Scoop and Scale

15/09/2025

Ep. 58: Poisonous Plants and Horses: How to Spot and Manage Risks

Trees can be beautiful in the Fall but those pretty leaves and seeds may be toxic to your horse. In this episode of Scoop and Scale, we sit down with Dr. Krishona Martinson, Professor and Equine Extension Specialist at the University of Minnesota, to talk about poisonous plants and how to keep horses safe.

You’ll learn:

-Some common trees, shrubs and pasture plants that are poisonous
-Why some plants are more dangerous than others
-Symptoms to watch for if your horse ingests something toxic
-What to do if you suspect poisoning
-How to manage your pastures reduce risks
-What to do if there are toxic weeds in your hay
-Practical steps you can take to prevent exposure in everyday settings

A must-listen for horse owners who want peace of mind heading into fall and all year round.

To learn more about Dr. Krishona Martinson https://ansci.umn.edu/people/krishona-martinson

UMN Equine Extension Program page https://www.facebook.com/UMNExtEquine

UMN Equine Extension website: https://extension.umn.edu/horse/horse-pastures-and-facilities -that-can-be-harmful-in-the-pasture-1241413

UMN Equine Extension YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgKrdVlbGmFtwWDqlI_h87Q

UMN Poisonous Plant Poster https://www.facebook.com/share/p/16G3KaV2jP/

UMN Poisonous Plant Book: https://bookstores.umn.edu/product/book/plants-poisonous-or-harmful-horses-midwest-book-2020-edition

Do you have questions about feeding your horse? Contact us at [email protected]

Thanks for riding along with us!
UMN Equine Extension Program

https://scoopandscale.com/ep-58-poisonous-plants-and-horses-how-to-spot-and-manage-risks/

Sep 15, 2025 | Dr. Clair Thunes, Dr. Krishona Martinson, Forage, Hay, Pasture Management, Podcast, Poisonous Plants, Toxic Plants, University of Minnesota Equine Extension Program

11/09/2025

🌿 Are Poisonous Plants Hiding in Your Horse’s Pasture? 🐴

Next week on Scoop and Scale, we sit down with Dr. Krishona Martinson, Professor and Equine Extension Specialist at the University of Minnesota, to talk about poisonous plants in your pasture, yard and hay.

Learn how to spot risks, protect your pasture, and keep your herd thriving! 🎧
UMN Equine Extension Program

09/09/2025

Senior horses + winter = a little planning goes a long way 🐴❄️

Clarity Equine Nutrition shares steps to take now to get your senior horses ready for winter and we’ve got some awesome podcast episodes to dive deeper. The link are in the post below.

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1EyFueB99N/

Sep 30, 2024 | Dr. Clair Thunes, Equine Nutrition, Forage, Horse Nutrition Basics, Horse Topline, Horse Weight, Podcast, Senior Horse, Supplements

01/09/2025

📢🎙️ New Episode Alert! 🐴💡

Ep. 57: Not All Equine Nutritionists Are Created Equal: How to Find Qualified Advice

What does it really mean to be an equine nutritionist, and how can horse owners tell if the advice they’re getting is coming from an appropriately qualified expert? In this episode, Jill and Dr. Clair Thunes are joined by Dr. Rachel Mottet of Legacy Equine Nutrition to discuss the often confusing world of equine nutrition credentials.

In this episode we discuss:

-Why “Equine Nutritionist” is not a protected title and what that means for horse owners
-The difference between formal degrees (BS, MS, PhD) and non-credentialed programs
-Why some PhDs believe the term “equine nutritionist” should be reserved for doctoral-level professionals
-What to ask before hiring someone to evaluate your horse’s diet
-The role of certified equine nutrition advisors and how they differ from nutritionists
-How to spot red flags when seeking nutrition advice online
-Practical steps to ensure you and your horse gets expert, evidence-based nutritional guidance

If you’ve ever wondered how to separate expertise from opinion in equine nutrition, this episode will give you the tools to make informed decisions for your horse’s health

Do you have questions about feeding your horse? Contact us at [email protected]

Thanks for riding along with us!

