Happy Horse Nutrition
by MyHappy.Horse
The Happy Horse Nutrition Podcast with Dr Nerida McGilchrist makes horse nutrition make sense. A PhD equine nutritionist with more than 25 years of experience feeding horses, Nerida shares practical feeding advice, explains the science in plain English, and interviews leading experts in horse health, welfare and nutrition. From gut health and supplements to performance feeding and common mistakes, each episode helps horse owners, breeders and trainers feed with more confidence.
Episodes
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78. Ciaron Maher Racing's historic Melbourne Cup trifecta and the nutrition fuelling the horses
First. Second. Third. Fifth. Sixth. IN THE MELBOURNE CUP! On 3 November 2026, Ciaron Maher Racing made history, becoming the first stable in 166 years to train the Melbourne Cup trifecta, with an extraordinary FIVE of the first SIX horses across the finish line. How on earth do you achieve...
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77. Horse Nutrition, Exercise & Performance: New Research from ICEEP 2026
Can lunging your horse actually be harder work than riding? Does speed strengthen bones or damage them? And could restricting calories make an already good-doing horse even thriftier? Coming to you from Tokyo, Japan, Dr Nerida is joined by equine exercise physiologist Dr Brian Nielsen and...
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76. Horse Nutrition Q&A: Gut Health, Straw, Beet Pulp Colic & Ryegrass Mycotoxins
Orla is back for another Happy Horse Nutrition Q&A, although this one very quickly becomes a reverse Q&A, a Pony Camp debrief and a collection of slightly random, but useful, horse nutrition observations. We talk about a stomach with a pH of 1.2, why water matters more for gastric health than we...
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75. Horse feed labels explained: do you really need to follow recommended feeding rates?
Ever looked at the feeding recommendations on a bag of horse feed or a bucket of supplements and wondered who decides how much you should feed? And do you really need to follow them? In this episode of the Happy Horse Nutrition Podcast, Dr Nerida takes you behind the scenes of horse feed and...
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74. Horse Nutrition, Old Habits & the Science of Change with Dr Katherine Goldberg - Part 2
Knowing better is one thing. Actually changing what we do is something else entirely. In Part 2 of this conversation, Dr Nerida and veterinarian and social worker Dr Katherine Goldberg go deeper into the very human reasons horse management practices can be so hard to change. They use one of the...
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73. Horse Nutrition, Old Habits & the Science of Change with Dr Katherine Goldberg - Part 1
Why is it that we can be told something is better for our horse... and still find it incredibly hard to change what we do? In Part 1 of this two-part conversation, Dr Nerida is joined again by Dr Katherine Goldberg, veterinarian and social worker, to turn the microscope away from the horse for a...
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72. When a Horse’s Gut Health Goes Wrong: Bentley’s Story
Bentley had been a healthy horse for years, until an injury, prolonged antibiotic treatment and a cascade of gut problems changed everything. Persistent colic, abdominal pain, diarrhoea, gastric ulcers and gas eventually led us to look more closely at his hindgut microbiome. In this episode, Dr...
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71. Rethinking Performance Horse Nutrition: Forage, Grain and the Dual Fuel Tanks
When it comes to fuelling performance, muscle glycogen and grain feeding get most of the attention, but that’s only half of the story. In this episode, Dr Nerida breaks down the dual fuel tank theory of performance horse nutrition: the finite store of muscle glycogen used for speed and...
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70. Is Perennial Ryegrass Changing Your Horse’s Behaviour?
Has your horse suddenly become anxious, spooky, reactive or unpredictable... despite being normally calm and sensible? In this episode, Dr Nerida explores how perennial ryegrass mycotoxins can affect horse behaviour, coordination and performance. Learn about lolitrem B and ergovaline, the toxins...
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69. Horse Nutrition Q&A: Starch in Clover, Protein, Gut Health & Fibre Diversity
How high can the starch content of clover really get? Can lupins be too high in protein? And does adding lots of different fibre sources actually help your horse’s hindgut microbiome? In this Q&A episode, Dr Nerida and Orla unpack a mix of practical horse nutrition questions, including clover and...
