Have they got the stomach for it?
Maintaining gastric health in ridden horses
- Kate Hore RNutr(Animal), R.Anim.Technol.(Cert).
- Head Nutritionist at NAF
Balancing the demands of the horse’s evolved digestive tract against the needs of the modern horse, which include regular exercise, travel, stabling etc. can be a challenge. Such that digestive stress, particularly within the stomach, is a common issue in all horses, from racehorses, to leisure horses to breeding stock.
What should we be looking out for, and how can we help our horses and ponies maintain gastric comfort?
Did you know…..?
The word ‘gastric’ comes from the Ancient Greek word ‘grastēr’ meaning ‘to gnaw’ or ‘to eat’. Whilst ‘gastro’ can apply to all digestion, such as the G.I.T (gastro-intestinal tract), the word ‘gastric’ usually applies particularly to the stomach.
Common signs of gastric stress include:
- Weight loss
- Poor coat condition
- Poor performance or lethargy
- Decreased appetite or picky eating
- Obvious digestive discomfort
- Change in behaviour or mood
- ‘Girthiness’ – sensitivity to girthing
- Bloating
- Teeth grinding (bruxism)
Signs of gastric stress will vary with the individual, and can be common with many other issues. Therefore, it is always advised to discuss any clinically observed changes with your vet.
Risk factors do vary depending on the exact type of gastric stress. However, there are factors common to all, and so it is advised to consider these for all horses.
Horses evolved to be grazing for around 16 hours per day, and so their digestive tract works best when they are allowed to continually nibble, ideally whilst turned out. Turnout meets the evolutionary need to be walking whilst eating, and also helps with mental health when turned out with a stable herd of friends, mimicking how horses evolved to live in the wild.
Stress is a big risk factors in gastric disease, and steps should be taken to minimize changes as much as possible. Changes in their herd companions can increase the risk, but so too any changes in their human carers. So in case you wondered, yes, your horse does know, and care, about who is working hard to look after them every day.
Risk Factors for Gastric Stress
- Low fibre / forage diet
- High concentrate diet
- Reduced turnout
- Travel or exercise on an empty stomach
- Change of equine companions
- Change of human carers
- Stress
- Medication (NSAIDs)
Nutritional Needs
Ensure their overall diet is based on fibrous forage and, or, grazing to maintain gut health. Minimise concentrated bucket feeds, and if they are needed ensure they are split into multiple small feeds through the day, and always offered alongside forage.
To maintain gastric comfort, particularly where it is impossible to mitigate some of those risks from the modern equine lifestyle, supplementing with targeted nutritional support is recommended.
NAF Five Star GastriVet is clinically proven.
- Optimises the body’s anti-inflammatory process
- Promotes a healthy mucus membrane throughout the gut
- Supports the stomach wall
- Contributes to gastric mat
Five Star GastriVet is designed to target stomach imbalances and promote a healthy stomach environment. Safe to be fed alongside veterinary treatment, or to use as a follow up.
Five Star GastriVet provides support to maintain healthy pH levels, optimise resilience of the mucous membrane and support the body’s own anti-inflammatory system, within a comfortable gastric environment. GastriVet also provides BioG, NAF’s unique blend of prebiotics, live probiotic yeast and postbiotic metabolites for total digestive health throughout the tract.
Tips for maintaining gastric comfort in exercising horses
- Feed a high fibre, low starch diet
- Use oil for additional energy, if needed, to replace starchy concentrates
- Split feed between multiple feeds
- Feed a small, fibrous, pre-exercise feed
- Maximise turnout
- Give a minimum of two rest days per week
- Minimise changes in herd companions or human carers
- Feed Five Star GastriVet daily to promote a healthy stomach environment daily.