Digestive Supplements for Horses

What is the correct feeding regimen for horses with gastric ulcers?

As horses have a complex and sensitive digestive system, they can suffer from a wide range of stomach problems: colic, diarrhoea and faecal water syndrome, stomach mucosal irritation and gastric ulcers manifest themselves in general discomfort, sensitivity to touch, restlessness or frequent yawning. The causes are just as varied: stress in the herd, during training or competitions, too little turnout, poor feed, too little forage and too long between meals, intolerances, medication, etc.
The horse's stomach produces stomach acid around the clock. If the stomach has no content to break down, the stomach acid attacks the stomach wall, causing mucosal irritation and even gastric ulcers. These have long since ceased to be a problem only associated with racehorses. The horse's stomach needs continuous feed; horses are constant eaters that need small but frequent portions throughout the day. The best stomach protection, especially for horses with sensitive stomachs, is primarily forage, which buffers the stomach acid. To extend feeding time, you can use haynets when feeding hay, so the horse can enjoy its hay portion for longer.
If you don't currently have enough high-quality hay available at your yard, you can purchase hay cobs from our forage section to enhance your horse's feed ration. Easily digestible hay cobs are also well suited for poor doers with sensitive stomachs.
Note: Feed hay before concentrated feed so the digestive system is already active. Avoid acidic feed such as silage so as not to over-acidify the stomach.
Stomach-friendly horse feed should ideally be grain-free, as too much starch can irritate the stomach lining. Kramer Equestrian also has a wide range of hard feed, vitamin and mineral supplements and nutritional supplements that are grain- and molasses-free. You can also feed the following herbs and supplements to your horse if it has gastric ulcers or stomach problems:

• Psyllium husks: Binds foreign matter like sand that has settled in the stomach.
• Linseed and linseed cake: The high mucilage content forms a protective layer over the stomach wall.
• Fennel, caraway and aniseed: Have a soothing effect on the stomach.
• Liquorice root: Strengthens natural stomach function.
• Mash: Stimulates appetite and contains high levels of mucilage.

What feed can I use to support gut health in horses?

Gut bacteria are key to a horse's health, as they produce vitamins that are important for the immune system. You don't necessarily have to feed your horse expensive supplements to ensure healthy gut bacteria. Even small changes can have a big impact on your horse's gut health. However, gut repair can still be useful from time to time, if your horse shows signs of imbalanced gut bacteria, such as diarrhoea, faecal water syndrome or flatulence.
The best home remedy for gut repair in horses is hay. A nutrient-rich environment is important for the proliferation of gut bacteria, which in the case of horses is provided by high-quality hay. This foundation must be in place before you move on to additional probiotic supplements for your horse.
The next step is to ensure a sufficient supply of minerals and trace elements, which you can do by feeding your horse vitamin and mineral supplements. A nutrient deficiency prevents the growth of intestinal microbes. In our vitamin and mineral supplement category, you can purchase classic vitamin and mineral supplements for basic care as well as vitamin and mineral supplements for horses with special needs.
To build up your horse's intestinal flora, you can also add brewer's yeast or prebiotic mash to their diet, which you can purchase from our range of digestive supplements.
When it comes to gut repair for horses, mash containing herbs that aid digestion can also be another useful tool. At Kramer Equestrian, you can purchase digestive herbs from Original Landmühle such as thyme, fennel, caraway and aniseed.

What feed can I use to stimulate my horse's digestion?

The digestive process in horses is long: it begins with chewing in the mouth and ends in the large intestine with excretion. You can read an overview of the digestive process in our guide "Digestive problems in horses".
If you have a horse with digestive problems, the causes can sometimes be difficult to identify. Always consult your vet if your horse has digestive problems.
In addition to plenty of exercise, the following herbs and dietary supplements are suitable for stimulating your horse's digestion:

• High-quality forage
• Low-protein and low-starch (grain-free) hard feed
• Vitamin and mineral supplements
• Fennel
• Caraway
• Aniseed
• Linseed oil
• Yarrow
• Ginger
• Frankincense
• Milk thistle seeds

Which herbs stimulate a horse's metabolism?

• Willow bark
• Ginkgo
• Garlic
• Hemp
• Beetroot
• Birch
• Nettle
• Cinnamon
• Fenugreek seeds

Which supplement helps with metabolism problems in horses?

Exercise caution when using supplements for horses with metabolism problems. If a horse's metabolism and detoxification processes are already impaired, they should not be put under further strain. The aim is to stimulate the metabolism and support detoxification. Herbal liver supplements for horses, such as milk thistle seeds, black cumin or dandelion, are available from Original Landmühle in our online shop. These help stimulate the detoxification functions of the liver and kidneys.
Herbs such as birch, nettle and field horsetail are also astringent, i.e. diuretic and thus also detoxifying, and can be a useful part of a metabolic treatment for horses with metabolism problems.
When feeding your horse, ensure the feed contains as few additives as possible. A combination of low-sugar and low-starch hard feed together with diuretic and detoxifying herbs is a beneficial feeding plan for horses with metabolism problems. By avoiding excess weight and stimulating your horse's metabolism with sufficient exercise, you can achieve a great deal in keeping your horse healthy with the help of your vet.