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68. Gut Health: How Your Horse’s Hindgut Microbes Affect Performance
Did you know the microbes living in your horse’s hindgut may be influencing how well they perform? In this episode, Dr Nerida explores research linking hindgut microbiome diversity, fibre fermentation and performance in horses. We look at studies in Thoroughbreds and trotters showing that higher...
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67. Laminitis & spring grass: How to keep your horse safe
Managing a laminitis-prone horse through spring can feel like a full-time job! Especially when pasture non-structural carbohydrate (NSC) levels can change dramatically with the weather. In this episode, Dr Nerida and Orla talk through the practical realities of managing horses with laminitis and...
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66. Horses, laminitis & hoof health with Dr Luke Wells-Smith
In this episode, Dr Nerida is joined by Dr Luke Wells-Smith, dual qualified equine veterinarian and farrier, for a unique perspective on laminitis. Dr Luke unpacks what’s happening inside the hoof during laminitis, the early warning signs horse owners can watch for, insulin dysregulation, digital...
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65. My favourite 5 weight gain ingredients for horses
What are the best ingredients for helping a horse gain weight safely? In this episode, PhD equine nutritionist Dr Nerida explains why lucerne (alfalfa), full-fat soybean, lupins, sugar beet pulp and copra meal are five of her favourite horse weight-gain ingredients. Discover how each ingredient...
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64. Horse Nutrition Q&A: Insulin Sensitivity, Muscle Building and Misleading Feed Labels
Join Dr Nerida and Orla as they discuss how exercise can improve insulin sensitivity. Plus they talk feeding for muscle development, and how whey protein, soybean and leucine play a role. They also dive into digestive enzymes, why they are being added to more feeds, and how enzymes may help some...
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63. Preventing gastric ulcers in horses: nutrition strategies beyond forage
Preventing squamous gastric ulcers takes more than just feeding enough forage. In this episode, Dr Nerida explains four additional nutrition strategies: feeding a balanced diet, controlling grain and starch intake, supplying high-quality protein, and using lucerne or alfalfa strategically. Plus…
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62. Preventing gastric ulcers: The top 3 things you must do for your horse
Gastric ulcers are incredibly common in horses, but before changing feeds or reaching for an ulcer supplement, there are three far more important foundations to get right. In this episode, Dr Nerida explains why forage is central to preventing equine squamous gastric ulcers and reveals the three...
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61. Horse Nutrition Q&A: Gravel in the Gut, Lucerne Myths and Haynets
Orla is back on the Happy Horse Nutrition Podcast, and this time she and Dr Nerida are answering listener questions, sharing stories from the behind the gastroscope, and chat themselves down a number of rabbit holes. In this (very 😂) relaxed Q&A episode, Nerida and Orla talk about sand, gravel…
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60. Rebuilding a horse’s gut after racing - Allay's story
What really happens inside an off-the-track’s gut when you take away the racing diet and start to rebuild the horse from the hindgut up? In this episode of the Happy Horse Nutrition Podcast, Dr Nerida is joined again by Dr Belinda to talk all about Allay, Nerida’s daughter's beautiful…
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59. Feeding Pregnant Mares & Why Balanced Nutrition Matters From Day One
How much does broodmare nutrition really matter? In this episode, Dr Nerida is joined again by Jess, an equine science student from Charles Sturt University, for a practical Q&A on feeding pregnant (and lactating) broodmares. They unpack the idea of “feeding for two”, and why pregnant mares do…
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58. Feeding horses for weight loss and why “just feed less” is not the answer
Is your horse an “air fern” who seems to gain weight just by looking at grass? In this episode of the Happy Horse Nutrition Podcast, Dr Nerida walks you through how to feed overweight horses and good doers for safe, sustainable weight loss, without leaving them hungry, stressed, nutritionally...
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57. Feeding horses for weight gain and why “just feed more” is not the answer
Is your horse underweight, a classic hard keeper, or one of those horses who seems to need a ridiculous amount of feed just to hold condition? In this episode of the Happy Horse Nutrition Podcast, Dr Nerida takes a practical, gut-first look at feeding horses for safe, effective and sustainable...
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56. Do calming supplements for horses actually work?
