What can be even more challenging is when standard semen analysis appears ‘normal’.  Progressive motility is good, morphology is acceptable, sperm counts are adequate, and sperm viability is good- yet conception rates remain disappointingly low.

In these situations, it can be easy to attribute the issue to mares, timing, or management. However, when poor pregnancy rates persist despite careful mare selection, intensive reproductive management, and thorough veterinary oversight, it is generally indicative that the fertility issue lies with the stallion. These cases seem to have no clear answer, and the stallion is subsequently categorised as having ‘poor fertility’, which is deemed idiopathic.

Yet, there are answers. And for Thoroughbred stallions in particular, one factor which historically hasn’t been easy to identify is impaired acrosome exocytosis (IAE). This results in sperm failing to release necessary enzymes to properly fertilise a mare’s egg, despite sperm appearing normal on routine semen evaluation.

While this diagnosis can initially sound concerning, it also provides valuable direction for studs who are struggling with these stallions. There is much which can be done with judicious use of specific therapeutic nutrients, herbal medicines and dietary interventions to help these stallions and improve their fertility and conception rates.

Stallion fertility and breeding performance can be supported at any stage of the year. While the ideal time to investigate unexplained fertility concerns and proactively optimise reproductive health is several months before the breeding season, valuable improvements and practical support can still be achieved immediately prior to, or during the breeding season itself. If you are managing a stallion with suboptimal fertility, unexplained poor conception rates, or would like to explore integrative reproductive support strategies ahead of the season, please feel free to contact Optim Equine directly for a confidential discussion.

Optim Equine

Camilla Whishaw is a highly regarded, experienced horsewoman and naturopath, helping to holistically treat and manage a broad range of equine health conditions and injuries, with a passion for mare and stallion fertility.

As a world-renowned practitioner, presenter, author, and consultant in the field of Equine Naturopathy, Camilla shares her knowledge through keynote presentations, interviews, lectures, panel sessions, and workshop training.

Magnesium is one of the most commonly used supplements in horses, which when used appropriately, can be significantly beneficial. Yet often little consideration is given to important specifics around the use of this mineral. These generally overlooked nuances can help to determine how effective the magnesium is and if it is actually helpful or harmful to give your horse.

Magnesium plays many vital roles in the body. It is needed for over 300 enzymatic processes. From helping ‘wired’, reactive or anxious horses to reducing inflammation, supporting fertility, promoting bone health, metabolic function, and insulin regulation, magnesium has a wide range of applications.

Because magnesium is a naturally occurring nutrient, it is frequently assumed to be completely safe and free from side effects. Yet in reality, it isn’t quite this simple. Like many other supplements and nutrients, there are many factors which determine the safety and effectiveness of magnesium: how and what it is used for, the quantity of magnesium a horse is given, the duration of supplementation, the form of magnesium used, a horse’s overall diet and intake of other specific nutrients, exercise and activity levels, breed, sweat rate, any health conditions a horse may have, the state of its gastrointestinal health and any medications a horse is on. 

If you’re already supplementing or considering using magnesium for your horse, here are some key things worth considering.

Not all magnesiums are created equal

Magnesium comes in a variety of forms, depending on what it’s bound to. This refers to the chemical structure of the magnesium, not just whether it is in liquid or powdered form. The most commonly used forms of magnesium (which also tend to be the cheapest forms of magnesium) in equine supplements include:

• Magnesium oxide
• Magnesium chloride
• Magnesium sulphate

Each of these forms differs in terms of absorption, bioavailability, and how they interact with the digestive system. Yet they are generally not the most clinically effective forms of magnesium to use.

This matters more than many people realise.

Magnesium can irritate the gut

Some forms of magnesium, particularly at higher doses can irritate the digestive tract.

Clinically, this may present in our horses as:

• loose and/or more frequent manure
• gassiness/excessive passing of wind
• changes in gut comfort and/or signs of mild colic
• worsening of existing digestive sensitivity

This is often dismissed or overlooked, especially if magnesium is being used for behavioural reasons.

Over-supplementation can disrupt the gut microbiome

High doses, poorly absorbed forms of magnesium or long-term over-supplementation may contribute to gut dysbiosis (an imbalance in gut bacteria). This can have wider consequences, including:

Magnesium can help to promote a healthy gut microbiome and reduce gastrointestinal-associated inflammation, but more is not always better.

• negative impacts on immune function
• altered nervous system function
• changes in neurotransmitter production and function

Our horses’ digestive systems can play a significant role in their behaviour, anxiety levels and learning capacity, thanks to the role of the gut-brain axis. Ironically, this means that excessive magnesium use may actually make some horses more reactive or sensitive, not less.

Magnesium can interfere with other essential nutrients, causing relative nutrient deficiencies

Magnesium doesn’t work in isolation. It interacts closely with other minerals including:

• calcium
• phosphorus
• zinc

Excess magnesium can interfere with the absorption and utilisation of these nutrients, which are critical for:

• bone strength and development
• proper neuromuscular function
• healthy immune function
• healthy nervous system function
• reducing oxidation and inflammation 
• muscle, tendon and ligament health

Calcium and zinc in particular, play key roles in the synthesis and function of neurotransmitters such as:

• Dopamine
• Serotonin
• GABA

Imbalances in these neurotransmitters can directly influence behaviour, sensitivity, pain perception, reactivity, learning ability and response to training.

Magnesium and behaviour: not always a simple fix

Magnesium is often used to help calm or relax our horses, and in some cases, when used appropriately it can be most beneficial. When magnesium doesn’t help to address the underlying cause(s) of anxious or excitable behaviour however, the effects of supplementation will be minimal.

The effectiveness of magnesium supplementation will also be minimal and may compound behavioural issues if the delicate balances of other minerals are disrupted, magnesium is overused, poorly bioavailable forms of magnesium are employed, or the gut microbiome is negatively impacted. In these cases behavioural issues may actually worsen rather than improve.

It is important to remember that many things can contribute to adverse behaviour in our horses, and in the vast majority of cases, there are multiple causes at any one time, not just one single factor. Whilst diet, nutrient deficiencies and gut microbiome all play an important part, it would be remiss to overlooked issues such as pain, learned conditioning, side effects of other medications used (if applicable) and other underlying health issues. Supplemental magnesium will be of very limited benefit if the issues causing a horse’s poor behaviour are not properly addressed.

This is why a blanket approach to supplement with magnesium doesn’t always deliver consistent results.

Where magnesium can be highly beneficial

When used appropriately, magnesium can be valuable, particularly in horses with:

Metabolic Challenges

Magnesium plays a role in regulating blood glucose and insulin levels. It can be especially supportive in horses with:

• insulin resistance (IR) or insulin dysregulation (ID)
• equine metabolic syndrome (EMS)
• laminitis or at risk of laminitis

Increased Physical Demand

Horses lose magnesium through sweat, and in the case of broodmares, through their milk. Requirements may increase in:

• horses in intense workloads
• hot and/or humid climates
• lactating mares
• during travel

In these cases, intake may increase in the range of 1.5 to 2 times maintenance levels.

Diet still matters: natural sources of magnesium

Like many minerals, magnesium naturally occurs in feeds commonly given to our horses. Lucerne (alfalfa) hay is a useful natural source of magnesium. Fortified concentrate and balancer feeds have varying levels of magnesium.

However, it is not always quite as simple as relying on feed alone (or even, relying on nutritional information on a feed bag or product label).

Feeds or supplements which contain high levels of calcium (such as lucerne/alfalfa) can inhibit magnesium absorption to some degree. This highlights the importance of looking at the whole diet, not just individual nutrients or feed components, nor relying on feed programs or calculators alone.

Medications can change magnesium requirements

Many commonly used medications in horses can alter magnesium absorption, metabolism, or excretion, meaning their requirements may shift.

These include:

• corticosteroids
• proton pump inhibitors (the include the most commonly used ulcer medications which contain omeprazole)
• antibiotics
• non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)
• antihistamines
• clenbuterol  (β2-agonists, which are often sold under names such as Claire Gel, Broncopulmin, Airway Gel, Ventipulmin, Equipulmin, etc).

If your horse is on medication, magnesium supplementation should always be considered more carefully. Dose, form, timing and duration of magnesium supplementation is crucial to take into account.

In summary: use magnesium strategically, not automatically

Magnesium is a powerful and valuable tool in equine nutrition and medicine, but it’s not without its limitations.

Used well, it can support:

• metabolic health
• muscle function
• nervous system balance and in turn, behaviour 
• skeletal health
• fertility
• gastrointestinal (‘gut’) health

Used poorly, it can:

• disrupt gut health
• create mineral imbalances and relative nutrient deficiencies
• contribute to ongoing behavioural issues
• interfere with normal bone development and health

The key is not just whether your horse is supplemented with magnesium, but what their actual requirements for it are. The form of magnesium used to supplement, the reasons to supplement it, the duration of supplementation, factors which increase requirements or interfere with magnesium absorption and metabolism should all be taken into consideration.

Take home message

Good equine nutrition is never about using a single supplement in isolation. Assessing the unique needs of the individual horse in front of you is crucial.

Before supplementing magnesium, it’s always worth asking:

• does my horse actually need it? And if so, how much?
• is the diet balanced overall? And what role would supplemental magnesium potentially play in this?
• could there be deeper underlying causes contributing to the reasons which are prompting me to supplement magnesium?

The safest, most effective and sustainable results come from a thoughtful, tailored approach.

Optim Equine

Camilla Whishaw is a highly regarded, experienced horsewoman and naturopath, helping to holistically treat and manage a broad range of equine health conditions and injuries, with a passion for mare and stallion fertility.

As a world-renowned practitioner, presenter, author, and consultant in the field of Equine Naturopathy, Camilla shares her knowledge through keynote presentations, interviews, lectures, panel sessions, and workshop training.

Equine asthma is a condition that can affect horses of all abilities, but is most frequently diagnosed in performance horses and racehorses, and is a common cause of poor performance. The term ‘equine asthma’ covers a broad range of inflammatory conditions of the lower airways, which can vary in their presentation and severity. Conditions that were previously referred to as ‘recurrent airway obstruction’, ‘heaves’, ‘inflammatory airway disease’, ‘chronic obstructive pulmonary disease’, and ‘summer pasture associated asthma’ are now all known as ‘equine asthma’.

When a horse has been diagnosed with, or is suspected of suffering from asthma, it is natural for us to want to provide them with relief. From a pharmaceutical standpoint, that can often mean the use of corticosteroids and, in many cases, clenbuterol (often sold under names such as Claire Gel, Broncopulmin, Airway Gel, Ventipulmin, Equipulmin, etc). While use of these medications may help relieve some clinical signs of asthma, they do not address the underlying causes of the condition and may also come with unintended health consequences. Unfortunately, these side effects are often overlooked, or simply not discussed.

Whilst clenbuterol may provide some initial relief in equine asthma, the use of this drug can contribute to a vicious cycle, potentially perpetuating the condition.

Clenbuterol has been demonstrated to deplete the amino acid taurine. Taurine plays a significant protective role in lung health by exerting powerful anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and membrane-stabilising effects. It also helps to inhibit allergic responses, which can play a role in many cases of equine asthma. Reduced taurine levels may increase the severity of equine asthma and the likelihood of lung tissue damage as a result of ongoing airway changes. Taurine is also needed to promote healthy gut integrity and microflora: gut health is increasingly recognised as an important factor in respiratory conditions such as asthma.

Clenbuterol decreases levels of potassium and magnesium in the body—two key nutrients known to support respiratory health and reduce the severity of asthma. Potassium is essential for controlling airway smooth muscle tone and supporting respiratory muscle function.  Low potassium can increase airway reactivity and hamper breathing, further exacerbating clinical signs of asthma. Depleted potassium levels can also lead to cramping in susceptible horses. Magnesium acts as a bronchodilator (helping the airways relax) and helps reduce airway hyperactivity, spasms, and inflammation.

Long-term use of clenbuterol may also have negative impacts on immune function, further contributing to a self-perpetuating cycle of equine asthma.

An often overlooked side effect of clenbuterol is the influence it may have on temperament and behaviour in our horses. Clenbuterol belongs to a class of drugs known as beta-2 adrenoceptor agonists, which work by mimicking the effects of epinephrine (adrenaline) in the body. This results in a stimulating effect, which may lead to changes in behaviour, including increased excitability, reactivity or nervousness in some horses.

Helping a horse at risk of, or diagnosed with asthma, starts with good management practices. Identifying and appropriately addressing the factors that contribute to the underlying pathophysiology of equine asthma, meeting the individual horse’s nutritional requirements (which often differ from basic nutrient requirements due to medication use), and the judicious use of suitable herbal medicines can significantly support respiratory health, allowing a horse to remain healthy and perform at its best. There is much that can be done for the horse diagnosed with asthma, using approaches that not only support airway health and performance, but also promote overall wellbeing. If your horse has been diagnosed with asthma, or you suspect respiratory issues may be affecting performance or comfort, a tailored approach can make a significant difference. Get in touch with Optim Equine to discuss a personalised plan to your support your horse’s health and performance.

