Several state boards of Veterinary Medicine have granted Continuing Education credits for lectures by Kathryn Watts on carbohydrates in equine diets and their impact on health. Getting accreditation in your state is probably only a matter of paperwork.
If you are interested in sponsoring a Safergrass clinic with Kathryn Watts, please visit the clinic page for more information.
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How I learned that a horse is not a cow, and a pony is not a racehorse.
Basic review of related plant physiology
Reasons why hay can be up to 1/3 dry weight sugar
Plant breeder and natural selection for high NSC
Affects of drought stress, cold stress, fertilizer shortage and stage of growth Better hay choices for equines intolerant of high sugars What wild horses eat.
Why high fiber hay is sometimes high in sugar as well.
Pasture management to minimize NSC concentration
Weeds may be worse than grass.
Why you need to learn basics of rotational grazing.
When to mow or graze to maximize production AND minimize carbs Testing grass and hay for non-structural carbs
Nomenclature nightmare- BEWARE Sampling procedures to get believable numbers.
Cushing’s and IR: Symptoms, diagnosis, testing options
Holistic treatment options: diet, drugs, supplements, exercise, hoofcare
Diet: low sugar options for concentrates, need to focus on low sugar hay Why straw may be higher in sugar than hay Unlikely sources of excess NSC in equine diets
Soaking hay to remove excess soluble carbs
Basic review of related soil science, pH, climate affects
How minerals interact on molecular level to exacerbate deficiency/excess
Why forage minerals vary so widely across USA
Why correcting soil pH is the most important thing for your pasture.
Focus on individual minerals that can create health problems
Affects of each on equine health,
Impaired glucose metabolism Impaired immune function Developmental Orthopedic Disease Hoof/skin/hair affects
Why commercial mineral supplements may not meet your needs Need for custom regional mineral blends- Cooperative effort?
We got problems: we all share the blame.
Epistemology of horse owners: where do we learn these myths?
What can YOU do to raise awareness, cause a ruckus, help a horse, get what we need to feed. Make your needs known. List of folks to nag.
The first two talks are more detailed, updated versions of the Safergrass CD’s Forage and Pasture Management for Laminitic Horses, and Dietary Management of the Carbohydrate Intolerant Horse. People say that having seen these CD’s first gives them a better opportunity to retain more detail from the lecture versions, and lessens the risk of head explosion.