Do calming supplements for horses actually work? Or are we sometimes asking them to do a job they were never going to be able to do? In this episode, Dr Nerida takes a practical, science-based look at horse behaviour, diet and calming supplements. Before diving into ingredients like magnesium,...
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55. Horse Nutrition Q&A: Feeding horses with dental issues
What do you feed a horse that can’t chew properly? In this episode, Dr Nerida McGilchrist is joined by Jess, an equine science student from Charles Sturt University, for a practical Q&A on dental issues in horses and how they affect nutrition. Using Jess’s own horse as a real-life example, they...
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54. Rethinking Yearling Horse Sales Prep: Less Grain, Better Gut Health
What happens when a thoroughbred breeding farm reduces grain, increases forage diversity, and prepares yearlings with gut health in mind? In this episode, Dr Nerida is joined by Zac Harris, a thoroughbred breeding farm manager preparing yearlings for sale, to talk about a very different approach…
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53. Feeding Horses in Winter
Winter can be one of the biggest challenges when feeding horses. So in this episode, Dr Nerida talks all things winter feeding. You’ll learn why preparation matters, that forage is your horse’s internal heater and why body condition scoring with your hands is so important during the colder…
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52. Protein Is Not Just Protein: Protein Quality in Horse Nutrition Explained
We talk a lot about protein in horse nutrition, especially for topline, growth, milk production and gut health, but the number on the feed bag is only the starting point. Two feeds can both say 16% protein on the bag, but they may not support your horse’s body in the same way. In this episode of...
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51. Equine joint health: what works and what doesn’t
If you are spending money on joint supplements for your horse, or wondering whether that corticosteroid injection is really helping, this episode is essential listening. Dr. Nerida is joined by Renee Harbowy and Dr. Brian Nielsen from Michigan State University, two of the leading researchers in...
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50. Feeding Weanlings: The Art and Science of Getting Growing Horse Nutrition Right
There is no time in horse nutrition where you need both art AND science more than when you are feeding a weanling. These funny, curious, chaotic little creatures are walking a tightrope every single day... growing fast enough to reach their genetic potential, but not so fast that they end up with...
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49. Replay: Bone health and horses with Dr Brian Nielsen
In this replay episode, we are bringing back Dr Nerida’s chat with Professor Brian Nielsen on bone health in horses, because the ideas in this conversation have huge implications for soundness, durability, performance and long-term welfare. If you have ever been told that long, slow work builds...
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48. Is Canola Oil for Horses as Bad as People Think?
Is canola oil really as bad as people say… or has it simply been one of the most unfairly demonised ingredients in horse nutrition? In this episode of the Happy Horse Nutrition Podcast, Dr Nerida is joined by Orla for a fascinating and surprisingly fun deep dive into the real story behind canola...
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47. Horse Nutrition Q&A: Hair Analysis vs Diet Analysis, Raw Grain Risks, Ulcers & Orphan Foals
Orla is back in the Q&A seat… and she’s come armed 😅 In this episode of the Happy Horse Nutrition Podcast, Orla has curated a stack of listener questions (and kept Dr Nerida completely in the dark), so it’s a fast-paced, practical chat that bounces from industry ethics to real-life feeding...
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46. Horse Depression, Behaviour and Nutrition with Joanna Lepiarczyk
In this episode of the Happy Horse Nutrition Podcast, Dr Nerida is joined by Joanna Lepiarczyk from Horses Explained for a fascinating and deeply important conversation about horse mental health, equine behaviour, and the role that nutrition and feeding systems play in shaping a horse’s emotional...
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45. Feeding Grain Safely to Horses: Cooked vs Uncooked and Why It Matters (a lot!) for Gut Health
Grains are one of those ingredients that get demonised in the horse world… or are fed completely on autopilot. And neither is an ideal situation. In this episode of the Happy Horse Nutrition Podcast, Dr Nerida digs deep into her PhD research and explains why grain itself isn’t bad — it’s more…
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44. Species-appropriate horse keeping & why track systems work with Dr Katherine Goldberg
Track systems (perimeter grazing systems) can look deceptively simple… but when they’re designed well, they deliver things horses are wired for: friends, freedom, and forage… with extra movement built in. In this episode, Dr Nerida is joined by the wonderful Dr Katherine Goldberg (DVM, LCSW), a...