At Optim Equine, we regularly work with horses affected by respiratory conditions…

Optim Equine

Camilla Whishaw is a highly regarded, experienced horsewoman and naturopath, helping to holistically treat and manage a broad range of equine health conditions and injuries, with a passion for mare and stallion fertility.

As a world-renowned practitioner, presenter, author, and consultant in the field of Equine Naturopathy, Camilla shares her knowledge through keynote presentations, interviews, lectures, panel sessions, and workshop training.

Depending on the herb (or combination of herbs used) and their application, they can help to:

• reduce inflammation
• modulate immune function
• aid healing and tissue repair
• assist recovery from infections
• prevent and/or manage equine asthma
• soothe the gut lining and promote healing of both gastric and colonic ulcers
• reduce colic 
• support digestion
• assist fertility
• help regulate hormone levels
• calm nervous horses
• provide gentle pain relief
• promote healthy hoof growth and integrity
• help to reduce the severity of osteoarthritis and maintain joint health
• Aid in blood glucose control and assist in the treatment of insulin resistance, equine metabolic syndrome and laminitis

Whilst herbal medicines are incredibly versatile, they’re not magic. And they can’t replace a poorly balanced diet….

One of the biggest misconceptions I see is that herbs can fully meet a horse’s nutritional needs or correct nutritional deficiencies on their own. 

This is simply not true. 

The vast majority of herbs (with few exceptions) do not provide sufficient quantities of key minerals and vitamins our horses need for optimal health and functioning.

Take the calcium rich herb nettle (Urtica diocia) for example….

100 g dried nettle leaf (~4–5 cups) provides approximately 300–500 mg calcium.

For a 500 kg (1100 pound) horse, calcium requirements typically fall in the range of 20–40 g/day (depending on life stage, workload, and physiological status).

This means:

• 100 g nettle provides roughly 0.3–0.5 g calcium
• This equates to approximately 1/40 to 1/133 of daily calcium requirements

To meet calcium needs via nettle alone would require:

• 4–5 cups × 40–133 = ~160–665 cups per day

This is neither practical nor appropriate.

Whilst strategically employed herbal medicines can help to restore optimal gastrointestinal health and function in our horses (including digestion, absorption and metabolism)- which in turn, can aid in better nutritional status, herbs in and of themselves don’t provide enough levels of nutrients our horses needs to meet daily nutrient requirements.

Optim Equine

Camilla Whishaw is a highly regarded, experienced horsewoman and naturopath, helping to holistically treat and manage a broad range of equine health conditions and injuries, with a passion for mare and stallion fertility.

As a world-renowned practitioner, presenter, author, and consultant in the field of Equine Naturopathy, Camilla shares her knowledge through keynote presentations, interviews, lectures, panel sessions, and workshop training.

Why Broodmare Body Condition Matters

It’s common practice to maintain broodmares in what is considered “good condition.” In reality, this often means mares are kept overweight, based on the belief that heavier mares are more fertile.

But research and field experience suggest otherwise. Excess body fat in broodmares is associated with an increased risk of developmental orthopaedic disease (DOD) in their offspring, including:

• Osteochondrosis (OC)
• Osteochondritis dissecans (OCD)
• Angular limb deformities
• Flexural limb deformities

These conditions can significantly impact sale value, veterinary expenses, training timelines, and long-term soundness and performance outcomes.

The Hidden Problem: “Good Doers” & Nutritional Imbalance

When it comes to health and nutrition of broodmares, some of the most common issues I see in practice are:

• Misjudged body condition
• Underestimated nutrient requirements
• Over-reliance on pasture alone as a sole or primary feed source
• Haphazard or uninformed supplement use
• Feeding based solely on body weight and condition, not nutrient requirements

This is especially true for “good doing” mares. In an effort to control weight, many broodmares are not feed sufficient quantities of a suitably fortified feed or mineral balancer, meaning they:

• Lack key minerals needed for fertility, immune function and foetal growth and development (e.g. copper, zinc, calcium, magnesium, selenium, iodine)
• Receive inadequate micronutrient support
• May not consume sufficient amounts of essential amino acids such as lysine
• Still consume excess energy

This results is a mare that is overweight but undernourished. The implications of these don’t just impact her immediate health, but reproductive outcomes.

At the same time, supplemental feed, vitamin or minerals are often added without a clear understanding of:

• What the mare actually requires
• How her nutrient needs change from preconception, during the different stages of pregnancy, through to lactation
• Correct dosages
• How nutrients interact
• How any medications the mare may be receiving impact nutrient requirements 
• What is already being supplied through pasture and current diet

This can lead to:

• Nutrient imbalances
• Shortfalls in key nutrients required for optimal reproductive health and sound orthopaedic development of the mare’s offspring
• Excesses of nutrients that interfere with absorption of other minerals
• A false sense of “covering all bases”

More supplements generally don’t equate to better nutrition: precision matters. And when it comes to the healthy development of young horses, this is an area which you cannot afford to overlook.

Nutrition & Orthopaedic Development Are Linked

When managing DOD risk in young horses, nutrition and body condition cannot be separated.

All of the following may increase DOD risk:

• Overfeeding energy
• Poor gut microbial health (in both the mare and/or foal)
• Underfeeding essential nutrients
• Feeding certain minerals in excess
• Mineral imbalances
• Inconsistent feeding practices
• Sudden changes in feed
• Feeding in ways that promote high insulin levels

A foal’s orthopaedic health doesn’t start at birth: it starts with how the mare is managed before conception and throughout pregnancy.

The Real Cost of Getting It Wrong

Many developmental issues don’t appear immediately. Instead, they show up later as:

• Swelling, stiffness, lameness (sometimes only subtly)
• Radiograph (x-ray) findings
• Inconsistent performance
• Reduced athletic potential

By that point, the financial and reputational costs are significantly higher.

How to Get It Right

Optimising broodmare nutrition isn’t about feeding less or more, it’s about feeding in a way that promotes health and fertility in the broodmare and sound orthopaedic development in her offspring.

That means:

• Maintaining an appropriate body condition score (not overweight)
• Providing balanced minerals and trace elements in forms which the mare can readily digest, absorb and metabolise
• Adjusting feeding based on pasture, environmental conditions, and reproductive stage
• Ensuring energy (calorie) intake is appropriate given the mare’s unique requirements
• Taking a mare’s reproductive history into account and addressing specific nutrient requirements in relation to this
• Monitoring condition consistently and objectively
• Assessing and addressing the nutritional and metabolic impact of any medications a mare may be receiving 
• Feeding to promote optimal gastrointestinal health

Need Help Assessing Your Broodmare Program?

If you’re unsure:

• Where your mare’s body condition currently sits
• Whether her diet is properly balanced
• Specific nutritional requirements of your broodmare
• How to reduce DOD risk in your youngstock
• Why you mare may struggle with fertility or reproductive challenges, despite extensive veterinary intervention

Now is the time to address it, before small issues become expensive problems.

I work with breeders to optimise broodmare nutrition and management, supporting both fertility and the long-term soundness of their youngstock.

If you’d like a clearer understanding of where your mares currently sit and how to improve outcomes heading into the breeding season, feel free to get in touch.

Optim Equine

Camilla Whishaw is a highly regarded, experienced horsewoman and naturopath, helping to holistically treat and manage a broad range of equine health conditions and injuries, with a passion for mare and stallion fertility.

As a world-renowned practitioner, presenter, author, and consultant in the field of Equine Naturopathy, Camilla shares her knowledge through keynote presentations, interviews, lectures, panel sessions, and workshop training.

However, the use of intra-articular steroids come with risks to our horses and ponies. Particularly those with insulin dysregulation, insulin resistance, equine metabolic syndrome (EMS), pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction (PPID) or those who are at risk of, or have previously had laminitis.

Intra-articular corticosteroids have been shown to increase blood glucose and insulin levels and increase the risk of laminitis, particularly in susceptible horses. The risk may be further increased in horses receiving high-grain or high-starch diets.

When giving our horses any medication or supplement, whether natural or pharmaceutical, both the potential risks and benefits should be taken into account.

For the horse with osteoarthritis or any other degenerative joint disease, diet, exercise (load) management, weight and body composition should all be taken into account. Overweight horses or those with insulin resistance may be at an increased likelihood of developing osteoarthritis due to higher levels of systemic inflammation associated with excess body fat. This highlights the need to be particularly mindful of the risk in these horses and ponies if the use of corticosteroid injections are being considered.

Many nutraceutical and herbal medicine supplements can safely and significantly help horses with osteoarthritis, when selected and used appropriately.

Optim Equine

Camilla Whishaw is a highly regarded, experienced horsewoman and naturopath, helping to holistically treat and manage a broad range of equine health conditions and injuries, with a passion for mare and stallion fertility.

As a world-renowned practitioner, presenter, author, and consultant in the field of Equine Naturopathy, Camilla shares her knowledge through keynote presentations, interviews, lectures, panel sessions, and workshop training.

Automatic watering troughs can seem like a great idea- helping ensure our horses have water available 24/7. In reality, however, many horses that rely on automatic watering systems, particularly small ones commonly found in stables and yards, actually have a high risk of being dehydrated.

There are multiple reasons why horses may not consume enough water from automatic troughs:

• They tend to refill at a slower rate than most horses drink. Many horses won’t remain at the waterer long enough to consume adequate water
• The noise or sensation of them refilling can scare some horses
• Many automatic troughs require an unnatural position for a horse to consume water from
• The water temperature can become excessively cold or overly warm (depending on the weather), which can discourage some horses
• The small, shallow design of many troughs can make it difficult for them to drink from
• Automatic troughs can be susceptible to stray voltage, giving horses an ‘electric shock’
• If they’re not cleaned regularly enough, they can smell and accumulate spoiled feed, insects, debris, algae, etc.

Ensuring our horses and ponies are properly hydrated is essential for their gastrointestinal  (GI) health– one of the many natural ways to help prevent the development of gastric ulcers and colic. Adequate hydration is also essential for overall health, performance and recovery.

Optim Equine

Camilla Whishaw is a highly regarded, experienced horsewoman and naturopath, helping to holistically treat and manage a broad range of equine health conditions and injuries, with a passion for mare and stallion fertility.

As a world-renowned practitioner, presenter, author, and consultant in the field of Equine Naturopathy, Camilla shares her knowledge through keynote presentations, interviews, lectures, panel sessions, and workshop training.

Yet one factor which is commonly overlooked is hydration in our horses. Even subtle dehydration may increase their chances of developing gastric ulcers. But why is this?

Dehydration leads to reduced saliva production in our horses and ponies. Saliva plays an important role in protecting the stomach. Saliva is alkaline and rich in bicarbonate ions. Bicarbonate helps to buffer gastric acid, especially in the squamous (non-glandular) region of the stomach.

Dehydration also results in reduced mucosal blood flow- that is, blood flow to the lining of the stomach.  Compromised blood flow weakens natural mucosal defence and repair mechanisms making the stomach more susceptible to inflammation and ulceration. It’s commonly believed that horses only become dehydrated in hot weather, yet this isn’t true. Dehydration is common in very cold weather: research has shown that horses may drink less water when it is very cold. This can be compounded by a reduction of fresh pasture intake, when grass is under ice, snow or  its availability is sparse.

Inadequate salt in the diet is a common cause of dehydration in our horses.  As is the reliance upon the use of automatic watering troughs. Studies have shown that horses may not consume enough water due to the slow refilling time, small trough size, fear of the device, stray voltage which can give them an electric ‘shock’ when they go to drink or the unnatural drinking posture it requires.

Whilst ensuring our horses are consuming adequate water is essential to help promote proper hydration, it is vital to be aware of factors which may increase their loss of water and hint..it’s not just hot weather and sweating!

A horse who has diarrhoea or regularly has loose manure, has an increased likelihood of being dehydrated- even when their water consumption seems adequate. Medications such as furosemide (Lasix/Salix), ‘Kidney Flush’ products for horses (which are sometimes promoted as ‘urinary buffers’) and ertugliflozin (a drug which is very commonly used in cases of equine metabolic syndrome (EMS), insulin resistance (IR) and laminitis) may also cause dehydration in our horses.

From a management perspective, travelling our horses (even when the weather isn’t overly hot) and over-rugging/blanketing our horses can lead to significant fluid losses. As can diets excessively high in protein.

Being mindful of hydration,  particularly in horses with loose manure or those receiving certain medications, may be another simple but important step in reducing ulcer risk. Is hydration part of your horse’s gastric health checklist?

Optim Equine

Camilla Whishaw is a highly regarded, experienced horsewoman and naturopath, helping to holistically treat and manage a broad range of equine health conditions and injuries, with a passion for mare and stallion fertility.

