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Equine Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis

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Ocean Grove, VIC
Equine Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis

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This is a scientific laboratory tested profile to measure nutritional and toxic metal levels analysed by a minerals analyst Free consults and followup advice

Cost is $350.00 per horse which includes: lab reports, detailed analysis and a diet to suit your horses individual biochemistry and how suitable your soil and water type is for your horse. This is a diagnostic screening test that will find the cause of your horse's health/behavioural problems and how to correct them. Testing is done in a government licensed and accredited laboratory and interpreted by a minerals analyst. Turnaround time is approx 14-18 working days.

04/11/2026

NOT ALL HORSES ARE SUITED TO BAREFOOT.

In the last month or so I have had many calls about horse's hooves deteriorating. Some of those are my customers but most are not. However, before discussing the horse's current diet I was informed that the horse's in question were all barefoot. As the saying goes, "No hoof, no horse"

Rather than this be a debate about barefoot is better than shoeing and vice versa, I say that not all horses can tolerate being barefoot. There are so many variables to consider, the frequency of work, the terrain the horse works on, the environment on which the horse stands upon and so on, how dry are paddocks, how wet are paddocks, does the horse get to move around much or has a small space to live and move in? Horses standing in wet grass and mud will have hoof problems. "The key to healthy barefeet is letting horses roam because movement stimulates growth" (1) All of the above need careful consideration before choosing shoes or barefoot. Essentially, an experienced farrier or trimmer is an absolute must. I have had my own horse's feet and seen many others ruined for months from poor trimming practices.

Diet is EVERYTHING, healthy, strong hooves included. Zinc, copper, calcium, sulphur and selenium need to be at adequate levels to support the integrity of the hoof and to enable growth. The key is KNOWING how much calcium, zinc, copper and selenium is required. Excesses of these minerals is dangerous and deficiencies mean hooves will suffer from cracks, splits, thin walls, damaged frogs, lack of growth, thrush, seedy toe, uneven wear. HTMA takes out the guesswork and uses data to design evidence based diets where specialised feeding plans improve the health, performance and overall quality of life for horses.

Some horses have a predisposition via genetics to having poor hooves - poor confirmation, thin walls. In this case it's often a management and diet solution where front shoes or just back shoes are of help. Boots can also be a benefit.

If your horse has the correct amounts of zinc, copper, calcium and selenium in the diet and not standing in mud or being worked barefoot on hard surfaces, it may be wise to get another opinion from a trade qualified farrier. Or your horse may benefit from shoes.. It's a case of what is going to work best for your horse as NOT ALL HORSES ARE SUITED TO BAREFOOT.

Kerry Marsh BAgrSC
[email protected]

Bibliography: Horses San Shoes. Chrita Leste Laserre. The Horse June 2024
References: American Farriers Journal Mar 2013
Hoof Growth: How to feed your Horse for Best Results. Noelle Ursel. Dr. Brittany Kerley ( Reviewer) Mad Barn July 2026

30/09/2026

WATER AND YOUR HORSE: THE BASICS

When a new customer wants a HTMA test I always ask where does the water for the horse come from and what is the water in. This important information is required so that I can work out if the water and or the container is suitable for horses and if the water contains minerals or toxic metals. With summer fast approaching check your horse's water supply and troughs.

Horses drink approx 20-30 litres water daily, pregnant and lactating mares often more than this. THE WATER NEEDS TO BE PALATABLE AND free from toxins, excesses of minerals and toxic metals. If water is not palatable the horse will drink less which creates a whole range of health issues. IF WATER NOT SUITABLE FOR HUMANS NOT SUITABLE FOR HORSES! If you are told the water is safe for stock - horses are not stock they are monogastric and cannot cope with excesses of minerals and toxic metals.

If the water is ground water - bore spring or well that water will contain minerals. Those mineral levels are never stable as water mineral concentrations fluctuate seasonally. In a drought mineral concentrations are usually higher. In a flood mineral concentrations are often diluted but pollutants and heavy metals are often present. Dam water will often reflect the soil type that is on the property. If soil high in iron so will the dam water be high in iron. River/creek water is exposed to contamination and run off from farms and other acitivities. Town water and rain water have the least amount of minerals and heavy metals.

