The horse’s stomach is a large, delicate and pretty badly designed organ! The routine of the majority of racehorses, and over 60% [1] of sport horses, means that many horses do not enjoy a healthy digestive system and the cause of stomach and gut problems in horses. There are plenty of ways to support a healthy gut in your horse. Wherever possible, to imitate their natural trickle feeding, horses should be turned out to graze for as long as possible. When horses are stabled, they should be fed a diet high in fibre and with minimal concentrates. Feeds should be small and as frequent as possible. A horse should not be worked on a completely empty stomach, feeding half a scoop of dry chaff before exercise is ideal. And, of course, avoiding changes of routine and stressful situations is helpful to all horses. Horses frequently stabled, subject to routine changes and/or to stress may have an unhappy gut, which is manifested by poor appetite, weight loss, lethargy, objection to girthing, mood swings, being nervy and/or stressy. In addition to the best feeding regime you can implement, you can also use some of nature’s own best products to encourage a healthy digestive system. Pro-Equine has developed products to help with stomach and gut problems in horses, Aloemega, Colikare and Ulsa-Soothe.
Colikare is specifically designed for stomach and gut problems in horses especially with gassy stomachs.
Horse owners know their horses and the many, less obvious, signs that something’s not right – such as not wanting to eat, standing listless at the gate, lip curling, flank watching, restlessness, pawing the ground etc. Pro-Equine came to the rescue of many worried horse owners when it developed Colikare more than 20 years ago. Colikare is a highly palatable, fast-acting liquid supplement designed to absorb intestinal gas and quickly help a horse feel more comfortable. Colikare combines several herbs traditionally used to encourage a healthy gut in horses by reducing gassy build-ups. One of the ingredients is very palatable to horses and is well-known as a digestif to counteract wind in humans – particularly babies!
Colikare is ideal for horses prone to a grassy stomach (especially after a change of pasture) or who react at times of stress. Colikare can be fed daily, for peace of mind, or only when needed. Many horse owners like to give Colikare at times of lush, spring grass or autumn ‘grass flushes’. Other obvious times are when a horse is stressed by a change of routine, or may have eaten his bedding. Colikare works fast to disperse gas and relax stomach muscles. Herbs in Colikare are also traditionally used for wind-sucking and crib-biting.
“Colikare – wow! Since I put my gelding on Colikare 3 years ago, he has not had a single episode. I can’t believe it works that well. I give it to him once a day all year round (and double the amount when we change his field) and I have a happy, healthy horse. I have been saved SO many vet’s bills – thank you, Pro-Equine.” Gemma N
Ulsa-Soothe helps with many digestive issues in horses as well as a natural horse calmer.
It is now recognised that gut problems in horses the majority of sports horses suffer from an unhealthy digestive tract which is often manifested in behavioural issues. Over 10 years ago, Pro-Equine developed Ulsa-Soothe. There are many papers written on the efficacy of individual herbs on horses, Pro-Equine was the first company to combine these core ingredients in one liquid supplement. Ulsa-Soothe is formulated to provide a light and soothing layer to the horse’s stomach without inhibiting natural acid secretion, which is important for healthy digestion in a horse. Other ingredients help to lower bowel transit time and absorb toxins in the bowel. Ulsa-Soothe has an amazing profile of anti-oxidants, vitamins C, E and A as well as a number of B vitamins, including folic acid and B6, amino acids and minerals. It is also high in all of the omega oils, 3, 6, 7 and 9, which help to support the fine mucosal membranes and cell structure. Key ingredients contain serotonin, a neurotransmitter that helps with stress, a known cause of stomach and gut problems in horses. Ulsa-Soothe aids appetite, works on gastric secretions and, via anti-fungal activity against pathogens, help redress the delicate balance of bacteria in the horse’s intestine. The high omega profile of Ulsa-Soothe has benefits for coat quality, hoof growth, joints and immunity.
Ulsa-Soothe can be fed long-term at a maintenance level but can also be effective to re-establish a healthy gut after a course of aggressive drugs.
Aloemega horse tonic is a mineral and omega rich superfood tonic packed full of super berry goodness! This Aloe Vera and Sea Buckthorn supplement supports optimum skin, coat, joint, and gastrointestinal health of your horse. An ideal supplement to use on horses feeling below par, showing dull coat, lethargy, runny poo and uncomfortable digestive problems.
Aloemega offers all round support to gut problems in horses, the digestive and immune system, By soothing and nourishing the fine mucosal membranes lining the stomach and digestive tract, Aloemega helps your horse feel more comfortable from the inside. With potent Omega-rich properties, Aloemega also helps promote skin and coat condition so your horse will look ‘well’ on the outside too. Many of our customers just can’t quite believe how shiny their horse’s coat looks with much more vitality.
[1] Mitchell RD. Prevalence of gastric ulcers in hunter/jumper and dressage horses evaluated for poor performance. Association for Equine Sports Medicine September 2001.