As a world-renowned practitioner, presenter, author, and consultant in the field of Equine Naturopathy, Camilla shares her knowledge through keynote presentations, interviews, lectures, panel sessions, and workshop training.

The composition of our hose’s gut microbiota has a profound impact on their behaviour and health. This is mediated through the gut-brain-immune axis. Changes in the composition of their gut microbiota can influence neurotransmitter production and function. Neurotransmitters are the natural chemical messengers which have important roles influencing many processes in our horses. Temperament, behaviour, motor control, learning patterns and digestive function are all influenced by neurotransmitters. Gut microbial population also affects neuroinflammation (inflammation of the brain and spinal cord), which can further influence mood and behaviour. Excessive levels of neuroinflammation may worsen stress, anxiety, tension and irritation in our horses.

Many things can adversely affect our horse’s gut microbiota, which may contribute to dysfunction of the gut-brain-immune axis. Clinical signs, changes and conditions we may see in our horses when their gut-brain-immune axis has been disrupted include:

• Faecal water syndrome
• Gastric ulcers
• Colonic ulcers
• Failure to thrive
• Failure to put on/maintain weight
• Susceptibility to infections and/or recurrent, chronic infections
• Nervousness, erratic behaviour, shying, anxiety, irritability
• Equine metabolic syndrome
• Insulin resistance
• Inflammatory bowel disease
• Colic
• Scours/diarrhoea
• Laminitis
• Osteoarthritis
• Equine Asthma Syndrome
• Recurrent skin conditions
• Poor recovery post exercise, training and/or competition
• Excessive muscle tension

In some horses, however, dysbiosis (unhealthy balance of the microbial community in the gut microbiota) may result in no obvious outward signs, yet their health is likely impacted under the surface, and this may become evident further down the track. Many of the signs associated with a dysfunctional gut-brain-immune axis health are non-specific, meaning they can often be dismissed or attributed to something else. Unfortunatel,y this means that often the underlying cause(s) of the condition or clinical signs can be overlooked in our horses.

Some of the factors which compromise GI health, and in turn influence immune health and behaviour include (but are certainly not limited to): insufficient dry matter (long-stem) fibre in the diet; large sized ‘hard feeds’ (ie concentrates and grains); large percentages of starch and/or sugar in the diet; abrupt changes in diet and/or pasture; the use of certain medications (including antibiotics, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), corticosteroids and ulcer medications); viral and/or bacterial infections; high parasite burdens; nutritional insufficiencies, deficiencies and/or excesses (usually certain minerals, but sometimes particular vitamins); heavy metal toxicities; stress; pain; dehydration; high levels of inflammation in the body; extended travel; intense exercise.

Given the modern demands, management, feeding and medication use in horses, most horses will have compromises to their gut microbiota. The effects of these can be long-lasting, unless specific, targeted, supportive and corrective action is taken. This is crucial not only for their GI health, but in turn their immune health and behaviour, in addition to their overall health, performance and recovery.

Optim Equine

Camilla Whishaw is a highly regarded, experienced horsewoman and naturopath, helping to holistically treat and manage a broad range of equine health conditions and injuries, with a passion for mare and stallion fertility.

As a world-renowned practitioner, presenter, author, and consultant in the field of Equine Naturopathy, Camilla shares her knowledge through keynote presentations, interviews, lectures, panel sessions, and workshop training.

The good news is there is a commonly fed treat that is suitable for the majority of horses and ponies and as a bonus, it is also widely available, cheap and has several health benefits. What is that treat?

CARROTS!

The vast majority of commercial horse treats are processed and contain added sugars, fillers, grain by products and other ingredients which may not make them advisable or suitable to feed to many horses and ponies. Fresh carrots however, are low in energy and sugar and do not contain artificial ingredients which can have detrimental health effects on our horses and ponies.

From a nutritional perspective, carrots provide beta-carotene, an antioxidant that horses and ponies can convert to vitamin A, supportingimmune health, gastrointestinal health and eye function.

When feeding horses and ponies carrots it is important to take into consideration that they should be fed in moderation. For horses or ponies that eat quickly, have dental issues or are at risk of choke, carrots should be cut into small pieces or grated before feeding.

When used appropriately, carrots can be a simple, nutritious treat option that fits well within many feeding programs.

Optim Equine

Camilla Whishaw is a highly regarded, experienced horsewoman and naturopath, helping to holistically treat and manage a broad range of equine health conditions and injuries, with a passion for mare and stallion fertility.

As a world-renowned practitioner, presenter, author, and consultant in the field of Equine Naturopathy, Camilla shares her knowledge through keynote presentations, interviews, lectures, panel sessions, and workshop training.

The way a foal enters the world can have a lasting impact on its gut health, immune function, and even its risk for developing inflammatory conditions later in life.

In the absence of infection, foals in utero have sterile intestines. 

The ‘healthy’ bacteria needed to colonise the foal’s gut microbiota primarily come from the maternal birth canal and rectum. Through the process of normal delivery, these bacteria are swallowed by the foal, travelling through the stomach and colonising the upper and lower intestine, a complicated process that evolves rapidly.

Foals born via cesarean section fail to encounter the bacteria of the birth canal and maternal rectum. Instead, bacteria from the skin and environment they are delivered in, quickly populate the bowel. As a result, the bacteria inhabiting the lower intestine following a cesarean birth can differ significantly from those found in the vaginally-born foal. Foals born via cesarean are likely to have different, less beneficial and health promoting bacteria to those foals born normally.

Through either mode of delivery, a core gut microbiota is well established within a few weeks of life. This bacterial balance persists largely intact throughout life. A less stable peripheral microbiota—one that is more sensitive to changes in diet and environmental factors, like antibiotics—is also formed.
In cases where cesarean deliveries are necessitated, there are strategies which can be employed to help establish and promote a healthier balance of microflora, thereby positively influencing the foal’s health for life.

Optim Equine

Camilla Whishaw is a highly regarded, experienced horsewoman and naturopath, helping to holistically treat and manage a broad range of equine health conditions and injuries, with a passion for mare and stallion fertility.

As a world-renowned practitioner, presenter, author, and consultant in the field of Equine Naturopathy, Camilla shares her knowledge through keynote presentations, interviews, lectures, panel sessions, and workshop training.

In the lead up to and during breeding season, many pregnant mares are relocated to different properties from where they are normally kept, in order to be foaled down.

Mares which are to foal at properties different to where they are currently residing should be moved a minimum of 30 days prior to foaling. It is generally well accepted not to travel a mare close to foaling (due to increased cortisol levels in response to travel, which influence hormonal changes and can induce labour). What few people actually stop to consider is the importance of the environment the mare is kept in prior to foaling and the impact it has on her foal’s immune system.

The newborn foal is entirely dependent on the antibodies provided in the colostrum by its dam (unlike humans, foals are not born with any circulating antibodies) in order to prevent/fight infection.

The antibodies contained in a mare’s colostrum are active against microorganisms specific to that mare’s environment: whatever might be circulating on the farm she is kept on, as well as against pathogens the mare has confronted or been vaccinated against in the past.

By ensuring mares are moved in a timely manner to the property where they will foal, they are able to stimulate colostral antibody production to local pathogens, thereby helping to pass these onto the offspring, giving their foal’s immune system the best chance to ward off pathogens specific to the environment it is in.

Optim Equine

Camilla Whishaw is a highly regarded, experienced horsewoman and naturopath, helping to holistically treat and manage a broad range of equine health conditions and injuries, with a passion for mare and stallion fertility.

As a world-renowned practitioner, presenter, author, and consultant in the field of Equine Naturopathy, Camilla shares her knowledge through keynote presentations, interviews, lectures, panel sessions, and workshop training.

Mares and fillies who exhibit overtly hormonal behaviour can be a real challenge and frustration for riders, trainers and owners. At the other end of the spectrum, broodmares who fail to maintain their pregnancy can cause significant financial loss and disappointment for owners and stud managers.

In both instances, one of the first things many do is use the drug altrenogest in their fillies or mares.

Altrenogest, commonly referred to as Regumate or Readyserve (two of its trade names) is a synthetic progesterone product used to suppress oestrus in mares (and often used with the intention to help ‘maintain’ pregnancy in ‘problem’ pregnancy mares). It is the first choice by many horse people to help ‘control their marey-mare’.

Whilst the health issues associated with the use of altrenogest in horses are extensive, it’s well worth being aware of health implications in humans.

Scarily, altrenogest is routinely viewed and handled as a relatively harmless substance. Yet this drug can cause significant hormonal and health problems to humans who come into contact with it. Altrenogest has been widely reported to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for its adverse effects in both men and women.  Exposure is most commonly reported following drug contact with the skin, but it is important to note that some reported exposures occur in conjunction with touching product residue on barn surfaces, equipment, and treated animals. Put simply, you don’t even directly have to handle the drug to suffer adverse health effects from it.

The most significant noted health implications of human exposure to altrenogest involve reproductive system issues, including abnormal menstrual cycles in women (changes in bleeding frequency, pattern and amount). Girls as young as 14 years old have been effected- an alarming consequence. In men, decreased libido has been reported. Headaches, fever, abdominal pain, nausea, diarrhoea, vomiting and skin rashes have also been associated with exposure to altrenogest.

The labelling for all altrenogest products include warnings against human exposure as the hormone is readily absorbed through intact skin. 

It’s easy to think that wearing latex gloves will protect us from the harmful effects of this medication. But this is a misconception: latex allows the passage of altrenogest through it, which can then penetrate the skin. Once altrenogest has been spilt on the gloves and soaked through, it is then more readily absorbed by the skin rather than passing back through the glove. Essentially this practice creates an ‘altrenogest patch’.

When it comes to the use of altrenogest in fillies and mares, it is important to remember that the causes of hormonal problems and imbalances may be due to many factors. As too is the failure to maintain pregnancy.

Feeding practices, nutritional status, inflammation, body composition, the use of certain medications, gastrointestinal health and stress levels all play very important roles, yet are commonly overlooked. 

Appropriately prescribed herbal medicines and nutritional supplements, alongside sound dietary and management practices can significantly help the ‘hormonal’ mare or filly and her behaviour. For the mare to be bred, they can also help to support conception and healthy foetal growth and development.

Understanding why a mare or filly exhibits overtly ‘hormonal’ behaviour is really important to promote overall best health and performance. In the case of pregnancy loss, identifying and addressing contributing factors specific to each individual mare can help result in the best possible outcomes.

Simply manipulating hormone levels through the addition of synthetic progesterone rarely helps to address the causes in either case: it just ‘bandaids’ them.

Optim Equine

Camilla Whishaw is a highly regarded, experienced horsewoman and naturopath, helping to holistically treat and manage a broad range of equine health conditions and injuries, with a passion for mare and stallion fertility.

As a world-renowned practitioner, presenter, author, and consultant in the field of Equine Naturopathy, Camilla shares her knowledge through keynote presentations, interviews, lectures, panel sessions, and workshop training.

These bacteria play essential functions in our horses and ponies: they help to digest fibre through fermentation, providing our horses and ponies with a valuable energy source.

Through this fermentation of fibre, these bacteria also produce substances which have immune-supporting and anti-inflammatory properties. Importantly, some of these substances help to strengthen gut wall integrity and help prevent against the development of gastric and colonic ulcers. Additionally, these bacteria produce B group vitamins (including biotin) and vitamin K.

Fibre is a key component of our horses’ and ponies’ diets for their overall health, wellbeing and performance. Ensuring they are fed sufficient fibre is a dietary factor which is often overlooked, yet is arguably one of the most important feed related factors which influences every facet of their health.

Optim Equine

Camilla Whishaw is a highly regarded, experienced horsewoman and naturopath, helping to holistically treat and manage a broad range of equine health conditions and injuries, with a passion for mare and stallion fertility.

As a world-renowned practitioner, presenter, author, and consultant in the field of Equine Naturopathy, Camilla shares her knowledge through keynote presentations, interviews, lectures, panel sessions, and workshop training.

Understanding pain in our horses

The experience of pain is unique to each individual horse and pony: in the way it presents, the intensity, frequency of the pain and how the horse or pony responds to treatment. In recent years, we have come a long way in better understanding the many different physical signs a horse or pony may display to indicate that they are in pain.

Pain seldom appears alone: it can impact a multitude of different aspects in a horse or pony. A horse or pony in pain can concurrently experience changes in behaviour or temperament: this may be one of the first indications which alerts us to the fact our horse or pony is experiencing pain. If the pain is new/acute in nature, these behavioural changes can appear totally out of character. If the pain is chronic/ongoing, the horse or pony may become withdrawn or ‘shut down’ in order to manage their pain. Poor performance, immune health challenges, digestive health issues and compromised fertility may all be associated with pain in our horses and ponies.