The water in OLD IRON/METAL BATHS ABSORBS THE MINERALS AND HEAVY METALS THAT THE BATH IS MADE FROM. The metals, minerals and heavy metals leach into the water. This happens due to corrosion of the bath and the enamel coating. So around 1990 manufacturers stopped putting LEAD based enamel, solders etc on baths.

There are also other metals in old metal baths such as nickel, iron, copper, zinc and brass. These metals some of which are minerals will also leach into the water.

When I get the HTMA results back and there are odd results or an anomaly in the results, I need to dig further to determine the cause otherwise the problem will continue. Looking at the water source often supplies the answers - more so with bore water and river water which are unreliable in terms of minerals. Old metal baths are also a problem when there is a level of lead, nickel or excess zinc that cannot be explained. It is safer to use a concrete trough or a food grade plastic tub specifically made for water storage. Fibreglass troughs needs to have a safe resin.

Seriously, consider your horse's water source as not that many horse owners do. If not using rainwater or town water you really need to know what is in your horse's water supply. Look at the trough. If using an old metal bath time to get rid of it. Taste the water yourself if it's metallic or salty chances are your horse is not drinking enough. Test it if need be. Plenty of labs can do that. HTMA can also determine how safe the water is for your horse as it has to be considered in specialsed feeding plans based on nutritional testing.

Kerry Marsh BAgrSC Htma.com.au
References: Tushar Kanti Das, Albert Poater. Review on the Use of Heavy Metal Deposits from Water Treatment Waste Towards Catalytic Chemical Syntheses. International Journal of Molecualr Sciences Dec 2021
Lars Friberg et al. Handbook On The Toxicology of Metals Vol 2 1986

23/09/2026

DIETARY MANAGEMENT IN HORSES IS SERIOUSLY LACKING

You are what you eat applies to horses - more so as they rely on us to provide a balanced nutritious feed. If that feed you provide is lacking in nutrients (minerals) your horse will not enjoy good health nor will it be able to perform at its best.

How can a horse's gut function normally when the main part of the diet is a highly processed kibble, pellet or flakes of waste from the cereal and vegetable industries that are then fortified with minerals to make it resemble something nutritious with many FRAUDULENT CLAIMS of improved health benefits with NO INDEPENDENT ANALYSIS OF WHAT IS IN THAT PRODUCT?

How can a one size all approach SUIT ALL HORSES? That is what the majority of horse owners do and think. They buy the same feed that someone in another State feeds their horse even though the soil and water for their horse is different, the horse is different. IT IS IMPOSSIBLE that all horses have the same dietary requirements yet many horse owners are gullible, desperate or ignorant and swallow the clever, targeted advertising that shames and persuades horse owners into buying expensive products that do not and cannot meet the nutritional requirements of their horses.

Unhealthy, highly processed diets lacking in basic minerals means that your horse WILL HAVE HEALTH ISSUES. They will range from dry mane and tail hair to the very serious loss of bone denisty, gut dysfunction, kidney and liver stress, EMS and everything in between but worse A SHORTER WORKING LIFE.

EVERY SINGLE HORSE needs it's own dietary program based on age, breed, s*x, height, weight, workload, soil and water type as EVERY HORSE IS UNIQUE - just like humans! This study has been my mantra for decades, a study for what I have been advocating for for horses. " The study presents the necessity of specialised feeding plans based on a horse's age, workload and physiological state..... The findings show that planned nutritional interventions not only enhance physical performance but also promote mental health, decrease stress and promote recovery"

HTMA horses, are healthier, happier and have longer working lives because they have specialised feeding plans based on nutritional testing that provides measurable data to target dietary management that ultimately leads to observable changes in working and performance horses.
Kerry Marsh AgrSc
[email protected]

Bibliography: Dr. Awais Shafiuque, Dr. Muawuz Ljaz, Dr. Tayyab Ali. Exploring the Impact of Nutrition on Equine Performance, Health and Well Being. Pferdehilkunde- Equine Medicine (2025)

02/09/2026

OXALATE GRASSES ARE AN ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ON YOUR HORSE'S HEALTH.