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43. Free Fecal Water in Horses: Causes, Diet Fixes and What to Try First
Free faecal water (also called free fecal liquid) is one of those horse problems that looks “not that bad” on paper… but how 'bad' is it? 🐴💦 In this episode of the Happy Horse Nutrition Podcast, Dr Nerida unpacks potential reasons why FFW is suddenly being talked about everywhere, from first...
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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:...
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41. OTT horse nutrition: the first 12 months off the track
Feeding an Off The Track (OTT) in the first 12 months can be a worry inducing juggle… appetite, behaviour, ulcers and those classic “why won’t you hold weight?” situations. In this episode of the Happy Horse Nutrition Podcast, Dr Nerida shares her practical approach to feeding OTTs in their first...
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40. What is NSC? And is it bad for my horse?
NSC is one of those three-letter acronyms that pops up on feed bags and hay reports… and consistently manages to confuse even the most dedicated horse owners. In this episode of the Happy Horse Nutrition Podcast, Dr Nerida McGilchrist unpacks Non-Structural Carbohydrates (NSC) in a practical,...
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39. Horse not eating? Learn the 4 most common causes of loss of appetite
A horse that won’t eat isn’t being “fussy”… it’s a red flag. In this episode of the Happy Horse Nutrition Podcast, Dr Nerida, PhD equine nutritionist and founder of the MyHappy.Horse app, breaks down the most common nutrition-related reasons horses go off their feed, what they look like in real...
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38. Danger in the Grass: High-Oxalate Pastures, Calcium Deficiency & Bighead Disease in Horses
In this episode of the Happy Horse Nutrition Podcast, Dr Nerida tackles a pasture risk that catches many good horse owners out: high-oxalate warm-season grasses that can block calcium absorption, slowly weaken bone, and set horses up for nutritional secondary hyperparathyroidism (Bighead…
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37. Natural Disaster Horse Nutrition: What to Feed When Everything Changes
Feeding horses during emergencies (bushfires, floods, storms, evacuations) can quickly become a “take what you can get” situation, but the choices you make in your makeshift feed room can determine whether your horse copes… or tips into dehydration, gastric ulcers, hindgut dysbiosis, colic, or…
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36. Horse Nutrition Q&A: Feeding Before Riding, Hydration Myths & Trail Snacks
Should you feed before you ride? After? Or let your horse graze along the trail? 🐴 In this myth-busting Q&A, Dr Nerida and Orla tackle some feeding folklore that just won’t die. Learn why lucerne before exercise protects the stomach from acid splash, why water restriction after work is probably...
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35. Understanding Hay & Pasture Analysis Results for Horses
Forage sits at the very heart of equine nutrition, yet for most horse owners, the numbers on a hay or pasture analysis can feel like a foreign language. In this deep-dive episode of the Happy Horse Nutrition Podcast, Dr Nerida sits down with Anthony Balzer and Kimberly Detmers from Feed Central…
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Replay: Feed your horse like a horse
To kick off Season 2 (2026), we’re re-sharing our most listened-to Season 1 episode of the Happy Horse Nutrition Podcast, and it’s a classic for a reason. In this practical, science-backed episode, PhD equine nutritionist Dr Nerida breaks down what it really means to feed your horse like a horse,...
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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 inside your horse’s hindgut ecosystem. Together, they look at what the microbiome actually is, why...
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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!) ingredients she tries hard to avoid, including a couple she’d happily see disappear from horse...
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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 the primary cause. In this episode, Dr Nerida, PhD shares a practical, vet-friendly framework for…
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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 healthier, happier gut. Learn how high-fibre feeding transforms energy systems, why “the slump”...
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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 walks through exactly how strip grazing works in real life, why it matters and how to tailor it…
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About this show
The Happy Horse Nutrition Podcast with Dr Nerida McGilchrist makes horse nutrition make sense. A PhD equine nutritionist with more than 25 years of experience feeding horses, Nerida shares practical feeding advice, explains the science in plain English, and interviews leading experts in horse health, welfare and nutrition. From gut health and supplements to performance feeding and common mistakes, each episode helps horse owners, breeders and trainers feed with more confidence.
Hosted by
MyHappy.Horse