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Topspec Experts on Improving Equine Digestion

Nutrition can only do so much. Even if you give your horse all the roughage, feeds and supplements in the world, they won’t be able to achieve health if they can’t digest properly and absorb the said nutrients into their body. What’s there to do? Ensure healthy and improved equine digestion of course and today Topspec experts teaches us how to achieve just that.

Ensure meals throughout the day. Because horses are trickle feeders by nature, they need to constantly eat and keep their gut moving throughout the day. An empty stomach makes them highly susceptible to ulcers as their digestive acids are too strong. The saliva that they produce from chewing actually neutralizes the acidity. But then again you can’t just feed them mindlessly or they’ll end up obese which brings us to our next tip.

Divide their daily requirements into several small portion meals. Another thing that you need to remember is that horses have quite the limited digestive system. If they eat too much at once, they end up with colic or worse a rupture. To avoid this, experts suggest that their daily requirements should be divided into four or more meals instead. 

Create and stick to a schedule. Equines are routine animals and they are easily made anxious when there are abrupt changes to their meal schedule. Oftentimes they lose appetite which is the first step to a whole slew of ailments and conditions. To avoid that, be consistent. If adjustments are necessary such as per a vet’s recommendation, make sure to do so gradually and not abruptly. Provide good quality hay. The fiber helps with their digestion and chewing on them increases the saliva produced by their salivary glands. Moreover, roughage helps them keep warm during the winter. It is encouraged for owners to allow horses to eat their hay and other roughage freely throughout the day. Make sure that potable water is available round the clock. Dehydration is a killer and for obvious reasons. Lack of adequate water in the body will make them end up in a state of colic or constipation to begin with and then the rest come flooding in to give you a headache and your horse lots of pain. On average, a 500 kg horse can consume 30-45 liters a day with 2 liters for every pound of hay consumed.

Encourage them to exercise. Movement is necessary for good digestion says Topspec experts. It simply helps keep the intestinal tract moving better and promotes overall health. Let them run and walk around. They’re creatures of mobility and movement after all.