To effectively address and relieve pain in our horses and ponies, it is important to consider that pain can be multifaceted and complex. When we think of pain in our horses and ponies, we commonly think of pain which is a result of a direct physical cause. That is, pain that is associated with injury, lameness, poorly fitting tack or saddles, etc. This is what is referred to as ‘somatic pain’.

Yet pain can (and often is) so much more complex than this. Which in part, helps to explain why the use of anti-inflammatory drugs and corticosteroids doesn’t effectively resolve pain in many cases.

Different types of pain respond better to different treatments due to their varying mechanisms, mediators, impact on the brain and inflammatory pathways.

To provide the best pain relief for our horse or pony, an individual, targeted approach is essential. Read on to learn more about the different types of pain our horses and ponies can experience.  

Nociceptive Pain

Nociceptive pain is experienced due to ongoing activation of nociceptors (pain sensing neurones located within body organs and internal cavities). Nociceptive pain is caused by damage to body tissues as a result of trauma and/or inflammation. When we think of pain in our horses and ponies, nociceptive pain is generally the first type of pain that comes to mind.

Nociceptive pain serves as a protective response to injury or potential harm. In cases of chronic pain however, nociceptor activation can remain ongoing, even after healing of damaged tissues is complete and there is no further sign of damage/injury. Accurately identifying and understanding the causes and mechanisms behind this chronic pain in our horses and ponies can be incredibly difficult: an injury may be visibly healed (even on thorough imaging and diagnostic methods), yet the horse is still demonstrating signs of pain.

Nociceptive pain can be further divided into two main categories: somatic pain and visceral pain.

Somatic Pain

Somatic pain has a direct physical cause and arises from the musculoskeletal system (muscles, bones, joints, tendons, ligaments, connective tissues) and skin. Osteoarthritis, tendon injuries, ligament injuries, hoof abscesses, cuts and wounds are all examples where a horse or pony may experience somatic pain. It is what many vets, body workers, farriers and other equine health care professionals are often looking for when trying to identify the source of pain. In order to help identify the pain, lameness exams, nerve blocks, imaging (radiographs, MRIs, PET scans, CTs, nuclear scintigraphy etc) may be used.

Yet sometimes our horses and ponies still clearly demonstrate they are in pain, even when these avenues have been exhausted and there seems to be no explainable cause for their pain. So why is this? Despite the best technology, we can’t always see structural issues, so the pain can indeed be somatic in nature, but despite our best efforts, we can’t physically see what is causing the pain. Another reason, which may be overlooked, is the pain they are experiencing may not be somatic pain (or not just somatic pain alone). 

The pain our horses or ponies may be experiencing in this case is likely one (or a combination of) any of the other following types of pain.

Visceral Pain

Visceral pain is pain which originates from internal organs of the body, including the stomach, intestines, liver and kidneys. It may arise due to distension, inflammation or lack of blood supply to internal organs. Colic is a common clinical sign of visceral pain in our horses and ponies. The chronic, inflammatory nature of inflammatory bowel disease may cause visceral pain in some horses and ponies. In many cases we may not be able to visually ‘see’ the source of pain using diagnostic methods, instead relying on history and assessment of clinical signs in the horse or pony. Identifying visceral pain can be even more challenging as it may be masked by other conditions. The discomfort a horse or pony experiences from visceral pain can vary from mild to intense.

Neuropathic Pain

Neuropathic pain is what we commonly think of as ‘nerve pain’. It is caused by nerve damage or dysfunction, resulting in dysregulation of the transmission of nerve signals into the spinal cord. Many causes of neuropathic pain are often linked to excessive inflammation in both the peripheral and central nervous system. Inflammation however, is typically only one element of neuropathic pain. The pathophysiology of neuropathic pain is generally complex and multifactorial, which partly explains why the use of anti-inflammatories and/or rest may only provide minimal relief in many cases.

Central sensitisation

Central sensitisation is pain without identifiable nerve or tissue damage, which makes it challenging to diagnose. This type of pain is thought to result from persistent neuronal dysregulation. It may play an element in cases of neuropathic pain. Some types of neck and back pain without structural pathology may be examples of central sensitisation.

Inflammatory pain

Although somatic pain can definitely be a type of inflammatory pain, immune responses in our horses and ponies can also result in inflammatory pain. This may arise in cases of infection.

Referred pain

Referred pain is pain felt in a different location from the actual source. This form of pain can be challenging to diagnose. An example of referred pain may be highlighted by a horse or pony experiencing problems with its temporomandibular joint (TMJ) or teeth: in such cases, a horse or pony may have referred pain in the neck- with the neck appearing as if it is the source of pain itself.

Psychogenic Pain

Psychogenic pain is physical pain that is caused, increased or prolonged by emotional, mental or behavioural factors, without evidence of physical injury or illness. Psychogenic pain may not yet be commonly recognised as a clinical diagnosis in horses and ponies, but as we understand more about the role of stress, social isolation, anxiety, lack of freedom of movement, insufficient forage in the diet, boredom and frustration in the equine- the role of psychogenic pain should not be overlooked. From a clinical perspective, monitoring and/or observing signs such as heightened reactivity, increased heart rate and/or respiratory rate, stereotypies (wind sucking, cribbing, weaving, box/stall walking, paddock walking) may all be indicative of psychogenic pain.

So how can we help a horse or pony in pain?

In any case of a horse or pony experiencing pain, taking a thorough case history and conducting a comprehensive, holistic assessment gives us the best chance to understand the potential causes and contributing factors to their pain. It is important to note that in many cases, whilst clinical signs can be useful to help understand pain better in our horses and ponies, they are often non-specific.

Viewing, managing and treating pain from a holistic perspective gives us the best possible chance of helping our horses and ponies. We are fortunate that a wide range of judiciously employed nutraceuticals, herbal medicines, dietary and management strategies can significantly help horses and ponies who are experiencing pain. Within the scope of herbal medicine and nutraceuticals alone, we have multiple options in the choice of the herbs and nutrients which can be used to best help treat and manage different types of pain.

The treatment approach we take for specific types of pain should be different if we want the pain relief to be truly effective for our horses and ponies and to resolve the source(s) of the pain.

Optim Equine

Camilla Whishaw is a highly regarded, experienced horsewoman and naturopath, helping to holistically treat and manage a broad range of equine health conditions and injuries, with a passion for mare and stallion fertility.

As a world-renowned practitioner, presenter, author, and consultant in the field of Equine Naturopathy, Camilla shares her knowledge through keynote presentations, interviews, lectures, panel sessions, and workshop training.

When feeding heavily pregnant mares, many focus primarily on providing increased calories to the mare. Unfortunately, the importance of trace minerals often gets overlooked. 

Zinc, selenium and copper in particular are low in mares milk. For a foal’s requirements of these minerals to be met, the pregnant mare must have received sufficient amounts of these during pregnancy (and as research continues to support, even prior to pregnancy). This allows the unborn foal’s liver to be fortified with these nutrients prior to birth. 

The foal draws upon the supplies of these minerals from the liver for the first couple of months of life. This is essential to support healthy skeletal growth. Insufficient stores of these trace minerals may predispose foals to growth disorders and conditions such as osteochondrosis and osteochondritis dissecans (OCD).

Optim Equine

Camilla Whishaw is a highly regarded, experienced horsewoman and naturopath, helping to holistically treat and manage a broad range of equine health conditions and injuries, with a passion for mare and stallion fertility.

As a world-renowned practitioner, presenter, author, and consultant in the field of Equine Naturopathy, Camilla shares her knowledge through keynote presentations, interviews, lectures, panel sessions, and workshop training.

Research has demonstrated that during the last three to four months of pregnancy, the developing foetus will gain approximately 70-80% of its birth weight! To support this rapid foetal growth, a pregnant mare’s nutritional requirements greatly increase.

Without a mare receiving proper nutrition during this important phase of pregnancy, her foal’s long-term health and development may be compromised. Such nutritional implications are associated with a predisposition for skeletal growth disorders (such as osteochrondrosis and osteochondritis dissecans [OCDs]) in her offspring.

Appropriately feeding a mare during this phase can become challenging- especially when she is a ‘good-doer’ or has a tendency to get fat: research has demonstrated that another risk factor predisposing young horses to orthopaedic development disorders is being born to mares who carry excess body weight (and particularly body fat) during pregnancy. Keeping such mares at a healthy bodyweight is even more difficult in areas where there is abundant pasture. Unfortunately, however, pasture alone will not meet a mare  and her developing foetus’ nutritional requirements. Nor will the provision of a mineral salt lick/block.

There is a happy balance however, to support a mare and her developing foetus’ nutritional requirements, whilst also ensuring a mare is kept at a healthy body weight and condition. This helps to give a foal its best chance at life and healthy orthopaedic development and is one critical strategy to help prevent orthopaedic developmental disorders as the foal grows and matures. It is also one of the most important factors to assist a mare getting back in foal, should she be covered or inseminated again. 

The long-term health and athletic performance of our horses starts with conception (and even pre-conception). To learn more about how we can help your horses visit our services page.

Optim Equine

Camilla Whishaw is a highly regarded, experienced horsewoman and naturopath, helping to holistically treat and manage a broad range of equine health conditions and injuries, with a passion for mare and stallion fertility.

As a world-renowned practitioner, presenter, author, and consultant in the field of Equine Naturopathy, Camilla shares her knowledge through keynote presentations, interviews, lectures, panel sessions, and workshop training.

It is well known that stress, nutrition (including both excesses and/or insufficiencies of specific nutrients), body weight and composition, light exposure, certain medications and fitness levels are just some of the important factors which influence sperm count, motility and morphology  and testosterone levels in our stallions.

When a stallion has a period during the season where his fertility is sub-par it’s easy to focus on what is happening for the stallion at that point in time. If a number of mares are returning negative 14-18 day scans, it can be easy to even consider what happened in the 2-3 week period prior (ie around the time when the mare was covered). Yet, likely the most important question to consider is what was happening for the stallion 55-57 days prior to the day of cover of those mares returning negative scans?

Spermatogenesis is the process of sperm cell development, and in the stallion takes around 55-57 days. That means, things which negatively impact sperm cell production and development may not be reflected in fertility parameters until nearly two months afterwards. For a stallion that may struggle with fertility rates at a specific point in the breeding season, we really need to be considering what was happening for that stallion around two months prior.

For the stallion that has historically been sub fertile or struggles with fertility for the majority of the season, a comprehensive approach can help to address the causes and substantially improve fertility. In such cases, there are generally multiple factors contributing to compromised testosterone levels and/or sperm parameters. The good news is that in many cases these can be significantly improved.

Optim Equine

Camilla Whishaw is a highly regarded, experienced horsewoman and naturopath, helping to holistically treat and manage a broad range of equine health conditions and injuries, with a passion for mare and stallion fertility.

As a world-renowned practitioner, presenter, author, and consultant in the field of Equine Naturopathy, Camilla shares her knowledge through keynote presentations, interviews, lectures, panel sessions, and workshop training.

Corticosteroids (such as prednisolone and dexamethasone), non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (such as phenylbutazone, firocoxib, flunixin), gastric ulcer medications and antibiotics all impact gastrointestinal (GI) ‘gut’ health through several different mechanisms. These may include: irritating the sensitive tissue which lines the digestive tracts of our horses and ponies, potentially causing gastric ulceration and/or bleeding; causing GI dysbiosis (adversely impacting the delicate microflora populations within our horses’ and ponies’ GI tracts); and altering nutrient absorption and metabolism (the way our horses and ponies digest, utilise and excrete nutrients). 

Good gut health is central to the overall health and wellbeing in our horses. We know that beyond digestive health, gut health in our horses and ponies significantly influences: immune health; bone, cartilage and joint health; respiratory/airway health; metabolic health; reproductive health/fertility; hoof health; laminitis risk; and even behaviour and motor patterns in our horses.

These are just some of the reasons why it is important to use any medications judiciously- even ones that are routinely employed in many situations. In the case that these medications are required, strategic nutritional supplementation and in many cases, appropriately prescribed herbal medicines can help to address some of the nutrient depletions and side effects caused by these medications. Additionally they can help to return the digestive system to the best possible state of health.

Optim Equine

Camilla Whishaw is a highly regarded, experienced horsewoman and naturopath, helping to holistically treat and manage a broad range of equine health conditions and injuries, with a passion for mare and stallion fertility.

As a world-renowned practitioner, presenter, author, and consultant in the field of Equine Naturopathy, Camilla shares her knowledge through keynote presentations, interviews, lectures, panel sessions, and workshop training.

Many factors can contribute to developing colic and we know that in many cases, diet plays a significant role. What and how you feed your horse or pony can significantly increase or decrease their risk of developing colic.

Research has shown that a diet high in concentrates (ie mueslis, grain-based feeds) increases the risk of colic. In one particular study, horses fed a diet ‘high’ in concentrates (where ‘high’ was considered more than 2.5kg day- which in reality, is a small amount compared to what many horses are fed) had a significant increase in the risk of developing colic.