Sep 1, 2025 | Dr. Clair Thunes, Dr. Rachel Mottet, Equine Nutrition, Equine Nutrition Advisor, Equine Nutritionist PhD, Equine Nutritionist Qualifications, Podcast

26/08/2025

🎙️ Special Guest Alert!

This Monday, we’re joined by Dr. Rachel Mottet, MS, PhD of Legacy Equine Nutrition to uncover the truth about equine nutrition credentials and finding the right expert for your horse. Don’t miss it!

18/08/2025

🎙️✨ New Episode Alert! ✨🎙️

𝐄𝐩. 𝟓𝟔: 𝐇𝐨𝐫𝐬𝐞 F𝐞𝐞𝐝 𝐓𝐚𝐠𝐬 𝐃𝐞𝐦𝐲𝐬𝐭𝐢f𝐢𝐞𝐝: 𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐨 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐞 F𝐞𝐞𝐝𝐬

Ever found yourself in the feed store (or deep in a late-night Google search) wondering if there’s a better horse feed out there for your equine partner? With so many options and so much marketing jargon, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. In this episode, we take you through how to read and understand horse feed labels, so you can cut through the noise and make confident, informed choices for your horse’s nutrition.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:
– Why a feed’s name can be misleading
– How to find and understand the feed’s purpose statement
– What the guaranteed analysis really tells you
– Why reading an ingredient list beyond the first few items is important
– Why feeding rate and bag weight can drastically change the real cost per day
– Common marketing buzzwords and product names designed to sway your decision (and how to look past them).

By the end of this episode, you’ll have a clear framework to evaluate your horse feed so you can confidently answer the question: Is this the right feed for my horse?

Do you have questions about feeding your horse? Contact us at [email protected]

Thanks for riding along with us!

Ever found yourself in the feed store (or deep in a late-night Google search) wondering if there’s a better horse feed out there for your equine partner? With so many options and so much marketing jargon, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. In this episode, we take you through how to read and underst...

14/08/2025

💡 Horse Owners, This Will Blow Your Mind 🤯

When you’re reading a horse feed tag, have you ever stopped to think about the difference between a million and a billion… and what that actually means for your horse’s nutrition? 🐴

Spoiler: it’s WAY more important than you think and it could change how you choose your feed.

🎙️ Join us this Monday as we break down what those big numbers on feed tags really mean, why they matter for your horse’s health, and how to read them like a pro.

✨ Don’t just buy feed — understand it. Your horse deserves nothing less.

04/08/2025

🚨 𝐍𝐞𝐰 𝐄𝐩𝐢𝐬𝐨𝐝𝐞 𝐃𝐫𝐨𝐩!
If you've ever wondered what to feed your horse when hay isn't an option—this is the episode you need to hear.

In 𝐄𝐩. 𝟓𝟓 𝐨f 𝐒𝐜𝐨𝐨𝐩 & 𝐒𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐞, we're breaking down hay pellets and cubes. They're more than just backup for senior horses. They’re powerful, versatile forage solutions—especially during hay shortages, evacuations, or when dealing with conditions like asthma or free f***l water syndrome.

This episode covers:
– When and why pellets or cubes are essential
– Key differences between hay pellets and hay cubes
– Why pellets may actually be more digestible than hay
– The truth about "processed" forage
– What to do when you have to make a fast switch in your horse’s diet

Whether you're trying to stretch your hay supply or feed a hard keeper more effectively, this one’s packed with practical tips and science-backed insight.

🎧 𝐋𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐧 𝐧𝐨𝐰: 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐨 F𝐞𝐞𝐝 𝐖𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐇𝐚𝐲 𝐈𝐬𝐧’𝐭 𝐚𝐧 𝐎𝐩𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧: 𝐇𝐚𝐲 𝐏𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐭𝐬 & 𝐂𝐮𝐛𝐞𝐬 𝐄𝐱𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐝
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ep-55-what-to-feed-when-hay-isnt-an-option-hay/id1722362615?i=1000720586467

𝐒𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐚 𝐡𝐨𝐫𝐬𝐞 f𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐝 who needs to hear this one—and 𝐝𝐫𝐨𝐩 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐪𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬. We’d love to keep the conversation going.


https://scoopandscale.com/ep-55-what-to-feed-when-hay-isnt-an-option-hay-pellets-cubes-explained/

