Latest Author Features

LET’S DO SOME MATH PART 2

What does % mean when it pertains to equine nutrition. It means that you need to know a little bit about math. We can get into part per million and grams, but that will be another day. Let’s focus on percentages today. Throughout the years of feeding horses, feed companies have trained consumers, not with purpose, to buy a specific type of feed based solely on protein percentage, 10%, 12%, 14%, and 16% since the choices were rather limited. These percentages do not tell you the quality of the proteins, nor does it tell the amino acid breakdown. That being said, many higher quality 10% protein feeds can outperform lower

Two, Three, or Four | Part 2

While visiting with many horse owners either by telephone or in person, I don’t look only at nutrition but also at nutrition management. Sometimes nutrition management can be the most important part of your program. There are many considerations that have to be taken into account, such as type of feed, work intensity, breed, discipline, stalled or not stalled, pasture or dry lot, and hay type, just name a few. Your personal schedule is also extremely important if you work outside of your home. As we all know, a horse’s digestive system is at its peak efficiency when consuming smaller meals. The small intestine, which averages 70’ in length, is

Here Comes The Sun

March is here and we are gearing up for a great year. I am so tired of hearing about 2020 being bad. A lot of great things happened to a lot of great people. If you are one of the folks who got bogged down, I feel terribly bad for you. I bet you can think of a number of things that were really good about 2020. Hearing all the negativity almost forced us to focus on the bad. I don’t focus on the bad. Why bother? It doesn’t do a darn bit of good — just digs your own hole deeper. I have always found March to be an

Thank God for Horses, Friends, and a Full Moon

It was July 1995. I was 31 years old and single. Had a horse, a truck, a trailer, and a rope. I was boarding at a family-owned ten stall barn in New Hampshire that had the best boarders, who actually all got along perfectly. There was an even split of English and Western disciplines. We had dinners together, enjoyed long trail rides together, swam our horses together, and spent many holidays together. Everybody was married but me, and none of the horse owners’ spouses had any interest in horses. Sound familiar? My friend Deb, who owned this beautiful Dutch Warmblood named Dab Hand, was going to move him to a

Horsemanship vs. Humanship | Part II

I am sitting here listening to my horses chewing their hay, enjoying the nice cool morning with a cup of strong and bold black coffee from Schaefer Outfitters. I have so much to share with you folks, but trying to compartmentalize in a logical manner. Let’s chat about positive thinking and visualization today. In addition to being a horseman, judge, trainer, and instructor, I’m also an accomplished hockey and baseball player. I didn’t get there from skill alone though. I learned by watching, listening, and studying those much better than myself. Wayne Gretzky, deemed the best hockey player in the NHL, said that he was not the best, but attributed

Taking the 1900 Mile Leap

It was October of 2018, and my wife Lisa and I were on our way back to New Hampshire from Pendleton, South Carolina, with our horses. We had just spent 4 days working cattle and roping with the legendary Buster McLaury. Heading back to New Hampshire’s cold blustery winter, which has temperature changes from 40° down to -20°. Not much to look forward to in the horse world unless you like frozen buckets, machinery breaking down, sanding icy walkways, and snowstorms that dump three feet of snow at a time. While on Route 78 in Allentown, Pennsylvania, I turned to my wife and asked whether she thought Buster would take

Horsemanship vs. Humanship

We are going to take a break this month from equine nutrition and focus on something that requires you to look at yourself in the mirror. Of course I have to add something equine. 2020 has definitely been a year to remember, or not to remember. Politics, religion, job losses, COVID-19, masking up everywhere, and losing freedoms that we are all so used to enjoying. How would you really know whether the person you happen to meet lost a loved one recently, is going through a divorce, just had an argument with his or her spouse, lost a job, etc.? The other person may be a bit short with you.

Balance is Key

When riding horses, balance is key. If a rider doesn’t have balance, it affects feel, stability, and control while in the saddle. An imbalance of the bit, reins, and weight in the saddle can all have an impact on how a horse moves and reacts, even if not noticeable to the eye. The same can be said for equine nutrition. An imbalance in feed, supplements, hay, or water can start to cause internal changes that affect ability to perform as well as overall equine health. Balance is key to a successful nutritional program for your horse. Balanced nutrition for horses seems relatively simple, and it should be, as feed companies

To Tell the Truth

When I decide which subject I will write about, the decision is made usually after talking to a client. At that point, I sit down and talk to my computer as if you were sitting across from me. Welcome to my office. Horse owners have been led to believe that there is a magical feed or supplement out there that can work wonders on its own. There are some that can perform solely due to the “quality” of the ingredients. As I have always said, we can eat mac and cheese three times a day and still get through the day, but we will tire more quickly, our skin and

Two, Three, or Four

While visiting with many horse owners either by telephone or in person, I don’t look only at nutrition, but also at nutrition management. Sometimes, nutrition management can be the most important part of your program. There are many considerations that have to be taken into account, including type of feed, work intensity, breed, discipline, stalled or not stalled, pasture or dry lot, and hay type, to name just a few. Your personal schedule is also extremely important if you work outside of your home. As we all know, a horse’s digestive system is at its peak efficiency when consuming smaller meals. The small intestine, which averages seventy feet in length,

John Toli

Latest Author Features