Australia is well known for having paddocks dominated by oxalate grasses also known as tropical grasses but they also grow far south of the tropics. Oxalates are a HAZARD for your horse's bone health.

Buffel, Setaria, Paragrass, Kikuyu, Signal grass and Pangola are all oxalate grasses common in many horse paddocks across the country. If not managed they invade other grass species and before you know it you have a paddock full of unsuitable, unhealthy grazing for your horse that will COMPROMISE your horse's bone density.

The horse consists of MUCH bone so when there is not enough calcium in blood, blood robs it from bone to keep organs functioning. This is a disaster for the horse as bones are weakened and deformed. The most common side effect of grazing oxalates is BIG HEAD DISEASE which is caused by lack of calcium, poor calcium absorption and blocked calcium absorption. The horse's calcium to phosphorous ratio becomes dangerously low (Ca/P). The oxalates in the grasses bind to calcium during digestion which ultimately blocks the uptake of calcium to put it simply.

I can tell you that adding a high percentage calcium supplement and feeding lucerne hay but horse still predominately grazing oxalate paddock WILL NOT IMPROVE YOUR HORSE'S CALCIUM LEVEL ENOUGH. I have decades of data on retesting horses with big head disease and if they remain on oxalate grasses their calcium level only inceases slightly, their symptoms only improve slightly and the Ca/P ratio level also only increases slightly.

What to do? You need to rip it out unless you can section off the oxalate section and have other areas free of oxalates that horse can graze on. Then provide a high percentage calcium supplement that may need to be fed two or 3 times per daily in feed. Once removed from oxalate grazing and adding a high percentage calcium horses do recover although much more slowly in the older horse. SERIOUSLY..... it is the only solution that provides measurable outcomes for your horse's bone health. Every other solution is just tinkering around the edges.

Low Calcium and a low Ca/P ratio are synonymous. Symptoms may include: bighead disease, bone abnormalities, unexplained swellings and lameness, spurs, brittle bones, fractures developmental orthopaedic diseases, very serious condition in young horses and pregnant mares, dental problems, hoof issues, muscle stiffness reduced performance.

Your horse often does not get a choice on what he or she can graze on so to keep your horse working longer and in a state of good health do not forget that some grasses are just not suitable or safe for your horse.

Kerry Marsh BAgrSc
[email protected]

28/08/2026

SEMINAR REMINDER

On the 16th September I will be presenting a seminar which discusses: You are what you eat applies to horses too! This seminar will explain how unhealthy diets and environments harm performance and health. You will learn how to provide your horse with nutritional feeds as inexpensively as possible. Venue: Vic Hotel High St Woodend 6.30-8.30 plus Q & A

Bookings online see flyer scan code FEE OF $25 IS DONATED TO PROJECT HOPE HORSE RESCUE

07/08/2026

JOIN ME and SUPPORT PROJECT HOPE HORSE RESCUE.

Want to learn how nutrition directly impacts your horse's health and performance? Join us for an educational seminar that will discuss the importance of specialised feeding plans tailored to your horse and it's environment

PLEASE SHARE to your fellow equestrians to raise as much as possible for a very worthwhile cause. Would be honored to have my Central Vic and Macedon Ranges clients attend!
BOOK ONLINE SEE FLYER BELOW.

09/07/2026

SOME FACTS ABOUT ADDING LUPINS TO THE HORSE DIET.
I recommend whole lupins for the protein, fibre and oil content plus they are cost effective.

Due to a recent post about lupins being GMO on the socials, my phone went off over 30 times last night due to concern about feeding them to horses and the risk of gastic ulceration. Below is some FACTUAL information about lupins in the horse diet

Dr. John Gladstone, the founder of the Australian Narrow Leaf Sweet Lupin from WA University bred the sweet lupins that we feed our horses today in the 1960s. He used non GMO plant breeding methods. IN FACT GMO engineered plants did not start in Australia until 1996 and the first plant that was GMO was cotton, not lupins.