Aug 4, 2025 | Alfalfa, Asthma, Dr. Clair Thunes, Equine Nutrition, Forage, Free F***l Water Syndrome (FFWS), Hay, Hay Cubes, Hay Pellets, Podcast, Respiratory

29/07/2025

🇨🇦✨ 𝐀 𝐡𝐮𝐠𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐤 𝐲𝐨𝐮, 𝐂𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐚𝐧 𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐬! ✨🇨🇦
Thanks to you, Scoop & Scale is now in the 𝐓𝐨𝐩 𝟓 𝐢𝐧 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐠𝐨𝐫𝐲 𝐨𝐧 𝐀𝐩𝐩𝐥𝐞 𝐏𝐨𝐝𝐜𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐬—and we are blown away!

To everyone who listens, shares, and sends kind words: you truly make a difference. We’re deeply grateful for your support.

We can’t wait to keep bringing you more inspiring content. Thank you for being here with us. 🎙️❤️🐴
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🇨🇦✨ 𝐔𝐧 𝐢𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐬𝐞 𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐜𝐢 𝐚̀ 𝐧𝐨𝐬 𝐚𝐮𝐝𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐮𝐫𝐬 𝐜𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐬 ! ✨🇨🇦
Grâce à vous, Scoop & Scale fait maintenant partie du 𝐓𝐨𝐩 𝟓 𝐝𝐞 𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐫𝐞 𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐞́𝐠𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐞 𝐬𝐮𝐫 𝐀𝐩𝐩𝐥𝐞 𝐏𝐨𝐝𝐜𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐬 — et on n’en revient toujours pas !

À tous ceux qui nous écoutent, partagent et nous envoient de gentils messages : vous faites toute la différence. On vous est profondément reconnaissants pour votre soutien.

On a hâte de continuer à vous offrir du contenu inspirant. Merci d’être avec nous. 🎙️❤️🐴

23/07/2025

☀️ 🌡 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐭 𝐃𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐀𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐝? 𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐞'𝐬 𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐨 𝐇𝐞𝐥𝐩 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐇𝐨𝐫𝐬𝐞 𝐁𝐞𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐭 🐴💧

If you're experiencing the current heat dome affecting parts of the U.S., you're not alone—and neither are your horses. This kind of weather can be tough on them, too. While most horses handle summer heat fairly well, some may be more sensitive and need a little extra support.

➡️ 𝐎𝐥𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐫 𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐠 𝐡𝐨𝐫𝐬𝐞𝐬
➡️ Horses that are 𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐰𝐞𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭
➡️ Horses with health conditions like 𝐏𝐏𝐈𝐃 (Cushing’s disease) or 𝐚𝐧𝐡𝐢𝐝𝐫𝐨𝐬𝐢𝐬 (inability to sweat properly)

These horses may be at a higher risk of heat stress, and being proactive can make a big difference in keeping them comfortable and healthy.

We’ve put together some helpful resources to guide you through managing heat and hydration this season:

🎧 𝐸𝑝. 𝟓𝟏 – 𝑆𝑢𝑚𝑚𝑒𝑟 𝐻𝑒𝑎𝑡 & 𝑌𝑜𝑢𝑟 𝐻𝑜𝑟𝑠𝑒 𝑃𝑎𝑟𝑡 1: 𝑇ℎ𝑒 𝑆𝑐𝑖𝑒𝑛𝑐𝑒 𝐵𝑒ℎ𝑖𝑛𝑑 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑆𝑡𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑠
🔗 https://scoopandscale.com/ep-51-summer-heat-and-your-horse-part-1-the-science-behind-the-stress/

🎧 𝐸𝑝. 𝟓𝟐 – 𝑆𝑢𝑚𝑚𝑒𝑟 𝐻𝑒𝑎𝑡 & 𝑌𝑜𝑢𝑟 𝐻𝑜𝑟𝑠𝑒 𝑃𝑎𝑟𝑡 2: 𝑁𝑢𝑡𝑟𝑖𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑀𝑎𝑛𝑎𝑔𝑒𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑡
🔗 https://scoopandscale.com/ep-52-summer-heat-and-your-horse-part-2-nutrition-and-management/

