great performance results.

Readers will find some down-home information as well as several articles with an international flavor in Equinews, Volume 11, Issue 4. One feature explains the important influence of feed management in the control of metabolic problems such as insulin resistance and Cushing's syndrome. Another discusses exercise-induced pulmonary hemorrhage ("bleeding"), a problem seen in racehorses and some sport horses, and the contributions of dietary omega-3 fatty acids in preventing signs of disease. There's also an article on the relationship between insulin levels and body condition of horses involved in various disciplines.

Moving to a global outlook, Equinews spotlights Xavier de Lima, breeder of top Lusitano horses and a client of Intacol, a KER Team Member in Portugal. Xavier de Lima is recognized throughout Europe as a producer of superior breeding animals that achieve their potential through outstanding nutrition. Careful attention to feed and hay were equally necessary when Kentucky Equine Research took on the role of official feed supplier for horses competing in the 2008 Olympic Games as explained in another feature. A final article congratulates KER-sponsored Australian riders Megan Jones and Georgia Bruce, medal-winning Olympic competitors.

Equinews, Volume 11, Issue 3 offers an outstanding lineup of articles for equine enthusiasts. Included in this issue are explanations for the rising cost of horse feed and guidelines for making wise feed purchases; coverage of the 2008 Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event, an Olympic selection trial; and a story detailing victories of KER-fed steeplechase horses at the Punchestown Festival of Racing. Other features detail KER's intern program, the difference in protein content and energy level in commercial feeds, and the importance of dietary forages in the prevention of gastric ulcers. To read these articles, click HERE.

Equinews, Vol. 11, No. 2 is a special thirty-page issue that recaps the first twenty years of Kentucky Equine Research. Founded in 1988 by Dr. Joe Pagan, KER has used the results of its studies to design better feeds and feeding programs to promote healthy management of equine athletes. This issue of Equinews concentrates on KER's three-pronged contribution to the equine industry: research, consultation, and product development.

In the Research section, summaries of studies are presented as well as information on the various horses, facilities, and staff members that have played key roles over the years.

The Consultation portion of the magazine highlights KER's Team Member companies, foal growth software packages, and affiliations with national and international organizations, competitions, and riders.

Under Products, readers will find information about the various feeds, supplements, and formulations developed by KER to meet the specific needs of performance horses. Special credit is given to Dr. Stephanie Valberg, a University of Minnesota professor who collaborated with KER nutritionists to develop Re-Leve. This feed was designed as an alternative to traditional rations for horses with recurrent exertional rhabdomyolysis or polysaccharide storage myopathy. Valberg was recently honored by the Association of University Technology Mangers for her contributions in the development of this feed.

In Equinews 11, 1 the first article describes the innovative management style at Glenlogan Park, a large Thoroughbred operation in Queensland, Australia. "Principles of Bone Development" explains the complex process of skeletal growth in young horses, with tips for supporting trouble-free maturation. A feature on preventing developmental orthopedic disease points out the importance of proper nutrition for mares, foals, weanlings, and yearlings. In other articles, new KER staff members are introduced, and a story on competitive trail riding takes readers along to share the success of a Quarter Horse in a discipline that is often dominated by Arabian horses. Shorter features list honors gained by horses on KER-formulated feeds as well as the dangers of oversupplementation.