The more concentrate/grain or ‘hard’ feed a horse receives (and the less roughage they consume) the higher their risk of colic episodes. For every 1kg increase in concentrated feed per 100kg of body weight, the risk of colic increased by more than three times.

On the flip side, for every 1 kg increase in roughage (forage/hay) per 100 kg bodyweight fed per day, the risk of colic dropped by more than three times!

There are many likely mechanisms for the significantly increased/decreased risk of colic with the associated dietary changes.

The most important take-home question from the above is that what we feed our horses matters- not only for their performance, growth, body condition and health- but also in terms of increasing or decreasing their risk of colic.

Optim Equine

Camilla Whishaw is a highly regarded, experienced horsewoman and naturopath, helping to holistically treat and manage a broad range of equine health conditions and injuries, with a passion for mare and stallion fertility.

As a world-renowned practitioner, presenter, author, and consultant in the field of Equine Naturopathy, Camilla shares her knowledge through keynote presentations, interviews, lectures, panel sessions, and workshop training.

One welfare issue which may be associated with the use of gastric ulcer medications and which is commonly overlooked is rebound gastric hyperacidity.

Omeprazole and esomeprazole belong to a class of drugs called Proton Pump Inhibitors (PPIs). These drugs work by stopping the production of hydrochloric acid. Hydrochloric acid is a healthy, key component of normal digestive and immune function in our horses.

When we shut down the production of hydrochloric acid through the use of PPIs, we also interfere with our horses’ own negative feedback mechanisms which regulate hydrochloric acid production. When we stop the use of omeprazole or esomeprazole, particularly abruptly, as commonly occurs at the conclusion of a course of ulcer medication, or in racehorses, prior to racing- then rebound gastric hyperacidity may occur. That is, for a period of time, their bodies lose the ability to regulate the amount of hydrochloric acid produced, resulting in a production of excessive amounts.

This in turn, can increase the risk of EGUS and feed into a self-perpetuating cycle: where a horse is put on ulcer medications, and may (or may not) experience some relief in clinical signs, believed to be associated with EGUS, before coming off the medication and reverting to displaying clinical signs and/or developing EGUS

The use of ulcer medications in any instance should be critically evaluated and when prolonged use is felt necessary, the contributing factors to the development of EGUS should be addressed.

EGUS is often considered a ‘man made’ disease in our horses and ponies: that is, it occurs largely due to our feeding, management and medication practices. The good news is that there is much which can be done to help treat and prevent further episodes of EGUS: Through changing what and how we feed our horses; managing our horses in a way that is conducive to good gastrointestinal ‘gut’ health; providing therapeutic support where appropriate; and reviewing medication practices.

Optim Equine

Camilla Whishaw is a highly regarded, experienced horsewoman and naturopath, helping to holistically treat and manage a broad range of equine health conditions and injuries, with a passion for mare and stallion fertility.

As a world-renowned practitioner, presenter, author, and consultant in the field of Equine Naturopathy, Camilla shares her knowledge through keynote presentations, interviews, lectures, panel sessions, and workshop training.

It occurs in susceptible horses and ponies when phototoxic or photoactive substances accumulate in the skin and interact with sunlight. This can result in severe itchy, crusty and often painful dermatitis. It generally occurs in non-pigmented (i.e. white) skin and skin with little hair cover (such as the muzzle, eyelids, ears and coronary bands).

Equine photosensitivity may be caused by the ingestion of plant or fungal products, chlorophyll metabolites, or other chemicals. It can also occur in conjunction with the use of some medications.

Effects of ingestion of the offending substance may be cumulative and a horse may not develop signs of photodermatitis immediately.

Using lucerne/alfalfa or clover as an example, horses may not develop any clinical signs of photosensitisation until weeks after initially consuming the hay, chaff or pasture which is causing the reaction. We can be feeding our horses this feedstuff for quite some time without any issues, before seemingly all of a sudden, photodermatitis occurs. This can be difficult and confusing, as we often expect clinical signs to appear immediately or very soon after consumption of the offending feed. This can lead to constantly changing our horse’s feed, in attempt to identify the culprit. As a result, this may significantly increase a horse’s risk of developing colic or laminitis.

Other recognised potential causes of photosensitisation include gluten sensitivity; reactions to drugs such as tetracycline antibiotics and phenothiazine tranquillisers; exposure to certain chemicals; and consumption of pastures rich in phosphorus fertilisers.

These are commonly overlooked, but in the author’s experience, generally contribute to photosensitivity reactions more commonly than consumption of lucerne/alfalfa and clover alone, which are often thought to be culprits.

Photosensitisation may also occur as a result of impaired liver function in a horse (known as secondary photosensitivity/photosensitisation).

For these reasons, the effective prevention and treatment of photosensitisation should involve thorough analysis of diet, management, pasture, supplement and medication use in susceptible horses. In many cases, there may be more than one factor contributing to photosensitisation.

The complexity of the condition can also help to explain why simply applying topical creams or lotions and/or simply removing lucerne/alfalfa from the diet or adding a mycotoxin binder to our horse or pony’s feed often doesn’t provide a long-term or effective solution.  Removing certain feeds from a diet can also contribute to nutritional insufficiencies or deficiencies, which can sometimes further compound the problem.

It is critically important to address the underlying cause(s) of the photosensitivity if we want treatment to be effective and to prevent recurrence.

Optim Equine

Camilla Whishaw is a highly regarded, experienced horsewoman and naturopath, helping to holistically treat and manage a broad range of equine health conditions and injuries, with a passion for mare and stallion fertility.

As a world-renowned practitioner, presenter, author, and consultant in the field of Equine Naturopathy, Camilla shares her knowledge through keynote presentations, interviews, lectures, panel sessions, and workshop training.

Salt (sodium chloride) is absolutely essential for our horses and ponies. Salt helps to promote: thirst response (so our equines remain adequately hydrated); fluid balance; healthy blood pressure; and normal muscle and nerve function; and is needed for healthy digestion and gastrointestinal (GI) function.

Salt toxicity is extremely rare in horses, provided they have access to unlimited clean water. 

Research conducted in other animal species and humans has shown that excessive intakes of salt, however, can cause dysbiosis (adverse changes in GI microflora). 

Although currently there is no equine specific research on the topic, it does pose the question ‘can we give our horses too much salt?’  

Whilst this is unlikely, it is possible: an example may be where multiple and/or high dose electrolyte supplements are used, particularly in relatively inactive horses and/or those who don’t sweat much.

In clinical practice, I rarely see horses who have excessively high salt intakes: it is very common however, that I see horses who do not receive sufficient salt in their diets.

Furthermore, horses who are receiving ulcer medications (those containing omeprazole, in either oral or injectable form) can have changes in sodium chloride levels. These drugs interfere with salt absorption- meaning our horses aren’t able to utilise all the salt we are feeding them. This can have repercussions in terms of both health and performance.

Ensuring our horses receive adequate salt relative to their individual requirements and taking into account factors such as medication use is crucial for their wellbeing and performance.

Optim Equine

Camilla Whishaw is a highly regarded, experienced horsewoman and naturopath, helping to holistically treat and manage a broad range of equine health conditions and injuries, with a passion for mare and stallion fertility.

As a world-renowned practitioner, presenter, author, and consultant in the field of Equine Naturopathy, Camilla shares her knowledge through keynote presentations, interviews, lectures, panel sessions, and workshop training.

Poor fertility rates or sub-optimal fertility in stallions can be one of the most financially costly and frustrating challenges for breeding studs and managers.

Sometimes the cause(s) of poor fertility rates can be obvious. Yet, more often than not, the contributing factors may not be clear.

Stress is something which can be easily overlooked, yet plays a fundamental role in the reproductive health and performance of stallions. Stress has been found to reduce luteinizing hormone and testosterone pulsing, leading to reduced spermatogenesis and sperm quality.

The presence of stress in a stallion can be deceptive…When we think about stressed horses, we may commonly think of an outwardly anxious horse; a horse who is always alert and ‘on edge’; one who is reactive and sensitive to changes in their environment; who doesn’t settle easily; and who may walk or pace their paddock. Whilst these are all easily recognisable outward signs of stress, a horse can be under significant stress yet paradoxically appear calm and relaxed.

Some less commonly considered sources of stress to our stallions which may impact their fertility include:

• Nutritional deficiencies and/or insufficiencies;
• The side effects of many commonly used medications;
• Irregular feed regimes
• Insufficient grazing and/or provision of roughage in their diet
• Shuttling and extended travel
• Changes in a stallion’s environment
• Pain- some examples include musculoskeletal pain when covering or gastric ulcers
• The presence or absence of other horses in their immediate environment
• Excessively hot environmental conditions

Even the way a stallion is handled can impact his stress levels. On busy studs, it is not uncommon to be in a rush to complete coverings within a certain time frame. If handlers are stressed, anxious, rushing or feeling pressure to complete breeding sessions, this can raise cortisol levels and heart rates in our stallions, leading to a physiological state of stress.

Whilst we certainly can’t control all the factors which contribute to stress in a stallion, there are many aspects which are modifiable through the way we look after and manage our breeding stallions. Furthermore, the strategic use of appropriate nutritional supplements and herbal medicines can help to mitigate some of the negative effects of stress and help improve testosterone levels, sperm count, sperm quality, sperm morphology and progressive forward motility.

Optim Equine

Camilla Whishaw is a highly regarded, experienced horsewoman and naturopath, helping to holistically treat and manage a broad range of equine health conditions and injuries, with a passion for mare and stallion fertility.

As a world-renowned practitioner, presenter, author, and consultant in the field of Equine Naturopathy, Camilla shares her knowledge through keynote presentations, interviews, lectures, panel sessions, and workshop training.

At birth, foals have only achieved approximately 17% of their mature bone mineral content. What we feed our broodmares (and therefore, the nutrients passed from a mare’s milk to her foal) has significant influence on healthy bone and joint growth and development, immune function, and overall health. A newborn foal consumes 15-25% of its body weight in milk daily. It may also nurse from its mother an incredible 70-80 times per day! In the first few days of life it may nurse even more frequently…as often as every 10 minutes.

Optim Equine

Camilla Whishaw is a highly regarded, experienced horsewoman and naturopath, helping to holistically treat and manage a broad range of equine health conditions and injuries, with a passion for mare and stallion fertility.

As a world-renowned practitioner, presenter, author, and consultant in the field of Equine Naturopathy, Camilla shares her knowledge through keynote presentations, interviews, lectures, panel sessions, and workshop training.

Objectives: To describe the successful treatment of two cases of LPE with differing presentations that underwent thorough diagnostic evaluation and failed to respond to conventional therapy. The importance of addressing the gut microbiome- immune system axis is emphasized.

Study design and data collection: Retrospective analysis of medical records. Case details and setting: Case one: a 10-year-old Quarter Horse gelding with diffuse LPE confirmed by laparoscopic biopsy. Case two: a 12-year-old miniature gelding with diffuse LPE diagnosed by intestinal biopsies and transabdominal ultrasonography. Both horses had undergone repeated extensive physical examinations, gastroscopy (with no lesions evident) as well as complete blood counts and basic metabolic panels. Case two had undergone faecal egg counts and microbial culture. Both horses were resident in Australia. Case one presented with a 15-week history of lethargy and depression, ventral oedema extending from the jaw to the prepuce and daily episodes of mild to severe colic. Colic events were managed with per os administration of flunixin meglumine, but not always successfully. Daily medication consisted of oral dexamethasone, omeprazole and vegetable oil. The horse was also receiving a proprietary GI- specific dietary supplement and had previously been treated with sucralfate. Complications with wound healing following the laparoscopy had necessitated an extended period of hospitalization. Case two presented with sudden onset, profuse watery diarrhoea of 2 years ‘duration; bruxism; intermittent passing of mucus; lethargy and sporadic inappetence for hard feed. At the time of assessment, 8 weeks after LPE diagnosis, the gelding was receiving daily oral doses of dexamethasone, omeprazole and codeine. Previous treatments included a five-day course of benzimidazole followed by single doses of moxidectin and praziquantel; bentonite; yoghurt; oral faecal transplantation; misoprostol; corn oil; psyllium husk; phenylbutazone; sucralfate and antimicrobials (metronidazole and sulfadiazine/trimethoprim).

Intervention: Case one received treatment with an ethanol-based preparation of astragalus, echinacea, chamomile, cramp bark, ginger and liquorice in combination with glutamine, zinc citrate, vitamin D3, slippery elm bark and a multi-strain probiotic. The vegetable oil was stopped immediately. A compound of corydalis, California poppy, valerian and cramp bark was used to manage colic episodes, as required. After 1week, the gelding was weaned off the dexamethasone and omeprazole. The diet was modified to increase dry matter and hard feed meal sizes were reduced while the horse was transitioned to a grain-free diet. Walking exercise was introduced and the owner was encouraged to leave the horse without rugs/ blankets. Case two was administered an ethanol-based blend of goldenseal, meadowsweet, echinacea, corydalis, aniseed and ginger alongside glutamine, zinc citrate, vitamin D3, slippery elm bark and a multi-strain probiotic. Concentrate feed and oaten chaff were withheld temporarily, with lucerne and teff hay quantities increased. Dexamethasone, omeprazole and codeine were gradually curtailed while hand walking was introduced and the pony was left without rugs/blankets.

