Top Tips for improving Gut Health - PART 2
Rewind for PART 1 - Signs of poor gut health in your horse
Be vigilant about signs of gastric ulcers (see part 1 of this blog), and manage accordingly, especially for horses under stress or in hard work. Implementing changes (if needed) to daily diet and management can help improve and maintain your horse’s gut health, leading to better overall health and performance.
If you are unsure about the best approach, consulting with your vet and our Blue Chip feed advisors can provide tailored advice for your horse's individual needs.
Forage first - Ensure your pony/horse has ad-lib access to forage (hay, haylage or grazing) where possible. Forage should always provide the main portion of their diet. Access to forage increases chewing time, promoting the production of saliva, which in turn can neutralise stomach acid.
Maintain a low starch and sugar diet - Balancers provide extremely low levels of starch and sugar to your horse's daily overall intake, while providing vitamins, minerals and supplementation for their individual needs.
Feed little and often - Balancers, whether fed at 500g or 100g per day provide the ability to feed small meals, reducing spikes in blood sugar and maintaining gastric comfort.
Feed probiotics and include beneficial ingredients - Probiotics help maintain a healthy balance of gut bacteria, while prebiotics support the growth of beneficial bacteria. Consider feeding a balancer containing further ingredients known to promote a healthy gut such as beta glucans, nucleotides, marine minerals, antioxidants and more.
Make dietary changes gradually - Over 7-10 days is ideal to allow your ponies/horse's digestive system time to adapt, this avoids upsetting the gut flora.
Constant access to clean, fresh water - Dehydration can lead to impaction colic and other digestive issues.
Consistent daily management - Feed your horse at regular times each day to maintain consistent digestion. Avoid long periods (over 4 hours) without access to food/forage to limit the chance of gut disturbances.
Manage Stress - Provide a stable social environment, regular exercise, and avoid abrupt changes in routine.
Deworming - Regular deworming schedules are outdated and irresponsible as they build resistance. Instead maintain a parasite control programme based on regular faecal worm egg count tests to identify infection and target treatment and paddock management such as poo picking to reduce the parasitic load on your horse's gut. For further information and for any questions about parasite management please contact:
Westgate Labs - westgatelabs.co.uk - 01670 791994 - info@westgatelabs.co.uk
If you are concerned about your pony/horse in any way we always recommend contacting your vet. We are also happy to chat if you have any questions, you can call email or message us on social.
