What Situations Can Lead to Equine Digestive Upset?
Certain situations and/or lifestyles can contribute to a horse having digestive upset:
Lack of free choice forage
Limited turnout
High performance demands
Trailering and travel
New environments
Foaling and weaning
Why Is Your Horse’s Digestive Health Important?
Beyond daily digestive function, the gut impacts:
Mood
Immune System
Performance
Body Condition
Recognizing the Symptoms of Digestive Upset
If your horse shows any of the following signs, they may be suffering digestive upset:
- Change in attitude
- Girth/cinch sensitivity
- Poor performance
- Loss of appetite
- Poor body/coat condition
- Stress
- Gas
- Diarrhea/loose manure
Optimal Solutions for Your Equine Gut and Digestive Health Needs
Farnam® offers four show-safe supplements as part of the ultimate equine gut health collection for horses prone to occasional digestive upset.
br> br>5 Strategies to Help Your Horse Maintain a Healthy Digestive Tract
1. Start by feeding a balanced diet that includes more forage and fewer grains, while also increasing the number of feedings. Providing free-choice hay or using a hay net can help encourage natural eating habits.
2. Increase pasture or turnout time to give your horse more freedom and movement, which can help with digestion.
3. Be mindful of intense training sessions by incorporating downtime, cross-training, or relaxing trail rides, in-hand or liberty days.
4. When trailering, try to travel with a horse buddy and limit the frequency of trips to reduce stress.
5. Finally, consider adding a supplement to support gastric and digestive health to help your horse stay happy and healthy.
If you think your horse has digestive upset, contact your veterinarian to schedule an examination, and ask if adding a supplement to support gastric and digestive health to your daily regimen is a good plan for your horse.