Results: Case one: 24- h video surveillance confirmed significant reduction in severity and frequency of colic episodes within 2 weeks. The ventral oedema resolved after 4 weeks, with noticeable improvements in perceived energy levels. The gelding has had no recurrence of oedema for 20 months and has been colic-free for 14 months. Competition use has resumed. Case two: within 3 weeks bruxism had ceased, there was a notable improvement in manure density and markedly improved energy levels. After 3 months, faecal output was normal on most days and a grain-free balancer feed and lucerne chaff were introduced, which the pony readily consumed. By 5 months manure density was normal, and has remained so after 2 years.

Main limitations: Biopsies were not repeated after treatment and recovery; efficacy of treatment based on observation of clinical signs; small case numbers.

Conclusion: Chronic LPE, including cases unresponsive to pharmaceutical intervention, can be stabilized and treated successfully by integrating nutraceutical, herbal medicine, dietary and management strategies.

­Ethical animal research: No ethical approval required.

Funding information: None.

Conflict of interest statement: None.

Reference:

Vitale, V. (2022) Inflammatory bowel diseases in horses: What do we know? Equine Vet. Educ. 34, 493–500.  

Published in Equine Veterinary Education Volume 36 | Supplement 13 – Link

Optim Equine

Camilla Whishaw is a highly regarded, experienced horsewoman and naturopath, helping to holistically treat and manage a broad range of equine health conditions and injuries, with a passion for mare and stallion fertility.

As a world-renowned practitioner, presenter, author, and consultant in the field of Equine Naturopathy, Camilla shares her knowledge through keynote presentations, interviews, lectures, panel sessions, and workshop training.

Commonly, the first thing a trainer or owner does is request ‘bloods’ (a full blood count) be taken from the horse. In many cases, a full blood count may yield no significant abnormalities. That however, doesn’t guarantee that a horse is healthy. Nor that the horse isn’t suffering from the lingering consequences of viral infection.

Acute viral pathogens can survive in their latent (inactive) forms driving chronic, and persistent poor performance, impaired recovery and symptoms. This is often not reflected in pathology (blood test) results. Viral infections progress in the body in a multistep process. There is very little that can be done from a pharmaceutical (standard medication) perspective to help a horse recover from post-viral illness.

Fortunately, there are many nutritional supplements and herbal medicines which when employed appropriately, can aid in our horses’ recovery from viral illness. Tailored treatment can aid in promoting optimal health in our horses and help them return to their full athletic potential. Treatment is often targeted at aiding different components of the immune system, whilst concurrently reducing inflammation and supporting antioxidant status.

Optim Equine

Camilla Whishaw is a highly regarded, experienced horsewoman and naturopath, helping to holistically treat and manage a broad range of equine health conditions and injuries, with a passion for mare and stallion fertility.

As a world-renowned practitioner, presenter, author, and consultant in the field of Equine Naturopathy, Camilla shares her knowledge through keynote presentations, interviews, lectures, panel sessions, and workshop training.

Whilst we are always aiming to do what is best for our stallions, sometimes commonly used medications, supplements and routine management practices can hinder the very outcomes we are trying to achieve.

One such example is the use of gastric ulcer medications in our stallions- whether for the treatment of existing ulcers or with the belief that the use of such medications will help to prevent gastric ulcers.

The drug omeprazole is considered the gold standard pharmaceutical treatment of equine gastric ulcers- and is the key ingredient of the vast majority of ulcer medications on the market.

Research has demonstrated that omeprazole can reduce male fertility through multiple mechanisms: impaired sperm quality, abnormal sperm morphology, reduced sperm motility and reduced sperm count. Omeprazole may also cause a reduction in serum testosterone levels.

When every pregnancy counts and significant revenue is at stake, critically reviewing the use of such medications should be forefront.

There are other effective alternatives available to aid in healing and/or preventing gastric ulcers in horses. Furthermore, through individualised application, the potential exists to also concurrently significantly enhance stallion fertility and overall health.

Optim Equine

Camilla Whishaw is a highly regarded, experienced horsewoman and naturopath, helping to holistically treat and manage a broad range of equine health conditions and injuries, with a passion for mare and stallion fertility.

As a world-renowned practitioner, presenter, author, and consultant in the field of Equine Naturopathy, Camilla shares her knowledge through keynote presentations, interviews, lectures, panel sessions, and workshop training.

But do probiotics for horses provide any benefit? Do they actually work? And what do we need to be aware of?….

The current research regarding probiotic supplementation in equines is quite limited. Studies have shown mixed results about their use: some probiotics may be beneficial in some cases; some may have adverse effects on the health of our horses. A good example of this is some cases of diarrhoea may be worsened with the use of some types of probiotics.

Yet there are currently so many gaps in our knowledge of the equine gastrointestinal microbiome and so many variables which can influence the effects which probiotics may have in our horses and ponies.

Before using probiotic containing feeds or supplements in our horses, the following points are worth considering.

Some common (yet rarely discussed) limitations/drawbacks of the addition of probiotics for horses in feeds and supplements are:

• Heat exposure. Many (but not all) probiotics for horses are only stable and remain viable within a certain temperature range. If a feed is produced using heat (as many processed feeds are) and the probiotic is exposed to heat during the cooking process, then the probiotic may not survive.

• Similar to the above, certain types of probiotics are incredibly sensitive to temperature. For these types of probiotics, if they are not kept in cool enough conditions (ie refrigeration), then the probiotics may not remain live or viable.

• Before we purchase the probiotic, how do we know the product has been kept in/stored in suitable conditions to allow that probiotic to remain live? Many feeds and supplements sit in warehouses, shipping containers, etc- which are often hot, and in turn, can compromise the integrity and efficacy of the product.

• Many strains of probiotics used in horse products fail to include strain identification. Different strains of probiotics have different therapeutic properties- and don’t necessarily correlate with human probiotic use and benefits.

• Many probiotic products don’t contain a sufficient number of probiotics (furthermore, it is quite common for horse feeds and supplements to not disclose individual counts of probiotics in their products). Without knowing the number of certain strains of probiotics in a product, we don’t have the information necessary to dose the product correctly to be clinically effective.

• Are the probiotics we’re using resistant to stomach acid and bile salts naturally produced by the horse? If not, they have little chance of reaching the hindgut and colonising it adequately.

• Are the probiotics in the formulation able to adhere to the intestinal wall to properly colonise and exert their effects long-term?

• Some probiotics for horses may have the potential to influence the efficacy of certain types of antibiotics.

Whilst probiotics may be beneficial in the prevention, management and/or treatment of specific health conditions in horses, careful consideration needs to be given before using them. Not all probiotics are created equally, and sometimes seemingly innocuous supplements can work against the desired health outcomes we are trying to achieve in our equines.

Optim Equine

Camilla Whishaw is a highly regarded, experienced horsewoman and naturopath, helping to holistically treat and manage a broad range of equine health conditions and injuries, with a passion for mare and stallion fertility.

As a world-renowned practitioner, presenter, author, and consultant in the field of Equine Naturopathy, Camilla shares her knowledge through keynote presentations, interviews, lectures, panel sessions, and workshop training.

Foals and coprophagy

Foals will generally start consuming manure from about five days old. It is common for this to occur up until approximately three months of age, before gradually declining. By 19 weeks of age, the habit generally stops in most foals.

By consuming manure, foals are populating their digestive system with a variety of microbes: bacteria, protozoa, archea and fungi. This habit is thought to be an important part of healthy gastrointestinal and immune system development: foals are born with a relatively ‘immature’ microbiome which is influenced by multiple factors in their early stages of life. It is worth keeping in mind however, that if a foal is consuming manure from a horse with poor digestive health and/or a horse with a poor balance of microflora and/or a horse with a high parasite burden then this may potentially have adverse effects in the foal.

Inferred research from other animal models suggests that a mare’s faeces contains a pheromone which encourages the foal to consume the manure.  Deoxycholic acid is believed to be present in a mare’s manure: an important byproduct of intestinal bacteria which supports digestive system immunity (helping to protect against enteritis). Deoxycholic acid may also facilitate normal neurological development through promoting myelination of nerves.

Adult horses and coprophagy

The consumption of manure in horses and ponies older than foals is considered an abnormal behaviour. When it does occur, it is thought to be primarily diet and/or gastrointestinal (GI) health related.

A diet low in dry matter fibre (often referred to as ‘roughage’) is one of the most common reasons a horse may consume manure. It is a common misconception that pasture alone provides enough fibre for our horses and ponies, but grass is very low in dry matter fibre. Without feeding appropriate amounts of hay or alternative dry matter fibre sources, the vast majority of horses and ponies will fail to meet their requirements.

Other diet related factors which may contribute to coprophagy include:

• Diets high in starch: even when there is adequate dry matter fibre in the diet;
• Underfeeding and/or food scarcity;
• Long periods of time without access to feed (for example, going more than three hours without access to hay/pasture and/or hard feed);
• Poor gastrointestinal (GI) microflora populations (diet related);
• Specific nutrient insufficiencies and/or deficiencies: potentially vitamin K, selenium and/or zinc.

Dietary factors aside, anything that significantly disrupts a healthy GI microflora balance can contribute to coprophagy. This can include the use of many common medications (such as antibiotics, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs; corticosteroids, gastric ulcer medications); stress in all of its many forms (!); dehydration; travel, etc.

Other less common reasons an adult horse may consume manure can include medical conditions such as equine motor neurone disease.

Optim Equine

Camilla Whishaw is a highly regarded, experienced horsewoman and naturopath, helping to holistically treat and manage a broad range of equine health conditions and injuries, with a passion for mare and stallion fertility.

As a world-renowned practitioner, presenter, author, and consultant in the field of Equine Naturopathy, Camilla shares her knowledge through keynote presentations, interviews, lectures, panel sessions, and workshop training.

In addition to compromising the health, vitality, growth and immune function of the foal, Rotavirus has been associated with gastrointestinal ulceration in foals.

This is likely due to nutritional and systemic stress, interruption of suckling in foals and the direct damage the virus causes to the epithelial cells which line the gastrointestinal (GI) tract.

In addition to appropriate veterinary treatment (where required), strategic use of appropriate nutritional supplements and herbal medicines can help restore integrity to the digestive system, support immune function, and optimise the health and growth rate of the foal.

It is worth keeping in mind that commonly prescribed ulcer medications (those containing omeprazole or ranitidine) can adversely impact nutrient availability- including key nutrients needed for both immune function and proper restoration of the GI epithelial lining. To learn more about the effects of ulcer medications visit Ulcers in Horses: The importance of understanding how medications work.

Optim Equine

Camilla Whishaw is a highly regarded, experienced horsewoman and naturopath, helping to holistically treat and manage a broad range of equine health conditions and injuries, with a passion for mare and stallion fertility.

As a world-renowned practitioner, presenter, author, and consultant in the field of Equine Naturopathy, Camilla shares her knowledge through keynote presentations, interviews, lectures, panel sessions, and workshop training.

But there’s so much more to hoof health than biotin, and if we just focus on one nutrient we miss an important opportunity to help improve not only our horse’s hoof health but their overall health.

It’s also worth remembering that horses with a healthy hindgut microbial population are able to synthesise their own biotin.

Gastrointestinal (GI) health

Poor hoof health can often be indicative of poor gastrointestinal health and/or nutrient deficiencies and/or inadequacies in their diet.

Good gastrointestinal (GI) health in our horses is central to their overall health. The integrity of the cells lining the GI tract, the types and numbers of specific microbes which inhabit the digestive tract and the production of special enzymes within the GI tract all play key roles in many facets of their health.

Long-stem fibre should form the foundation of our horses’ and ponies’ diet: yet fibre intake in many equines falls well below the minimum recommended requirements.  Fibre passes through a horse’s stomach and small intestine undigested, where it reaches the large intestine. Here it undergoes bacterial fermentation by special types of microbes (note: it is normal and healthy for horses to digest fibre in their hindgut, it is not healthy for them to ferment undigested grains and starches). The fermentation of fibre by these microbes results in the production of various substrates important for immune, gastric and nervous system health in our horses. Some of these healthy microbes also produce biotin. A horse with a healthy hindgut microbial population who is fed adequate fibre, can synthesise good levels of biotin needed for hoof health. To read more about the importance of fibre in our horses’ diets, see: Grass, Hay, Fibre and Short Chain Fatty Acids.

