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Celebrating Science

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Celebrating Science

Watch our seminars

Celebrating Science

Watch our seminars

Celebrating Science

Watch our seminars

Kentucky Equine Research

Saracen Horse Feeds and Kentucky Equine Research have worked closely together for over 20 years to combine the very latest nutritional research and development to ensure every feed formulation meets the requirement of the modern equine athlete at all stages of life, development, and activity. Kentucky Equine Research has one of the most prolific private equine research programmes in the world, doing their own research and collaborating with leading universities.

Research horses

Kentucky Equine Research was founded in 1988 when Dr. Joe D. Pagan, Ph.D., realised that the information generated from equine research was not reaching those who needed it most – feed manufacturers and horse owners. Since the company began, Kentucky Equine Research has made filling that void a priority by delivering timely information, proven products and practical technical advice. In 2005, Dr. Pagan received the American Feed Industry Association (AFIA) Award in Equine Nutrition Research. This award recognises excellence in equine nutrition research and the contributions of an individual to equine feeding management practices and the equine feed industry.

From its headquarters in Central Kentucky, Kentucky Equine Research conducts extensive research, and each research trial is designed to improve the health and wellbeing of horses by targeting specific problems, and finding nutritional solutions. Kentucky Equine Research maintains a herd of approximately 40 horses between its 150-acre research farm in Central Kentucky and their facilities in Ocala, Florida. These trained and experienced research animals are their most valuable employees, and are cared for by a large staff as they get involved in exercise studies and digestibility and palatability trials.

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Saracen is the exclusive Kentucky Equine Research Brand Partner in the UK, joining an international network of horse feed manufacturers devoted to the advancement of equine nutrition. Kentucky Equine Research provides these manufacturers with a comprehensive consultation programme tailored to fit the manufacturer’s individual needs, and the scientific knowledge, technology and credibility necessary for them to produce competitive, cutting-edge feeds. Their nutritionists work with feed companies on six continents to formulate top-quality feeds that complement typical local forages. These feeds contain custom blends of KER micronutrient premixes to ensure that, when fed with appropriate forage and according to label directions, they will provide a diet balanced to Kentucky Equine Research specifications.

Bridging the gap between science and horse feed, join Dr. Joe Pagan of Kentucky Equine Research as he shares the very latest in equine nutrition research and development as part of our over 20-year exclusive partnership

Research Farm
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In 2023, Kentucky Equine Research celebrated 35 years of equine research.

The 27th Equine Health & Nutrition Conference: Applying The Science was held in Ocala, Florida, in February 2024 where Kentucky Equine Research brought together an excellent line-up of world-renowned speakers to a venue near their Performance Centre facilities. The two-day symposium was attended by delegates from 19 countries on six continents, including some of our own team at Saracen. The international group of invited speakers, the 'who's who' of the equine research world, gave 16 scientific presentations on a wide variety of important and very valuable topics.

Follow this link to the 2024 Proceedings, which have been laid out as a compilation of Q&A’s for easy reading – KER's technical staff posed questions to the speakers about their own areas of interest, and they gave some really fascinating and practical answers.


The 30th Anniversary Conference was held in Lexington, Kentucky, in October 2018. Follow this link to the 2018 Proceedings where you will find reader-friendly Q&A’s as well as a research archive reviewing the past 30 years of studies performed by Kentucky Equine Research and their technical staff.

Kentucky Equine Research has served as equine nutrition consultants for the last six Olympic Games, including London 2012, one of the most successful Olympic Games ever staged.

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In 2024, Kentucky Equine Research hosted their 27th Equine Health & Nutrition Conference: Applying The Science.
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Kentucky Equine Research has served as equine nutrition consultants for the last six Olympic Games

Kentucky Equine Research is known internationally as World Leaders in Equine Nutrition - by using science and technical knowledge, they have created the gold standard for innovation in equine nutrition and exercise physiology research. By working so closely with Kentucky Equine Research, we share their aims and objectives, and because of our close links, we can make these resources available in the UK.

On a daily basis, Kentucky Equine Research betters the lives of horses worldwide.

KER Targeted Nutrition