About Jessica Hughes Expertise I can answer diet and nutrition questions regarding performance, breeding/raising young horses, showing, and pleasure riding needs. I can answer questions regarding riding and training problems or advice. I can answer questions regarding equine behavior problems. I can answer questions regarding show horses, how to groom the english or western horse for the horse show arena. I can answer any general question regarding horses.
Experience My expertise includes owning and running a successful show and boarding facility. I have done much research on the nutritional needs of all different types of horses and how their digestive system works and how to keep that healthy. I have shown and trained horses for cutting, western pleasure, halter, breed show all around, and currently hunter/jumpers on the hunter curcuit. I have also raised babies and bred my own mares for the last 5 years specializing in thoroughbreds, warmbloods, and welsh ponies. I also give lessons to all types of riders. I evented for 3 years.
Organizations I currently belong to Blue Ridge Hunter Jumper Association and American Quarter Horse Association.
Education/Credentials I apprenticed under Mark Poovey an accomplished cutting horse trainer for 4 years where I was assistant trainer and barn manager. I have ridden under and participated in many clinics under such people as George Morris and Daniel Geitner. I have also worked as a vet tech at a local veterinarian. I attended Isothermal Community College where I attained my business degree.
Awards and Honors I was #8 in the nation in 1994 with the American Paint Horse Association at the end of that year in the event of Working Hunter 18 & Under. I was also 4th at the AQHA World Show in 1994 in the event of Hunter Under Saddle Youth Team Tournament. I won many year end awards with the APHA during that year. I also won the Raleigh Cutting Horse Futuritiy in the youth division in 1994. I was leader of a local 4-H group for many years.
Past/Present Clients Hope Bleeker, Freda Jessen, Judy Scott, Sharon Scruggs, Elizabeth White, Jackie Gardinier, Laura Bailey, Kevin Hamby, Jane Juanaco,
Anne Schager, Diane Randolph
Question I was at a party, and I heard a guy say he had a new colt, and the beauty of it was that all he had to do was let it eat grass in his yard. Is this right? I thought horses needed grain on a daily basis to supplement their diet. It seems to me that grass is not enough for a horse, especially a colt.
Answer Hi Kristi, I would not suggest not supplementing a young horses diet with grain under the age of 2. A horse does most of it's growing during it's first year so this is a critical time for good nutrition. A young growing horse will not get everything he needs in order to be a healthy adult from just grass, even on the most lush grass. One should be fed a high protein quality grain during these years. After that then you may get by with only feeding pasture but I don't suggest it until the age of 4. A baby will get everything it needs from it's mother until weaned, assuming the mother has been properly fed and on a proper deworming and vaccination schedule. Babies are weaned between the ages of 4-6 months. While still with it's mother grain should be offered to the baby to teach it to eat grain so that when you go to wean it can rely on the grain for nutrients and not it's mother, therefor the baby should not lose weight during the weaning process as this will be a very stressful time for the baby. So, depending on the age of your friend's horse would depend on whether it needs grain. Also depending on the weight of the colt, an obese colt would not need the same kind of grain as a normal weight colt would. A colt is an unaltered male under the age of 2, many people refer to a male whether it's been gelded or not and no matter the age as a colt. A male that has been gelded or "fixed" is referred to as a gelding.
If you've gotten this answer for a second time, sorry. I sent the other one off of my personal e-mail address accidentally.
