Ask the Nutritionist: Dr. Getty's Forum for Equine Nutrition
Welcome to my forum.
Here you will find more than 6 years of questions and my answers. It is searchable and offers a great deal of information.
Currently, I am discontinuing new questions. This may change in the future, but in the meantime, please know that It has been a true pleasure serving you.
Take a look at my Nutrition Library and Tips of the Month for a variety of answers on selected topics. Be sure to sign up for my monthly e-newsletter, Forage for Thought.
I also have a growing number of recordings on "Teleseminars on Nutrition Topics that Concern You" as well as the new, Spotlight on Equine Nutrition Series -- printed versions of favorite teleseminars.
And finally, look for my articles in a variety of local publications and online newsletters, as well as the Horse Journal, where I am the Contributing Nutrition Editor.
All the best,
Dr. Getty
Hi 10 Walker,
A horse should always have a meal of hay or pasture before exercising. There are two very important reasons for this. First, an empty stomach has acid sloshing around during exercise, increasing the tendency for a horse to develop an ulcer.
Second, pasture and/or hay contains potassium, which is essential for proper muscle function.
If the "breakfast" you are referring to is a high starch meal, always follow up with hay before exercising. An hour after a grain meal is best to wait, but grain leaves the stomach quickly, leaving it empty for acid to do its harm. That's why hay, for "dessert" is best.
All the best,
Dr. Getty 
Where are you from? Bayfield, CO
Hi Kathy,
Grazing before riding is best and I'm glad you're able to do that. If the stomach were empty, the acid would slosh around and bathe the unprotected squamous region (upper portion) of the stomach, leading to an ulcer. An excellent illustration and discussion of this can be found in Chapter 14 -- Digestive Problems on my book, Feed Your Horse Like A Horse.
While on the trail, it is ideal to stop every hour to an hour and a half, to allow your horse to nibble on grass. Fifteen minutes of grazing is a good goal.
I realize that this is not always feasible in many situations, but the closer you can get to the ideal, the better off your horse will be and digestive issues will be less likely to occur.
All the best,
Dr. Getty
There is lots of grass on the trails, how much would be helpful to let them eat during a ride longer than an hour?
Where are you from? Bayfield, CO