Digestion efficiency is not what it once was. This can lead to diarrhea, electrolyte imbalances, and weight loss. It starts in the small intestine where your horse produces fewer digestive enzymes, potentially leading to nutrient deficiencies simply because his tissues can’t receive the nutrients from his meal. Plus, undigested food is free to enter the hindgut where it is either fermented (which can lead to colic or laminitis) or ends up in the manure. Finally, after years of exposure to harmful elements in the feed and environment, the horse may develop a leaky gut, leading to immune issues, metabolic irregularities, and oxidative stress throughout the body.

A host of other discipline-specific clinicians to be featured at Equine Affaire include Candice King and Ali Wolff (hunter/jumper), Mette Rosencrantz and Susan Mandas (dressage), Sandy Collier (reined cow horse), Jesse Westfall (reining), Jane Melby (barrel racing), Muffy Seaton (driving), Sylvia Zerbini and Luke Gingerich (liberty), Dana Hokana (western horsemanship, hunter under saddle), Michael Gascon (easy gaited horses), Gayle Lampe (saddleseat), Tom Seay (trail riding and camping), Kelsey Lauberth (trick riding), Sam Rettinger (draft horses), Asbury University (mounted police horse training), and more. For a full list of clinicians and a complete schedule, visit equineaffaire.com.