Winter is here. In many parts of the country, our horses have transitioned from summer pasture to hay. Some horses experience digestive upset when this happens. How can we better support our horse?
◆︎ Transitioning to hay
When transitioning to hay, a number of things occur:
➡ Reduction in water content: Pasture is between 60-80% water. Hay is only about 10-15% moisture. As a result, the horse consumes less water from the feed. Dehydration and reduction of water consumption is one of the causes of colic.
➡ Difference in the quality of forage: Hay may be more mature, with more fiber and lignin. Some fractions of fiber are slowly digested. With this difference, the microbiome needs time to populate the microbes needed to digest this new forage.
➡ Changes in microbial flora: The change in composition of the microbial flora can lead to gas colic or loose stools.
◆︎ How to support your horse’s transition:
☛ Transition slowly when possible. This allows the horse’s microbiome to change its population to handle the new feed.
☛ Hydration: Use strategies to increase water consumption.
❏ Have fresh clean water available.
❏ Be sure that the water is warm enough to drink. Some horses won’t drink ice cold water.
❏ Add extra salt or electrolytes to the diet. If the horse won’t consume sufficient salt, dampen the hay and sprinkle loose salt on the hay. Salt or electrolytes encourages drinking.
◆︎ Supplements to support gut health:
There are many supplements available to support gut health.
Equine Gut Support is a comprehensive supplement that contains some of the most helpful items to support gut health. It includes Bio-Mos®, Yea-Sacc®, glutamine, aloe vera, slippery elm and beta glucans. There are no additional fillers in this product.
Equine Ulcer Support is a supplement that promotes a healthy stomach when ulcers are suspected. The ingredients are high molecular weight hyaluronic acid and beta glucans. There are no fillers and no preservatives in this product.
Yea-Sacc® is a probiotic, based on saccharomyces cerevisiae 1026®, which promotes greater digestion of fiber, enhancing the uptake of energy.
Bio-Mos® is a prebiotic, rich in a proprietary mannan oligosaccharide, specifically supporting the “good” microflora. This supports forage digestibility and a healthy immune system.
Integral A+® is a supplement designed to bind mycotoxins. This is especially important when the feed may be suspect. It was designed to bind mycotoxins in grains, hay and pastures.
Glutamine is an amino acid that supports the growth of intestinal villi, a healthy intestinal barrier, and tight junctions. It reduces inflammatory signaling which helps protect against stress.
◆︎ Timing:
Ultimately, the best time to start supporting the transition is two weeks before it occurs. When that’s not possible, we do the best we can. Gut support may be just the thing your horse needs.
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Disclaimer: Statements regarding dietary supplements have not been evaluated by the FDA and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease or health condition.
©Joan Kulifay, MSc. 2025