Are we giving our horses too many supplements?
Over recent years, the equine industry has seen a significant rise in the use of dietary supplements for horses. While most horse owners aim to optimise their horses' health and performance, it’s crucial to understand when and why to incorporate these supplements into their diets. Over-supplementation can lead to adverse effects so we need to understand the implications of this trend. The Rise of Supplements in Equine Nutrition The popularity of supplements in horse care has skyrocketed, with a vast array of products available from all over the world on the market. Particularly concerning is the multitudes of products aimed at supporting the gastrointestinal
Horses are Herbivores (what’s in your feed?)
Horses are herbivores, aren’t they? So why are we feeding products and supplements which go against the Law of Nature? Horses are pure herbivores – their bodies are designed to eat plant material only. The herbivore species have flat grinding teeth and a very long digestive system specifically designed to break down tough cellulose fibre in plants. Horses have jaws which move sideways enabling grinding of plant material in the oral cavity – digestion begins here. Once the food is reduced in size and thoroughly mixed with saliva it’s swallowed, travels down the oesophagus into the stomach. Horses are ill equipped to cope with the
Super Immunity
The Herbs and Supplements that boost immune function and help prevent and heal infections The competition season is back in full swing, which means horses are travelling from place to place, staying in different yards or stables and often in close proximity to other horses and ponies. All too frequently horses arrive home harbouring a bacterial, viral or parasitic infection. Initially they may not present with any symptoms - their vital signs are normal, they just seem a little flat. This is the ideal time to administer immune-boosting and infection preventative herbs. The old rule of thumb is the quicker a ‘disease’ is treated the quicker