Ask the Equine Nutritionist

An equine nutritionist helps horse owners evaluate forage, feed, vitamins, minerals, and supplements in the context of a horse's age, workload, body condition, and individual needs. Horse Guard's nutrition team can help you think through those questions before you choose a feeding approach or product.

What Does an Equine Nutritionist Help With?

An equine nutritionist can help you organize questions about forage, feed, vitamins, minerals, supplements, body condition, workload, and life stage. The right discussion starts with the horse's complete diet and individual situation rather than a one-size-fits-all product list.

Review the complete supplement options only after considering the full ration and your horse's individual needs.

When Should I Ask an Equine Nutritionist About My Horse's Diet?

Consider asking for nutrition guidance when you are reviewing a new hay or feed, changing a horse's workload, evaluating body condition, caring for a senior horse, or deciding whether a supplement fits the rest of the ration. Bring the current feeding details and the question you want to solve.

What Supplements Should I Feed My Horse?

There is no universal supplement list for every horse. A useful decision depends on the horse's forage, current feed, life stage, workload, body condition, and any nutritional gap identified through a complete-ration review. When a health concern is involved, involve your veterinarian or a qualified equine nutrition professional.

Questions About Selenium and Vitamin E

Selenium needs and safety depend on the horse's complete ration, forage, other supplements, and individual circumstances. Do not use a universal amount or self-diagnose a deficiency from a webpage. Discuss case-specific selenium or vitamin E questions with your veterinarian or a qualified equine nutritionist.

Learn more about organic selenium supplements as part of a complete-ration discussion, not as a universal recommendation.

Submit Your Nutrition Question

Have a question about your horse's nutrition? Email horsenutrition@horseguard.com or call 800.553.4246. You can also browse the Horse Guard supplement store while you gather your horse's current feeding details.

Kelsey J. Nonella, Ph.D., P.A.S. Certified Equine Nutritionist Horse Guard Funds Selenium Research  Kelsey J. Nonella, Ph.D. is an equine nutritionist who was riding horses before she could walk. Her love for horses drives her to help educate people on what their horses’ needs in order to have happy, healthy horses. Kelsey went to Cal Poly receiving a Bachelor’s of Science in Animal Science and then onto West Texas A&M, where she got her Masters and eventually her Doctorates in Equine Science. At A&M, Dr. Nonella did extensive research on Selenium within horses. Click here to view her research. Kelsey’s colleagues have mentioned her as one of the United States equine Selenium experts.

Del Johnson M.S. P.A.S Certified Equine Nutritionist &  Founder of Horse Guard, Inc. Equine Nutritionist, Founder of Horse Guard Del created Horse Guard in ’78 after noticing selenium supplementation in cattle and sheep; yet nothing was on the market for horses. Since then, Del and his wife, Lori have put their heart and soul into creating the strong brand we know today, Horse Guard. Raising their two daughters, Ty and Kelsey around horses has kept the girls intrigued in equine nutrition as well, enough so that they are both deeply involved in the business today. Del and Lori are slowly “loosening the reins” on these two and enjoying every minute of it.