LUPINS ARE NOT GMO. TODAYS LUPINS ARE A RESULT OF CROP BREEDING. Crop Breeding is two or more varieties of seeds are crossed to produce a new variety which can produce either higher yields, drought resistance and disease resistance and or safer for animal feeds. GM IS VERY DIFFERENT. THE DNA OF THE PLANT IS GENTICALLY MODIFIED AND ALTERED. GM CROPS in Australia at this stage are only Canola, Cotton and Safflower ( Office of Gene Technology Regulator)

In Australia we have bitter lupins which are not safe for horses and are are not availbale for sale as horse feeds.
Sweet lupins which have been bred by Dr John Gladstone to remove the bitter alkaloids are an excellent protein and fibre source for horses.

Sweet lupins contain a range of nutritious properties are safe FOR FEEDING TO ULCER PRONE HORSES FOR THE BELOW REASONS AND ARE NOT KNOWN TO CAUSE GASTRIC ULCERATION. They contain around 34%DM protein, VERY LITTLE starch, moderate fat, no sugar and an excellent source of fibre. Dr. Ben Sykes, authority
on EGUS recommends they can be fed to the ulcer prone horse.

Whole lupins needs to be soaked. The outer hull needs to be softened or feed cracked lupins which do not require soaking. Lupins hulls and processed lupins have a lower nutritonal profile than a whole or cracked lupin.

Please share post

Kerry Marsh BAgrSc. BEdSc. DipOrgFarm
[email protected]

References: KER Horse Feed Ingredients: Lupins Aug 2015, Mad Barn Lupin Profile, Office of Gene Technology Regulator, Aussie lupins.org.au
Dr. Ben Sykes respected Authority on EGUS

02/07/2026

NO MORE EQUITANA!

This is a bit of a shock but not unexpected. Too costly to now put the event on and too costly for businesses to to attend. Which it is as I have done it a few times and been an educator a few times.

With Horse Deals winding up their everything horses magazine, it is a worry that information, sales and education about horsey stuff will mostly be online except for clinics of course.
A sign of the digital age we now live in sadly

02/07/2026

CALLING OUT THREATENING AND MENACING COMMENTS.

Re: the Post on Capew**d
I cannot and fail to understand why some people get on my page and then choose to resort to threatening, insulting and abusive behaviour. If you are proved to be incorrect there is no tolerance for bullying, intimidating and menacing comments.
WORSE is the MALES that have resorted to all of the above. Shame on you for bullying me and other females.
I have blocked the offenders AND WILL NEED TO CHANGE THIS PAGE TO MEMBERS ONLY.

A BIG THANK YOU to all who appreciated the post on the problems with capew**d, the intelligent discussions/debates and those who provided helpful and learned experience to help others understand how difficult it is to get rid of this invasive w**d.

22/06/2026

Due to concerns raised following our recent Shepparton Auction regarding Killy Cat and horse welfare, we would like to provide some clarification.

Killy Cat was originally entered into our ridden section. However, prior to the sale, the vendor no longer felt comfortable riding the horse, so the decision was made to offer the horse in the pens instead. Killy Cat was subsequently sold for $100.

MJW Livestock & Equine Auctions has a strict policy that no trade buyers are permitted to purchase horses at our sales. Our aim has always been to provide a fair marketplace while prioritising the welfare of the horses offered through our auctions.

Following these recent events, MJW Livestock & Equine Auctions has made the decision that we will no longer accept Thoroughbreds at our sales, either in the ridden section or in the pens.

This decision has not been made lightly. It has been made in the best interests of horse welfare, our vendors, our buyers, and the ongoing operation and integrity of our auctions.

We appreciate the support and understanding of our community and look forward to welcoming you to our future auctions at Lardner Park and Shepparton Sale Yards.

Address

Ocean Grove, VIC

Opening Hours

Monday	9am - 5pm
Tuesday	9am - 5pm
Thursday	9am - 5pm
Friday	9am - 5pm

Telephone

+61402772124

Website

http://www.htma.com.au/

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