about bcs 5.0
BCS 5.0 Consulting and Services is an equine nutrition consulting company located in Northwest Ohio. At BCS 5.0 Consulting, we specialize in balanced diet reports with a forage first approach for your horse.
Working closely and personally with each animal and owner, we guide you hand in hand throughout the entire process. Our endless passion for nutritionally challenged horses, specialty cases, and maintenance athletes makes us the perfect partner on your equine’s health journey.
Keeping your equine in optimal condition is our business
bcs 5.0 founder
rachael haAr
Full Body Condition Consulting | Maintenance Consultations | Full Program Analysis | Partial Feed Program Analysis | Hay Testing | Hay Analysis | FULL BODY CONDITION CONSULTING | MAINTENANCE CONSULTATIONS | FULL PROGRAM ANALYSIS | PARTIAL FEED PROGRAM ANALYSIS | HAY TESTING | HAY ANALYSIS
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What if I told you we could feed your animal in a way that helps them look and feel their best from the inside out through balanced nutrition, all while being cost-conscious?
Through years of working for equine feed companies, I have worked with numerous owners and their horses solving nutritional challenges and facing many diverse situations. Whether you have a trail horse for pleasure riding or a high performing athlete, your horse deserves optimal health, comfort, and nutrition.
I am deeply passionate about educating owners and transforming the physical and mental condition of their horses through science-based nutrition programs without breaking the bank. We are not affiliated with any feed or supplement companies and are an independent nutrition consultant, so you can rest assured that our recommendations will be unbiased and budget conscious. Preventative maintenance is key to your horse’s overall health and longevity. We are committed to working as your partner at every touchpoint of your horse’s health and wellness journey.
Hey, I'm rachael
your new partner in equine nutrition based in northwest ohio
work with me
degree in Animal Nutrition and Equine Science from The Ohio State University Agricultural Technical Institute and The Ohio State University
“Rachael quickly became an extremely important part of my horses’ care. Horse nutrition has always been an area in which I’m not confident. Rachael’s evaluation of my horse's diet, including hay testing, was so thorough! And her recommendations have both my horses looking fantastic! Bonus is that I rest so much easier knowing their diet is on point.”
- Cheryl F.
“I can personally recommend Rachael Haar. She has worked with my horses to get them looking & feeling great & has the professional & equine knowledge to consult with you as to what is best for the horse. She is open to questions & has great answers & options to find what works for both you & your horse. She truly cares about the welfare of your horses!”
- Stephanie S.
“Rachael Haar of BCS 5.0 is the real deal. She is professional, down to earth, honest and easy to work with. Her ability to communicate her horse health information to us has been fabulous for us and our horses. She brings a wealth of knowledge to the table and a willingness to teach us how to partner with our horses' health for the best possible outcome. We highly recommend her services for you and your horses!”
- Kim B.
"We operate a horse boarding facility which specializes in senior horse care. Rachael has really helped us to dial in some nutritional and exercise management changes that have really made a difference. She has tested our hay, reviewed our feeding regimen, and offered realistic expectations that work with our available time and budget. She coordinated with our vet on our specific EMS case to review blood work and now continues to monitor her body condition score overall regularly. She’s also very easy to work with and very communicative.”
- Dutch Cross Stables
the bcs 5.0 process
we understand each horse and owner has different needs. our process is designed to ensure we collect the data we need and develop a plan that truly works for you.
We begin the process with an on-site consultation. I will ask a series of questions to understand and address the owners’ goals, concerns, issues, etc. After taking detailed notes, I then touch the animal to obtain a body condition score and wrap a weight tape around the girth to get a weight.
Next, I will take photos of each side of the horse and one rear is taken for future results purposes and records if the owner consents to a photo release.
We may visit the feed room and look at what you specifically may be feeding/ supplementing. We may also use my scale to weigh the grain(s) you may be feeding and I may also weigh the hay you are feeding, per single feeding (important for calorie calculations).
Once all the data is collected, I get to work on the complete analysis nutrition portfolio. We will schedule a follow-up meeting (this may be done in person or virtually via Zoom). The typical turnaround time for results is 5-7 days post-visit.
Data is collected at the initial consult. With this data, we then go through a series of calculations for your current program and then work to find a "best fit" program based on any information we found. We will then schedule a revisit in person or virtually to discuss the proposal of any recommendations and possible next steps for your program.
How do you decide what is best for my horse?
For one horse, this can range anywhere from 15-30 minutes on average.
How long does an on-farm consult usually take?
faqs
We travel to wherever the hay may be stored. A power drill with a hay probe attached is then inserted into as many bales as needed to properly fill our sample bag. We then send off this sample to a lab and once results are delivered digitally, we use the quality standard scale to get a rating of your hay and then check all values to make sure they are balanced nutritionally. Results are then discussed once analyzed virtually or in person.