Why does my horse have free faecal water and what can help?

Free faecal water is an unpleasant problem for both horses and their owners. This is because the brownish liquid that runs down the hind legs when the horse defecates can cause skin irritation. Find out here how to rid your horse of free faecal water and prevent it from occurring.

What is free faecal water?

Free faecal water is excess water in the intestines that runs down the legs as a cloudy, brown-green intestinal fluid when the horse defecates, and sticks to the tail. As free faecal water is also very acidic, it can cause skin irritation if not cleaned properly. Depending on the severity, a horse can lose up to 1.5 litres of free faecal water per day.

Free faecal water is less of a disease and more of an absorption disorder, which can have a number of interrelated causes. Free faecal water can therefore occur in horses all year round, but is more common in autumn and winter.

What causes free faecal water in horses?

If a horse has free faecal water, its intestinal flora is disrupted. Some horses have a more sensitive metabolism than others. When investigating the causes, it is therefore important to consider the overall picture of feeding, keeping and management. Below are some individual causes that may help in evaluating the situation:

What helps against free faecal water in my horse?

Prevention is the best treatment for free faecal water in horses. First and foremost, this involves horse-friendly feed management:

• Feed at least 1.5kg of hay per 100kg of body weight per day, horses should not go without forage for more than 4 hours.
• Feed low in starch and sugar (this rules out many mixes).
• Clean, mould-free feed and bedding.
• Slow feed change in spring and autumn or when moving yards.
• Unrestricted access to clean drinking water.

This also includes ensuring that the horse has sufficient freedom of movement to promote intestinal activity. In the case of low-ranking horses, care must be taken to ensure that they receive sufficient feed and rest to avoid psychological stress. An annual dental check-up and regular worm egg counts also help to prevent free faecal water.

What can I feed my horse if it has free faecal water?

If the horse suffers from free faecal water, both the intestinal flora and the stomach must be protected:

• Psyllium and linseed: The mucilage they contain protects the stomach and intestinal walls.
• Bitter herbs: Their tannins constrict the intestinal mucosa, providing better protection against viruses, bacteria and fungi. Dandelion, nettle, yarrow, blackberry leaves, alder and oak bark. We recommend Original Landmühle Detox Herbs or Digestive Herbs for Horses.
• Ground plant charcoal: Binds existing excess water in the gut
• Brewer’s yeast: Diarrhoea may indicate a vitamin B deficiency. Brewer’s yeast contains a disproportionately high amount of B vitamins. Inactive brewer’s yeast without live microorganisms is often sufficient.
• Probiotic and prebiotic feed: Probiotic feed containing live yeast can help with severe free faecal water. Caution: Do not use baker’s yeast! This poses a risk of colic due to fermentation. Prebiotic feed with high fibre content is also helpful in rebuilding intestinal bacteria and making the intestines more resistant. In this case, Original Landmühle offers Prebiotic Balance Mash.

The correct skin care for “free faecal water legs“

The acidic faecal water can irritate the horse’s leg skin. The horse’s legs and tail should therefore be cleaned regularly. Due to the frequency of washing, it is important to use a gentle, preferably natural shampoo for horses. Follow-up skin care is also recommended: