Forefront Performance Horses

10/11/2026

We have to extend a congratulations to our homebred, That’s My Jam and Sophia Pratt, on your Top 10 win at the All American Quarter Horse Congress. Opie is by our stallion, The Big Promise; and out of our mare Blue Skys N Jazz. Love seeing Toby’s foals out there STILL doing so well!
Congratulations!!

09/14/2026

When it’s 70 and sunny, the barn is a ghost town…as it should be. Horses are out enjoying this gorgeous day!

07/20/2026

We’ve got 2 full board spots available!!
Exceptional management, beautiful private facilities, owner operated, 24 hour surveillance.
Message today!!

06/18/2026

Here at Forefront, we want to support all equestrians! Boarders are the lifeblood of great equine facilities. Whether you’re boarding with us, or looking into any boarding facility…this is a great basic check list to make sure your experience is happy and your horse is safe.
Good communication is paramount!
Happy horsing!!

06/10/2026

Happy 19th Birthday, Zibby!!

05/30/2026

05/10/2026

Happy Mother’s Day to alll of my barn mamas!!

04/30/2026

It’s that time!!! Another great chat about equine health 🙌🏻
This time, let’s demystify Deworming 🪄🪱

FIRST ➡️ you have literally no idea what kind of parasite load you’re dealing with until you perform an Equine F***l Egg Count.

Yeah, you can guess, but before you reach for a tube at the local TSC, you need data.

A f***l egg count (FEC) tells you:
• If your horse even needs deworming
• What level of parasite shedding they have (low, moderate, high)
• How effective your current program is

👉 Most adult horses are low shedders and do NOT need frequent deworming. Imagine that!

💊 Here are the most common types of dewormers and what they target 🎯

Here’s the simple breakdown (this is where most people get lost):

🔹 Ivermectin
• Broad-spectrum parasite control
• Targets strongyles, bots
• Common + effective, but resistance is growing

🔹 Moxidectin (Quest)
• Similar to ivermectin, but stronger
• Targets encysted small strongyles
• Use carefully (not for young/underweight horses)

🔹 Fenbendazole (Panacur)
• Used for specific cases (like larval stages)
• Resistance is VERY common in strongyles

🔹 Pyrantel (Strongid)
• Targets roundworms and some strongyles
• Also used in daily deworming programs

🔹 Praziquantel (included in Ivermectin Gold / Quest Plus)
• Specifically for tapeworms
• Usually combined with ivermectin or moxidectin

🔁 Rotational deworming…is it bible?

🚫 Old mindset: Rotate dewormers every 6–8 weeks
✅ Modern approach: Deworm based on need + effectiveness

Here’s what actually matters:
• Treat high shedders more frequently
• Treat low shedders minimally (sometimes 1–2x/year)
• Use FEC reduction tests to confirm your dewormer works
• Time treatments seasonally (not blindly rotating)

📅 Strategic Timing Matters

Instead of rotating randomly, think seasonally + biologically:

• Spring: Target strongyles (based on FEC)
• Late Fall/Winter: Treat bots + tapeworms (ivermectin + praziquantel)
• Encysted larvae (if needed): Moxidectin (strategic use only)

👉 Over-deworming = resistance
👉 Under-deworming = parasite burden

Balance is everything.

👀 What to Watch For

Even with a plan, always stay observant:
• Weight loss or poor condition
• Dull coat
• Loose manure
• Pot belly (especially in young horses)
• Tail rubbing (possible pinworms)

These don’t always mean parasites—but they’re clues.

🧠 The Takeaway

Deworming isn’t a schedule, it’s a strategy.
Test → Target → Verify → Adjust

Work with your veterinarian to build a program tailored to your horses, your land, and your management.

04/07/2026

Time for a tough chat…Fixed Formula vs. Least Cost Formulas…YOU SHOULD KNOW!
“Fixed Formula” Horse Feed
🧐What does that REALLY mean?🧐

“I’ve fed this for years—it’s always been the same.”
👉 Maybe… maybe not 👀

🧾 What is a “fixed formula” feed?

A fixed formula means:
👉 The ingredients and ratios stay consistent from batch to batch. What you see is what you get. Consistency, dependability, and steady trust.

So:
✔️ Same ingredients
✔️ Same nutrient profile
✔️ Same NSC (generally)

🔄 What is a “least-cost” formula?

‼️ MOST ‼️ commercial feeds are actually:

👉 Least-cost formulated

That means:
• The company can swap ingredients
• Based on price + availability

So one batch might use:
• More corn
• Less beet pulp
• Different byproducts

👉 Even though the BAG looks identical, that little white sewn on paper tag CHANGES ALL THE TIME!

⚠️ Why this matters (especially for your horses)

For some horses, consistency is everything:

• Easy keepers
• Equine Metabolic Syndrome
• Cushing’s Disease (PPID)
• Ulcer-prone horses
• Horses sensitive to diet changes

👉 Ingredient swings =
⚠️ Digestive upset
⚠️ Behavior changes
⚠️ Metabolic flare-ups

🧠 Here’s the part most people don’t know:

👉 sometimes the tag gives it away, but sometimes you have to research to discover fixed or least-cost formulas.

You have to:
✔️ Ask the company
✔️ Or dig into how they formulate

🥕 Feeds that are typically MORE consistent

(Not always “perfect”—but more controlled)

✔️ Ration balancers
✔️ Higher-end, research-backed brands
✔️ Feeds that openly state “fixed formula”

👉 These are designed to be predictable

⚠️ Feeds more likely to vary

• Textured/sweet feeds
• Lower-cost feeds
• Feeds heavy in grain byproducts

👉 These are more often least-cost formulated

Why this matters MORE than you think:

“I only go through a couple bags a month… it shouldn’t matter, right?”

