At the worst stage over her five years of being affected, Money had multiple major lesions along the cannon bone, as well as all over her heels. They were very sensitive to sunlight, so if she got too much exposure to sun it would make things worse. Gut support has changed everything.
Feeding horses the right way in winter may seem like a daunting task, but with the right approach, it doesn’t have to be. Making the investment in quality feed and extra hay is a great solution - it will keep your horse healthy on the inside, and help fire their internal heater at the same time. Aren’t our horses amazing?
There are so many different types of hay and it can get confusing when you start to try figuring out which hay to use and why. Or which hay to avoid and why.
By Dr Nikita Stibbard, BVetSci/VetBio (Hons). If you are having issues relating to your horse's gut health and overall nutrition, Winter is when you will most likely see it most! Here are the three most common equine gut health related problems I see as an equine veterinarian during winter, and how to help your horse.
One of the most difficult things to find in a drought is forage. The problem is, forage is the most important, and therefore the least negotiable item in a horse’s diet. Their gut needs forage. Without it, the risk of gastric ulcers, colic, sand or dirt accumulation and other hindgut disturbances like dysbiosis (imbalance of the hindgut bacteria) is high!
Gut health can greatly influence the overall health, performance and behaviour of your horse. There are some very simple changes to make in your horses' diet in drought or flood conditions to make sure your horse maintains its gut health. We've listed them here.