Many other nutrients are required for healthy hooves: sufficient quality protein (including adequate amounts of the amino acids lysine, methionine and choline read more about the importance of protein here);  copper; zinc; iodine; calcium; selenium; B group vitamins; vitamin E; vitamin C and vitamin D. Some of these need to be provided in a horse’s diet. Others such as B group vitamins, vitamin C and vitamin D a horse can synthesise if given the right conditions. Simply supplementing biotin alone without ensuring other nutrient needs are met is of limited value. All the aforementioned nutrients also play various key roles in other facets of our horses’ and ponies’ health: fertility; metabolism; immune health; joint and musculoskeletal health; neurological function and behaviour.

Anything that interferes with a healthy GI microflora population in our equines, and/or interferes with the integrity of the cells lining the GI tract, in turn influences nutrient absorption and/or metabolism. Ironically, some of the things which interfere with digestive function are often used to help counteract digestive or other health complaints: gastric ulcer medications; antibiotics, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and corticosteroids to name a few. To learn more about the influence of ulcer medications in relation to the overall health of our horses, visit: Ulcers in Horses: The importance of understanding how medications work.

It’s worth considering the aforementioned aspects before trying to solve an issue such as poor hoof health by adding more supplements to a horse’s diet. If a horse or pony isn’t consuming sufficient fibre or nutrients, and/or is unable to properly digest, absorb or utilise specific nutrients, then adding more supplements to their diet is unlikely to provide an effective solution to the issue at hand.

Optim Equine

Camilla Whishaw is a highly regarded, experienced horsewoman and naturopath, helping to holistically treat and manage a broad range of equine health conditions and injuries, with a passion for mare and stallion fertility.

As a world-renowned practitioner, presenter, author, and consultant in the field of Equine Naturopathy, Camilla shares her knowledge through keynote presentations, interviews, lectures, panel sessions, and workshop training.

But does this actually help our horses with their recovery? And what are the potential downsides to such practices?

Unlike muscles, blood flow to tendons and ligaments is actually poor. Yet blood flow to tendons and ligaments is needed to provide nutrients and specialised cells to these structures, allowing for connective tissue remodelling that naturally occurs in response to training and exercise. This is an important part of adaptation and how tendons and ligaments become stronger. Blood flow is also a key component which helps injured tendons or ligaments heal, and for this reason, can partially explain why injured tendons and ligaments can take so long to heal.

Anything that further hinders this already poor blood flow compromises recovery and repair. The application of ice and cooling boots causes localised vasoconstriction (narrowing of blood vessels). This in turn further reduces already low blood flow to the areas that have been iced. 

Icing may also lead to a decrease in the production of important hormones which help to repair damaged tissue.

Whilst icing in the initial stages of some acute injuries can be helpful (in order to reduce swelling and excessive inflammation)- using it ‘proactively’ or as a form of recovery may do more harm than good.

Optim Equine

Camilla Whishaw is a highly regarded, experienced horsewoman and naturopath, helping to holistically treat and manage a broad range of equine health conditions and injuries, with a passion for mare and stallion fertility.

As a world-renowned practitioner, presenter, author, and consultant in the field of Equine Naturopathy, Camilla shares her knowledge through keynote presentations, interviews, lectures, panel sessions, and workshop training.

If we choose to longe our horses or ponies, it’s important to consider how this form of exercise impacts their joint health.

When a horse is exercised on a circle, they push off with their outside limbs and catch the force of that push with their inside limbs. The joints in a horse’s lower limbs (the fetlock, pastern and coffin joints) have evolved to move in only a front-to-back plane. When exercising a horse, it is natural for their foot to land flat on the ground. For this to occur when they are being exercised on a circle, compression occurs in the medial (inside) aspects of the joint and extra tension is placed on the lateral (outside) of the joint. This causes uneven loading through the joint. The compression on the medial side of the joint impacts articular cartilage; the strain on the outside of the joint puts more tension and ‘wear and tear’ on the ligaments of the outside limbs.

If longeing is performed regularly, it may increase the risk of chronic injury from the stress of the repetitive uneven loading. If we think of this in a more holistic nature, musculoskeletal structures throughout the whole body must compensate for this uneven loading: potentially having a significant impact on a horse’s biomechanics. Even if we only longe our horses or ponies infrequently, there’s still the risk of injury. This is more likely to occur when a horse isn’t properly controlled when being longed (think of a young horse, or a ‘fresh’ horse who we are aiming to ‘calm’ down with longeing).

The negative impacts of longeing can affect horses of all ages. Young horses tend to naturally have less strength in bones and ligaments, potentially increasing their risk of injury from longeing. Cartilage is also susceptible to damage. Further injury can occur in young horses with open growth plates: excessive longeing can potentially cause growth plate damage. This may affect a horse’s long-term conformation and limb alignment.

Whilst older horses are likely to have stronger bones and ligaments from more exercise, they are also susceptible to negative effects from longeing.  Osteoarthritic changes to joints, decreased collagen production, accumulated micro tears and loss of elastic properties in ligaments may increase their risk of injury. 

If we choose to longe our horses and ponies there are a few key considerations to help reduce the potential negative impacts of this form of exercise:

• Avoid longeing young horses, particularly those with open growth plates. These horses are in developmental stages where cartilage may be more susceptible to uneven loading.
• Longe at lower speeds: this helps our horses and ponies to distribute weight more evenly through their joints.
• Of all the gaits, trotting is likely to load the limbs in the most balanced fashion and promote the most even loading.
• Exercise on large circles. Forces on the joint are magnified when working on small circles.
• Only ever longe a horse when they are under control.
• Where possible, longe in a large round pen where the footing is banked. It allows the hooves to have a flatter interaction with the ground.
• Ensure the horse is engaging its body correctly and moving soundly.
• Where possible choose other forms of exercise to work your horse.

When it comes to joint health in our horses and ponies, sometimes we can be quick to want to add a joint supplement to their regime; put them on a IM joint medication and/or medicate their joints, I recommend reading Bisphosphonates (Tildren & Osphos): Understanding how they work and their role in bone health; and Joint Injections in the Horse- Important Considerations. Before doing any of this, there are several incredibly valuable aspects to stop and consider if we want to promote soundness and longevity in our horses. How do we exercise our horses?Is their overall diet one that supports bone, cartilage and joint health, whilst meeting their key nutrient requirements and reduces inflammation? Are our horses on a regular trimming/shoeing schedule which takes into account their biomechanics, conformation and workload? Addressing these factors as part of an holistic approach can help to promote sound, healthy horses and promote the best joint health possible.

Optim Equine

Camilla Whishaw is a highly regarded, experienced horsewoman and naturopath, helping to holistically treat and manage a broad range of equine health conditions and injuries, with a passion for mare and stallion fertility.

As a world-renowned practitioner, presenter, author, and consultant in the field of Equine Naturopathy, Camilla shares her knowledge through keynote presentations, interviews, lectures, panel sessions, and workshop training.

The availability and use of antimicrobial herbal and pharmaceutical medicines gives us the ability to help our equines live longer, healthier lives. If we want this to continue, however, we need to be incredibly judicious in how we use these treatments.

Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) occurs when bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites no longer respond to antimicrobial agents. Using antimicrobial drugs inappropriately or unnecessarily increases AMR. This means that antibiotics and other antimicrobial agents become ineffective in helping our horses in conditions they were once effective in helping to resolve.  This can mean that when our horses actually genuinely need such medications to help, our options are more limited.

The largest contributor to AMR is overuse and misuse of antimicrobial agents. It can be quite easy to accidentally fall into the trap of using such medications without stopping to give thought to what we are actually doing. For example, we give our horses antibiotics unnecessarily, such as in the case of a horse with a snotty nose (viral infection), which we want to ‘treat’ with antibiotics. Antibiotics are ineffective in the case of viral infections. Or when we routinely deworm our horses on a seasonal basis as opposed to employing strategic deworming, faecal egg sampling and pasture management methods (for example regularly picking up manure, harrowing and/or rotating paddocks). To learn more about deworming, see the article: Drenching/Deworming with Panacur.

In some parts of the world (such as Australia and New Zealand), the use of feed supplements that contain antibiotics is a real concern. An example of this is a product which claims to assist in helping prevent laminitis (claims which are not supported in many other parts of the world) Laminitis ‘Prevention’- But at what cost? Even something as innocent as using anti-fungal washes on any skin condition that we may see on our horses and ponies increases the risk of AMR.

Starting with sound animal husbandry practices such as feeding our horses well-balanced diets which meet key nutrient requirements Nutrient Requirements for Horses: Fortified Feeds and the need for Supplementation; employing good pasture management and stable hygiene practices; avoiding self-prescribing for our horses ‘just-in-case’; and disposing of unused antibiotics and anti-fungals appropriately are all really good places to start to help reduce AMR.

In many instances, appropriately applied and selected nutritional supplements and herbal medicines can be used to effectively prevent, treat or manage health challenges in our equines: sometimes used as stand-alone therapies, other times used in conjunction with standard medications. In both cases, they can help to significantly reduce AMR.

We can also be mindful not to pressure our vets to prescribe medications when they don’t feel it is necessary for our horses and ponies. This is in the best interests of not only our equines, but all animals and humans for the long term.

Optim Equine

Camilla Whishaw is a highly regarded, experienced horsewoman and naturopath, helping to holistically treat and manage a broad range of equine health conditions and injuries, with a passion for mare and stallion fertility.

As a world-renowned practitioner, presenter, author, and consultant in the field of Equine Naturopathy, Camilla shares her knowledge through keynote presentations, interviews, lectures, panel sessions, and workshop training.

An important thing to keep in mind, however, is to gradually increase the workload of our horses and ponies. Understandably, many horses are turned out or exercised only very lightly or infrequently during the colder, wetter months and short daylight hours. 

Most of us appreciate that during this time, our horses lose both physical and aerobic fitness. Less often, we stop to consider that during this time off or reduced workload, they lose important conditioning of muscles, tendons, ligaments and bones. If we suddenly increase their workload or take them to competitions on weekends where we ride them hard, we can significantly increase their risk of injury. Bones, ligaments and tendons and to a certain degree muscles need regular loading to cope with impact forces and demands of movements. 

To help musculoskeletal structures of the body adapt to exercise and be ready for high-level performance or demanding exercise, it is incredibly important to strategically and incrementally increase exercise duration, intensity, frequency and overall load.

I don’t think that it is coincidental that clinically I tend to see a much higher percentage of lameness/soreness cases during the summer months compared to other times of the year. Indeed, lameness is one of the primary causes of missed training and competition in performance horses.

Often with better weather, more time and the excitement of competitions, horses are suddenly brought into full work after having months off or being just ridden occasionally. Add to this the fact that the ground is generally much harder in the summer months due to weather conditions (although this isn’t always true!)- which places extra stress on both bones and joints.

Another consideration worth keeping in mind: it is easy for a horse to go mentally sour if we expect them to suddenly go from very little work to a heavy workload or competing. When they aren’t properly conditioned, the actual work they do feels harder due to a lack of fitness. They are also more likely to feel stiffness and soreness after work- and expecting them to perform when they aren’t properly recovered is tough on them. A similar analogy that may be useful to think of is if we suddenly go from not exercising at all to running a marathon every day. We’d be stiff, sore, tired, cranky and reluctant to want to exercise at all. In such cases, it can be tempting to ‘bute’ our horses (ie give them non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as phenylbutazone, ‘PBZ’, Flunix, Firocoxib or similar), yet research shows that the use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatories actually hampers recovery from exercise. These drugs interfere with the body’s natural processes to repair micro damage to muscle, tendon, ligament and bone tissue.

One last thing to keep in mind relates specifically to older horses and ponies. For many of our schoolmasters and really experienced horses out there- we can ‘get away’ with pulling them out of the paddock just before a competition, and they can still be incredibly reliable and deliver outstanding results. They are well-educated and generally need very little practice to perform well. 

Yet, if any horse or pony needs a gradual return to an increased workload it is the older horse and pony. Issues such as osteoarthritis, ‘wear and tear’ with old age, metabolic and hormonal changes and increased recovery time, mean these horses generally need to be brought back into full work slower and with special consideration.

If you’re planning on a summer full of fun riding- whether that be simply for pleasure and/or competing, now is the time to plan and implement a gradual return to work for your horse. It can significantly help to reduce injury risk, as well as make riding a far more enjoyable experience for both you and your horse.

Optim Equine

Camilla Whishaw is a highly regarded, experienced horsewoman and naturopath, helping to holistically treat and manage a broad range of equine health conditions and injuries, with a passion for mare and stallion fertility.

As a world-renowned practitioner, presenter, author, and consultant in the field of Equine Naturopathy, Camilla shares her knowledge through keynote presentations, interviews, lectures, panel sessions, and workshop training.

In recent years, much attention has been given to grain-free feeds. Low-GI, low starch, ‘calming’ and low sugar feeds also get plenty of airtime. All the terms can relate to different aspects of the feed, but in the majority of cases, it is clever marketing and doesn’t ensure that the feed we are purchasing is necessarily suitable or safe for our horses and ponies.

