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HAPPY GUT, HAPPY HORSE

GUT ISSUES IN HORSES CAN HAVE WIDE RANGING SYMPTOMS FROM LOSS OF PERFORMANCE TO DIARRHOEA AND COLIC. WE SPOKE WITH INDEPENDENT NUTRITIONIST DR LUCY WILLIAMSON TO UNDERSTAND MORE ABOUT HOW USING FIBRE AND PRE-BIOTICS CORRECTLY CAN HELP YOUR HORSE COPE WITH THE STRESS OF TRAINING AND COMPETITION. CORRECTLY CAN HELP YOUR HORSE COPE WITH THE STRESS OF TRAINING AND COMPETITION.

“The signi cance of gut health and its impact on well eing for humans has ecome increasingly ac nowledged in recent years, ut ta ing care of the gut can also ha e important ene ts for health and performance in horses too, e plains ucy.

In the wild, horses gra e for up to hours a day and are largely sedentary. his low stress lifestyle with plenty of roughage little and often is ideal for the design of the e uine digesti e system, eeping stomach acid le els consistent and pro iding plenty of re for hindgut health. tress e perienced in the domesticated horse can increase acid production leading to stomach ulceration and can also reduce fa oura le acteria in the hindgut. ut acteria the gut micro iome in the large intestine hindgut of horses ferment re that has passed through the stomach and small intestine, producing products needed for health. In humans these are itamins, uilding loc s for proteins and hormones plus other chemicals which can reduce in ammation, pre ent allergies and support the immune system. his same process happens in the hindgut of horses with e ual importance to their health, she says.

In horses, the diet of which is mainly ased on re, fermentation plays a more important role in digestion than in humans. he e uine hindgut is made of two parts, the caecum and colon and the ene cial acteria here are ery signi cant to their health. hese hindgut acteria uild up o er time during the horse’s early life the foal in the wom is sterile’ and is rst e posed to gut acteria in the irth canal. olostrum includes li uid re which then encourages the de elopment of this rst colony of gut acteria the foal then ta es re from its diet after weaning to nurture these acteria further. We now that reduced turnout is a stressor in itself, ut importantly also reduces re inta e. orses gain of their energy from re, so it’s clear why less re can aff ect performance, ut unfortunately we don’t yet now how much is enough’, comments ucy. arly signs that there is a gut im alance can include loose droppings, ut ecause the acteria ha e such a wide range of health ene ts, it can also result in general symptoms such as a poor coat or loss of performance. esearch associates poor hindgut health with increased ris of colic too.

Anti iotics can also aff ect gut health, noc ing out ene cial acteria, with the results often seen as loss of condition or the onset of allergies following treatment for an unrelated condition. Any trauma within the gut can also upset the alance of acteria, for e ample, a out of ulceration or colic will ha e a negati e impact on the hindgut, slowing the horse’s reco ery e en when the ulcers ha e een addressed. wners now their horses well with increased nowledge of the hindgut and how it lin s to their horse’s health, they are est placed to see the impro ements, which will ary with each indi idual horse.

LEFT: THE PRE-BIOTIC SEA BUCKTHORN CONTAINS A MULTITUDE OF NUTRIENTS AND CAN BE USEFUL IN REGAINING OR MAINTAINING GUT BALANCE.

ABOVE: ADEQUATE FIBRE IS ESSENTIAL TO MAINTAIN HINDGUT HEALTH, BUT ENSURING A CONSISTENT SUPPLY FOR COMPETITION HORSES CAN BE MORE DIFFICULT.

The good news is that the bacteria respond quickly to an increase in re a aila ility. his can e helped along with the use of pre iotics, plant res which can e fermented y the hindgut acteria to promote est health. Vitamins A, C and E and antioxidants often present in pre iotic supplements help with hindgut health too.

These should be distinguished from pro-biotics which are foods containing li e acteria such as li e yoghurt, shown to e ene cial to human gut health. ittle research has een carried out into their effecti eness in horses as yet.

“In stressful situations, the aftermath of colic or other traumatic situations such as illness or injury which can trigger hormonal responses and upset gut balance, aiming to e as consistent as possi le with the supply of re can help the horse maintain gut health, says ucy. A pre iotic supplement can offer a highly ene cial effect from a small dose, which also means that it can e used in the run up to an e ent such as a competition or tra el in addition to your usual feeding regime. his ma es it a practical way to help the hindgut in many situations.

Sea buckthorn has long been acknowledged as a useful ingredient – the ancient Greeks noted that horses foraging on it had shiny coats, which is where its ancient name yppophae’ stems from. Analysis has recorded o er different nutrients in sea uc thorn from itamins to antio idants, including mega , , and . mega has een shown to heal the intestinal lining, which makes it a successful natural remedy for treating gastric ulceration. Its mega

SEA BUCKTHORN CAN BE FED ALL YEAR ROUND TO SENSITIVE HORSES, USED IN WINTER WHEN TURNOUT IS REDUCED OR KEPT FOR STRESSFUL SITUATIONS

has anti in ammatory properties and is important in alance with mega in the repair of damaged cells. Antio idants ha e a ey role in eeping the ody in good condition and can help a oid tying up.

As a natural ingredient, sea buckthorn can also be safely used alongside medication.

Administered in liquid form, some of its nutrients are absorbed in the small intestine before it works its way to the hindgut where the re is fermented. he acteria here also acti ate the antio idants and can enhance a sorption of other nutrients. ea uc thorn can e fed all year round to sensiti e horses, used in winter when turnout is reduced or kept for stressful situations, helping the horse’s natural microbiome to stay healthy, get the most nutrients from his diet and reduce stress related illness.

Nupafeed UK works exclusively with the British Sea Buckthorn Company to ensure quality and traceability nupafeed.co.uk Tel: 01438 861900.