Horse Supplements: Probiotics

More people are coming to realize that improving their horse's digestion not only helps improve their overall health, but also notice that the horse often requires less feed to maintain a healthy weight. A large segment of horse supplements can now be found focused on your horse's digestion and usually involve some sort of probiotic. Probiotics can be found in liquid, paste, powders, or pellets. They can be fed daily or as needed.

Bacteria are naturally found in the intestines. Good bacteria are vital for proper digestion. Age, sickness, stress, and medications can all cause a decrease in the good bacteria found in the intestines. When this happens food is not properly broken down or utilized.

That's where probiotics come in. Probiotics are usually bacterial cultures often combined with yeast and enzymes that help repopulate the intestines with healthy bacteria. Once their digestion is back in balance it can help the horse put on weight, increase hoof quality, improve coat condition, and more. Proper digestion is necessary for a horse to fully absorb and utilize the nutrients found in their diet.

Yogurt contains natural, good bacteria and it is sometimes recommended to feed this to horses when in need of a probiotic. I have tried this on several different horses with no results. I am leery of feeding the yogurt as horses usually lose the ability to digest milk or milk products at a young age. In some instances I believe the yogurt can do more to upset the digestive balance than to aid it.

There are many good probiotics on the market. Look for ones that have the least amount of fillers, additives, or preservatives; preferably none of the above. These are two of the ones that I have used with good results.

ProBi made by Advanced Biological Concepts is an excellent probiotic. Due to its liquid form I've found it's not as convenient to use on a daily basis and as such prefer it for short term use. It is convenient in cases where the horse may not want to eat as you can just syringe it into them.

For every day use I use Opti-zyme by Manna Pro. I have had excellent results with this product. We put all of the older horses on it as well as any of them that are underweight, have no interest in eating, or those with other health problems. It contains no fillers, additives, or preservatives. Despite the lack of flavorings, none of the horses I have rehabilitated with this product have refused it. They are quite happy to eat it either with their grain or even just by itself.

If your horse is on antibiotics talk to your vet about putting your horse on a probiotic. Antibiotics kill off bacteria no matter if they are good or bad. A probiotic being fed while the horse is on the antibiotics can help prevent digestive upsets.