By: Mike Barrett, PAS, ADM Equine Specialist
It has been said the key to a horse’s heart is through their gut, or you’ve probably heard the saying “a happy gut makes a happy horse and happy horses give great rides.” Best rides, be they in the show ring, on the trail or on the range, all start with a healthy, happy gut. No matter the amount of training or number of hours in the saddle, if your horse doesn’t have a happy gut, he won’t be all he can be.
The horse’s gut can become unbalanced or unhappy in several ways. Feeding a high-starch and sugar diet can lead to an unhappy gut. Lack of forage in the diet can lead to an unhappy gut. Or, a number of other reasons can cause a horse’s gut to become unhappy. The unhappiness in the gut can then carry over to the horse’s attitude and overall performance and show up when trying to get the horse to yield to leg cues, which is exhibited by pinning ears, wincing or even wanting to buck. Gut unhappiness can also lead to unwanted behavior, such as wood chewing or cribbing.
Adding prebiotics and probiotics to a horse’s diet can help soothe gut unhappiness. The prebiotics (normally yeast products) help support the growth of beneficial microorganisms in the horse’s gut, while probiotics are living microorganisms that reach the intestine and take up residence, pushing out the bad microorganisms that cause havoc in the gut. The prebiotics and probiotics work together to provide balance to the equine gut, decreasing gut disturbances that can lead to “sour” behavior and poor rides. Prebiotics and probiotics also mitigate the effects of higher starch and sugar levels by decreasing the pH of the gut, which helps deter hindgut acidosis and enhances a balanced, happy gut, giving a good ride. Feeding a complete feed like PRIMEGLO®* provides probiotics, prebiotics, and a low-starch formula to support a happy gut.
For more information on ADM’s equine products and programs, log on at www.ADMequine.com or call 800-680-8254.
*PRIMEGLO is a registered trademark of Archer Daniels Midland Company.
