Horses are designed to trickle feed – grazing for up to 16 hours a day. This means that they need to constantly secrete acid to help digest this almost continual source of food entering their stomach. A grazing horse will also produce up to 9 gallons of saliva a day which as well as lubricating the food, also acts to help maintain a healthy gastric pH.
The horse has a small stomach, and food does not stay in there for very long, so even short periods during the day without access to forage should be minimised.
Providing a small amount of forage, such as chaff, prior to exercise will also support gastric health and comfort.
There are a number of additional management tips which may also help support gastric health:
- Plan yard and field regimes to avoid stressors such as bullying or excessive activity near the stable.
- Avoid high starch feeds and instead use a forage-based regime with digestible fibre sources and oil to provide additional energy.
- Try to provide periods of turnout or hand grazing if possible to enable the horse to benefit from antioxidants in fresh green forage.
Plan training and competition schedules carefully, especially where long-distance travel may result in restricted forage intake.
Equine America ULS-gard Pelletshave been formulated using carefully selected ingredients to help maintain gastric health and comfort including:
Slow-release calcium and magnesium from marine algae, to help support a healthy gut pH.
Lecithin- a special type of fat which to support healthy stomach lining cells.
Pectins, Marshmallow root and Liquorice- to help produce mucilage which acts as a physical barrier for the unprotected upper portion of the stomach.
Aloe Vera and Glycine- to help support a healthy gastric mucosa (lining of the stomach).
High nucleotide yeast- to providebeta-glucanswhich help to increase the viscosity of stomach contents, and provide nutritional support for a healthy gastric mucosa.
Pre and Probioticsto support a healthy gut microbiome.
Alfalfa and soya hullsto provide a fibrous "mat" and to help maintain a healthy gastric pH.
Additional Management factors to help support digestive health and comfort.
- Turnout to grass where practical and possible, ideally with a placid companion, even if only for short periods.
- Ensure ad-lib forage where practical. For good-doers, where calories are restricted, offer very frequent, but controlled amounts of forage, with the largest allocation overnight. Select clean, but low-calorie forage to enable larger amounts to be offered.
- Offer forage in different locations in the stable to encourage natural foraging behaviour.
- Try to reduce social stressors such as bullying stablemates, or proximity to the feed store.
- Feed a good double handful (or 1 round scoop) of alfalfa chaff before exercise or competition warm-up to provide a fibrous "mat" in the stomach - even if forage is available in the stable or lorry.
- Consider replacing some starch-based calories with Equine America Supreme Omega Oil in the diet.
Benefits of ULS-gard Pellets
- Natural, nutritional support for gut health and comfort (Calcium, magnesium, lecithin, pectin, glycine).
- Key ingredients traditionally used to soothe the stomach wall (Aloe vera, marshmallow root, liquorice).
- Marine algaeto support a healthy gut pH
- Beta-Glucansfrom high nucleotide yeasts to support a healthy gastric mucosa.
- Pre (FOS) and probioticsto support a healthy gut microbiome.
- Alfalfa and soya hullsbase to provide a fibrous mat.
- Palatableand easy to mix for fussy feeders.
- Suitable for foals at a reduced serving rate.