🎧𝐸𝑝. 𝟐𝟑: 𝐻𝑜𝑡 𝐻𝑜𝑟𝑠𝑒, 𝑁𝑜 𝑆𝑤𝑒𝑎𝑡: 𝑂𝑏𝑣𝑖𝑜𝑢𝑠 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑆𝑢𝑏𝑡𝑙𝑒 𝑆𝑖𝑔𝑛𝑠 𝑜f 𝐴𝑛ℎ𝑖𝑑𝑟𝑜𝑠𝑖𝑠 𝑖𝑛 𝐻𝑜𝑟𝑠𝑒𝑠
🎧 https://scoopandscale.com/ep-23-hot-horse-no-sweat-obvious-and-subtle-signs-of-anhidrosis-in-horses/

🎧 𝐸𝑝. 𝟔 – 𝐸𝑙𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑟𝑜𝑙𝑦𝑡𝑒𝑠, 𝐻𝑦𝑑𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛, 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑊ℎ𝑦 𝑌𝑜𝑢𝑟 𝐻𝑜𝑟𝑠𝑒 𝑃𝑟𝑜𝑏𝑎𝑏𝑙𝑦 𝑁𝑒𝑒𝑑𝑠 𝑀𝑜𝑟𝑒 𝑆𝑎𝑙𝑡
🔗 https://scoopandscale.com/why-horses-need-electrolytes/

If you're caring for a horse during this heat dome or any stretch of extreme summer weather, knowing how to prevent heat stress and support proper hydration and electrolyte balance can make all the difference.

💬 Know someone who might find this useful? F𝐞𝐞𝐥 f𝐫𝐞𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐞—it’s always good to be prepared during these hotter months.

Electrolytes are an important part of horses' diets. Learn how feeding salt encourages horses to drink and stay hydrated all year round.

21/07/2025

𝐍𝐞𝐰 𝐄𝐩𝐢𝐬𝐨𝐝𝐞 𝐓𝐨𝐝𝐚𝐲!

𝐄𝐩. 𝟓𝟒: 𝐔𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐏𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐆𝐫𝐚𝐬𝐬 𝐒𝐮𝐠𝐚𝐫 𝐋𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐬 — 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐋𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐡𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐨f 𝐈𝐭 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐄𝐪𝐮𝐢𝐧𝐞, 𝐏𝐡𝐃

Is short grass really sweeter? Is tall grass actually safer for metabolic horses? Or have we been grazing on myths? In this powerful, research-backed episode, we sit down with Dr. Michelle DeBoer of Equine, PhD, the voice behind the viral post that ignited over 1,500 likes, 400+ comments, and 1,200 shares—and shook up everything we thought we knew about grass height, NSC (non-structural carbohydrates), and sugar intake in horses.

We dive into:
-What current research really says about grass height and NSC levels
-How time of day, weather, and pasture management impact sugar content
-Why warm- vs. cool-season grasses behave differently
-Why maturity doesn’t always mean “safe” when it comes to NSC
-Why forage testing and horse-specific data matter more than social media myths
-How the equine research system works—and why more support is desperately needed

Whether you’re managing a pony with metabolic issues, a performance horse on turnout, or just want to feed smarter with science, this episode will challenge what you know and empower you to make more informed decisions.

Don’t miss the original post that inspired this episode:
Tall Tales About Short Grass – Evaluating the Role of Grass Height & NSC Levels https://www.facebook.com/share/p/16sC8Xeqoo/

Do you have questions about feeding your horse? Contact us at [email protected]

Thanks for riding along with us!

Jul 21, 2025 | Dr. Clair Thunes, Dr. Michelle DeBoer, Equine Nutrition, Equine, PhD, Grass Height, Laminitis, NSC (non-structural carbohydrates), Pasture Management, Podcast, PPID

17/07/2025

🎧 𝐓𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞𝐫 𝐓𝐢𝐦𝐞!
Is short grass really higher in sugar? 🌾😳 Or are we grazing on outdated info?

This Monday, we’re diving in with Equine, PhD—the expert behind that viral post that set horse Facebook on fire 🔥 (1,200+ shares!!).

🎙️ Hit play, tag a friend, and get ready to rethink what’s growing under your horse’s hooves. You do NOT want to miss this one.
📅 Drops Monday.
💬 SHARE if you're ready for the truth about pasture sugar.