👉 This is exactly where it matters MOST.

⚠️ Here’s what’s actually happening:

If you’re feeding a least-cost formula and buying:
➡️ 1–2 bags at a time
➡️ Every couple weeks

You could be feeding:
❗ A slightly different formula
❗ Every single time you restock

🔄 That means your horse is constantly adjusting to:

• Different starch levels
• Different sugar content
• Different ingredients
• Different digestibility

👉 Even though YOU didn’t change anything

🧠 Why that’s a problem

Horses thrive on consistency.

When the feed keeps changing:
• Gut bacteria get disrupted
• Digestion becomes less efficient
You can see subtle (or not-so-subtle) changes in
• manure
• behavior
• body condition

🚨 For some horses, this is a BIG deal:

• Easy keepers
• Equine Metabolic Syndrome
• Cushing’s Disease (PPID)
• Ulcer-prone horses

👉 Even small changes can:
⚠️ Trigger laminitis
⚠️ Cause flare-ups
⚠️ Lead to inconsistency in weight/energy

💡 Real-life example:

You finally have your horse:
✔️ Looking great
✔️ Feeling great
✔️ Diet dialed in

Then suddenly:
• Off their feed
• Loose manure
• Colic

👉 You didn’t change the feed…
…but the feed changed

🧠 The kicker:

👉 You’re essentially doing a mini feed transition every time you open a new bag

…and you don’t even know it.

🎯 Simple takeaway:

“If the formula changes… your horse’s diet is changing.”

💡 Real talk:

👉 Same bag ≠ same feed
👉 Consistency matters more than brand loyalty

04/06/2026

How to ACTUALLY Read a Horse Feed Tag…
Step by step, like a pro!

“It says ‘complete feed’ and ‘low starch’… so it’s good… right?” 🤔

Not so fast.

Feed promotion is designed to sell feed.
PERIOD T.
I get it, it’s pretty, it’s mass produced, it’s fed by your favorite trainer…none of that matters or is necessarily helpful.

Let me show you how to understand any feed tag like a pro 👇

🧾 Step 1: Ignore the front of the bag

Pretty words and that sparkling majestic horse on the bag don’t feed your horse.

❌ “Low starch”
❌ “Performance”
❌ “Healthy coat”
❌ “Colic prevention”

👉 These are marketing terms, not nutrition facts.

🔍 Step 2: Find the Guaranteed Analysis

This is where the real information lives.
Insider tip ‼️ the guaranteed analysis is generally printed on a little white paper tag, sewn into the bottom of the bag….BUT….some bags actually have it printed on their bag. What!? Well, generally the bags that have stand alone printed tags are not “fixed formula” feeds, and your actual printed bags tend to lean more on the “fixed formula” side of things. This matters…and trust me, we will get there.
But for now, check your bag and start reading!

You’ll see things like:
• Crude Protein
• Crude Fat
• Crude Fiber

👉 Helpful, yes, basic, yes. We want to see good protein to fat to fiber in quality complete horse feeds, but those three things are definitely not the whole story.

⚠️ Step 3: Look for what’s NOT listed

Here’s the big one…

👉 NSC (sugar + starch) is often NOT on the tag. A feed’s NSC is huge for determining WHAT you’re actually feeding.

So how do you find it? It can be a witch hunt, trust me.

✔️ Check the company website
✔️ Call or email the manufacturer, and ask to speak to their nutritionist
✔️ Look for “ESC + Starch” values

🧠 Step 4: Understand the ingredients list

Ingredients are LISTED BY WEIGHT utilized (highest → lowest)

🚨 First 3 ingredients tell you A LOT

What I like to see:

✔️ Beet pulp
✔️ Alfalfa meal
✔️ Soy hulls
👉 Fiber-based, slower energy

What raises a flag:

❌ Corn
❌ Oats
❌ Molasses
❌Grain byproducts
❌Wheat middlings
❌Corn Distillers grain
👉 Higher sugar/starch content

📊 Step 5: Watch the fiber vs. starch balance

General rule:

👉 Higher fiber = safer, slower energy
👉 Higher starch = faster energy (and more risk for some horses)

🥕 Step 6: Ask—what is this feed FOR?

Not every feed is bad… but it might be wrong for YOUR horse.

Examples:
• Performance feed → not for easy keepers
• Senior feed → not always low sugar
• “Ration balancer” → designed for small amounts only

🚨 Biggest mistake I see:

People choosing feed based on:
❌ Brand name - marketing and influencer fads…feed companies are businesses…they have to make money
❌ What the barn/trainer feeds 😵‍💫
❌ What “looks good”
❌ What’s the most affordable 😖
❌ What so and so’s horse stays “fat” on 😑

Instead of:
✔️ What their horse actually needs.
👋🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 EVERY HORSE IS AN INDIVIDUAL!👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

💡 Real talk:

You can feed a “high-end” bag…
…and still be feeding too much sugar.
…and your horse’s top line looks like crap
…and their coat and hooves are junk
…and and and.

🧠 Simple takeaway:

👉 Don’t read the FRONT of the bag
👉 Read what’s inside it

🤍 Need help?

Send me your feed tag. I’m happy to chat, break it down, and discover all the things to help you know what you’re feeding.