Want to know the products that every equine nutritionist will want you to use to support your horse with nutrition? It is more simple than you think!
A SOFT MEASURING TAPE (~120 INCHES).
A soft measuring tape is a must-have tool! You can use this to take measurements needed to estimate body weight, in addition to other morphological measurements!
Alternatively, a weight tape can be used to estimate body weight, however, each weight tape is slightly different. If using a weight tape to estimate and track your horse's body weight, make sure the same weight tape every time!
To estimate your horse's body weight, read our blog post and download the guide here.
A SCALE (FISH HANGING, LUGGAGE OR KITCHEN).
The EASIEST way to feed more accurately and easily avoid common feeding issues is to feed by weight! I recommend fish hanging scales for their durability (often drop and water-resistant) and flexibility (can weigh up to 50 kg, great for weighing hay in a hay net or grain in a bucket).
Kitchen scales are not practical for weighing hay, but any scale can add serious value to your horse's nutrition. Even better, most scales cost only $15-25, and will last you YEARS! This affordable investment can take your feeding plan to the next level!
A PERMANENT MARKER & NOTEPAD
Once you have weighed your feed, we recommend recording not only the weights of what you are feeding, but also how much of each feedstuff weighs a standardized amount.
For instance, if you use a 3 QT scoop to measure out your feed, and you feed beet pulp and a ration balancer, record how many QT of each feed = 1 pound or 1 kilogram (whatever your unit measure of choice is). This will be very useful in case you ever change the amount that you're feeding, and for comparing with the feeding instructions of fortified feeds, which are usually described in lb or kg.
Once you have converted your volumetric measurements to a standardized weight, record this information too! You can record it on the outside or handle of your feed scoop for easy access, on the feed chart, in your Notes app on your phone, or wherever you keep your other records for your horse.
A NOTEPAD, BINDER OR NOTEBOOK FOR RECORD KEEPING
Keeping track of any changes in your horse's life, diet, body condition and body weight can help you monitor their wellness!
We recommend keeping a journal of your horse's diet (with feeding amounts), what was happening in their life for that time period, what their body condition score was and any relevant notes, as well as their body weight estimation!
This can be super useful to look back on, or to show your vet and nutritionist when they do check-in visits.
There's a lot about nutrition that can be complex and confusing, but we can take some easy steps to add some clarity back in! By adding these simple products to your tool kit, you can have a better idea of your horse's needs, which helps you strategically target them!
Need a hand with your horse's diet? We can help! Explore our intro nutrition services below, or on our service page!
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