Clever marketing and loopholes in claims that can be made on feed packages can become very confusing. Feeds can claim to be ‘grain free’, a ‘calm performing feed’ or low GI, yet in some cases the predominant ingredients in the feed may be made from grain! If we take a look at an ingredients list (remembering that ingredients are ordered in descending order of the percentage they make up of the feed) grain may be present in the form of millmix, millrun, pollard, cereal by-products, wheat middlings to name a few! Other products may be truly grain-free but contain large amounts of molasses and other high-calorie oils and ingredients to bind the feed together and/or make it more palatable. In either case, for many horses with metabolic issues, these feeds are likely to not be suitable. Generally ‘grain-free’ refers to the fact that no whole grains are present, yet many of these feeds contain processed grain ingredients- which certainly doesn’t make them grain-free! Along the same lines, there are feeds widely available in Australia that are advertised as suitable for horses with ‘grain intolerance’ which have barley or millrun as the predominant ingredient in the feed!

There are many reasons why it may be preferable to feed a horse or pony a truly grain-free diet, particularly a diet low in starch and sugars. For many equines, they don’t need the calories/energy provided by such grains and concentrated feeds, and in the case of horses with equine metabolic syndrome, insulin resistance and many cases of laminitis and Pituitary Pars Intermedia Dysfunction (PPID) (formerly known as ‘Cushings’), steering clear of grain is generally a good idea.  For other horses with higher calorie needs, the incomplete digestion of grain products and the resulting fermentation of starch and sugars in the hindgut can increase the risk and/or severity of gastric and colonic ulcers, inflammatory bowel disease, ’tying up’, developmental orthopaedic diseases (such as OCDs and bone cysts), immune dysfunction, inflammatory conditions and behavioural issues.

If a horse needs to be on a grain-free diet, and more specifically a low starch and sugar diet, we need to pay particular attention to all the ingredients contained in a feed, as well as the feed’s nutritional analysis- not just the marketing claims! We also need to remember that a horse’s or pony’s ‘hard feed’ should only make up a small percentage of its diet. We need to consider the role which pasture and hay play in each equine’s intake: from the perspective of calories, starch and sugar. Additionally remember that for multiple health reasons, long-stem fibre (such as that found in hay) should form the basis of their diets. To read more on the importance of fibre and hay, see the articles Fibre, Chewing and Gastrointestinal Health; Why Basics Matter: The Importance of Chewing; Hay, Stomach (Gastric) & Hindgut (Colonic) Ulcers; and Grass, Hay, Fibre and Short Chain Fatty Acids. 

What and how we feed our horses and ponies plays a crucial role in their overall health. In many cases, we can mitigate the risk of severe health conditions, whilst also ensuring that we are giving our equines everything they need to perform at their best and be in the best of health. Clever marketing and loopholes in regulations governing feed claims can make it both challenging and confusing to feed your horse or pony in a way that is best for each individual equine. Seeking independent advice from suitably qualified and experienced nutritionists and equine health practitioners is one of the best investments you can make in your horses’ health and performance. Prefer listening to podcasts or watching webinars to learn more about equine nutrition, gut health, ulcers, immune health and other horse health conditions? Be sure to visit our Media page for plenty of informative recordings.

Optim Equine

Camilla Whishaw is a highly regarded, experienced horsewoman and naturopath, helping to holistically treat and manage a broad range of equine health conditions and injuries, with a passion for mare and stallion fertility.

As a world-renowned practitioner, presenter, author, and consultant in the field of Equine Naturopathy, Camilla shares her knowledge through keynote presentations, interviews, lectures, panel sessions, and workshop training.

It is common for many stallions to have a body composition with a relatively high-fat percentage. This high amount of body fat reduces a stallion’s fertility through several mechanisms.

Total and free testosterone levels are reduced with higher percentages of body fat. Reduced sperm count, sperm motility and increased DNA fragmentation of sperm are also associated with higher body fat levels.

In the Stallion Health and Fertility webinar linked below, we discuss these and the many other factors which impact a stallion’s fertility and libido. More importantly, we also discuss strategies you can implement to help improve your stallion’s fertility and libido.

If you are a horse breeder, be sure to check this informative video out!

Optim Equine

Camilla Whishaw is a highly regarded, experienced horsewoman and naturopath, helping to holistically treat and manage a broad range of equine health conditions and injuries, with a passion for mare and stallion fertility.

As a world-renowned practitioner, presenter, author, and consultant in the field of Equine Naturopathy, Camilla shares her knowledge through keynote presentations, interviews, lectures, panel sessions, and workshop training.

In short, it relates to the microbiota of our equines’ digestive systems.

The bacteria, fungi, protozoa, and viruses that colonise the equine gastrointestinal tract (GIT) (collectively known as the microbiota), play many crucial roles in horse health.

These microbes influence digestion, energy and nutrient production, immune health, levels of inflammation in the body, overall GI health, body condition, respiratory health, skin health, metabolic health, reproductive hormones and the production of neurotransmitters (chemicals which influence their mood, temperament, learning, motor control and behaviour).

When the microbiota deviates away from what is optimal, a horse is more susceptible to conditions of inflammation, illness, pathology, GI disturbances including colic, gastric and colonic ulcers, stressed behaviour and diminished nutrient and energy production and uptake.

The large population of microbes that inhabit the equine GI tract are influenced by what our horses and ponies eat. The specific types of microbes become accustomed to what our equines are fed and must adapt to different types of feed. This means that when they eat different types of feed, there are different populations and types of microbes.

Sudden dietary changes induce rapid shifts in this delicate balance of microbes and the byproducts they produce, rendering a horse more susceptible to illness. Whilst this is a broad simplification, the sudden changes in the microbes and their activity are largely indicated in many cases of colic, laminitis and other serious health conditions.

When we add new feeds to a diet or change a horse’s diet- we want to facilitate a gradual change in the microbial population and the products these microbes produce. The best way to do this is to introduce new feeds into their diet gradually over a 7-14 day period, slowly increasing the amounts of the new feed as the microbial population adjusts.

It’s a simple process, which is largely overlooked: something which can save a lot of pain, heartache and expense.

Optim Equine

Camilla Whishaw is a highly regarded, experienced horsewoman and naturopath, helping to holistically treat and manage a broad range of equine health conditions and injuries, with a passion for mare and stallion fertility.

As a world-renowned practitioner, presenter, author, and consultant in the field of Equine Naturopathy, Camilla shares her knowledge through keynote presentations, interviews, lectures, panel sessions, and workshop training.

These include intrauterine positioning, ingestion of certain toxins by the mare, hypothyroidism in the mare, collagen cross-linking defects, and unidentified predisposing genetic factors.

Two interrelated and important controllable factors are diet/nutrition and the body condition of an in foal mare.  Overly fat mares, and/or mares that are fed diets high in relative energy may have a greater risk of having foals with flexural limb deformities. 

Many mares are overfed late in pregnancy in attempts to supply adequate nutrition to the developing foal. This is compounded by the perception that fat mares are often mistakingly associated with looking ‘well’. 

Additionally, certain nutrient insufficiencies and/or deficiencies may lead to the development of congenital flexural limb deformities. 

This can become confusing when mares have a surplus of calories (and look ‘well’) yet do not have sufficient key nutrients to facilitate normal development of the foal in utero. A similar analogy that may be helpful in understanding is to think of a person who lives on takeaways, desserts and overly processed foods. Whilst they are likely consuming enough calories, they will be falling well short of key vitamin, mineral, essential fatty acid and possibly amino acid requirements.

The way we feed and manage our broodmares influences the health of their offspring for life. Ensuring their diet provides key nutrients in appropriate forms and amounts is one of the best things we can do to help facilitate the best health and development in their foal.

Optim Equine

Camilla Whishaw is a highly regarded, experienced horsewoman and naturopath, helping to holistically treat and manage a broad range of equine health conditions and injuries, with a passion for mare and stallion fertility.

As a world-renowned practitioner, presenter, author, and consultant in the field of Equine Naturopathy, Camilla shares her knowledge through keynote presentations, interviews, lectures, panel sessions, and workshop training.

With plenty of fresh pasture available, it can be tempting to stop feeding or reduce the amount of hay we give our horses. Yet if we want them to have good gastrointestinal (GI) ‘gut’ health, then keeping feeding sufficient hay to them is a must! To learn more about the important role of hay in the diet, visit the article: Hay, Stomach (Gastric) & Hindgut (Colonic) Ulcers.

Green grass is predominantly water and as a result, is low in dry matter fibre. Dry matter fibre is incredibly important for our horses and ponies for a multitude of reasons. Dry matter fibre supports the proliferation of and helps to maintain a healthy GI microflora population. To read more about fibre, see Fibre, Chewing and Gastrointestinal Health.

Dry matter fibre is also needed for the production of short chain fatty acids (SCFAs) also known as volatile fatty acids (VFAs). Short-chain fatty acids are predominantly produced by the fermentation of fibre by the GI microbiome.

These SCFAs have many health benefits, including significant anti-inflammatory and immune-regulating properties. Furthermore, they help to promote the production of specific neurotransmitters (chemical messengers) which help our horses to be calm and relaxed. They have also been shown to help decrease fat accumulation and improve insulin sensitivity (an important consideration with insulin resistance, laminitis and equine metabolic syndrome (EMS)). 

From a direct gut health standpoint, SCFAs play a crucial role to help promote proper GI barrier function- thereby helping to protect against the development of gastric and colonic ulcers. To read more about ulcers, see articles: Hindgut (Colonic) Ulcers in Horses and Ponies; and Ulcers in Horses: The importance of understanding how medications work.

Sometimes the simplest things can make the most profound difference in helping the overall health of our horses and ponies. Adequate fibre is one important dietary measure we can put in place to help promote calm behaviour in our horses, support sound bone and joint health, reduce inflammation, and reduce the risk of laminitis, insulin resistance and EMS.

Prefer listening to podcasts or watching webinars to learn more about gut health, ulcers, immune health and other equine health conditions? Be sure to visit our Media page for plenty of informative recordings.

Optim Equine

Camilla Whishaw is a highly regarded, experienced horsewoman and naturopath, helping to holistically treat and manage a broad range of equine health conditions and injuries, with a passion for mare and stallion fertility.

As a world-renowned practitioner, presenter, author, and consultant in the field of Equine Naturopathy, Camilla shares her knowledge through keynote presentations, interviews, lectures, panel sessions, and workshop training.

A study published in 2015 found that both phenylbutazone (bute/PBZ) and meloxicam (Metacam) interfered with pre-ovulatory follicle development. 

Mares treated with phenylbutazone or meloxicam failed to ovulate, with the development of hemorrhagic anovulatory follicles (follicles that didn’t release eggs). 

These same mares ovulated normally when not treated with NSAIDs. 

This is something worth keeping in mind with any broodmare.

Optim Equine

Camilla Whishaw is a highly regarded, experienced horsewoman and naturopath, helping to holistically treat and manage a broad range of equine health conditions and injuries, with a passion for mare and stallion fertility.

As a world-renowned practitioner, presenter, author, and consultant in the field of Equine Naturopathy, Camilla shares her knowledge through keynote presentations, interviews, lectures, panel sessions, and workshop training.

And whilst all these can be examples of a horse or pony which is stressed, sources of stress and the effects it has on their body can encompass so much more.

We can actually have horses and ponies who in their nature are very relaxed and settled, yet their body is under significant stress. Stress is a type of change that causes physical, psychological or emotional strain in our horses.

Multiple forms of stress can have a cumulative effect, creating significant demands on the bodies of our horses. As a result of ongoing stress, our equines have increased requirements of particular nutrients.

Stress is also an important consideration in relation to stallion fertility, pregnancy in mares, gastric and colonic ulcers, inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), laminitis, insulin resistance (IR) and equine metabolic syndrome (EMS), chronic infections, bone health and failure to thrive.

Some of the many different sources of stress to our equines include:

• Separation/Isolation
• Injury
• Illness
• Use of certain medications
• Nutritional deficiencies/insufficiencies
• Nutritional excesses
• Travel
• Dehydration and/or withholding water
• Withholding feed
• Weaning
• Pain
• Inflammation
• Intense exercise
• Parasites
• Heavy metal burdens
• Exposure to chemicals, pesticides

What other sources of stress can you think of?

Optim Equine

Camilla Whishaw is a highly regarded, experienced horsewoman and naturopath, helping to holistically treat and manage a broad range of equine health conditions and injuries, with a passion for mare and stallion fertility.

As a world-renowned practitioner, presenter, author, and consultant in the field of Equine Naturopathy, Camilla shares her knowledge through keynote presentations, interviews, lectures, panel sessions, and workshop training.

Salt is a mineral which remains an important part of the diets of our equines year-round, yet is easily overlooked. Most fortified feeds on the market don’t contain enough salt to meet the needs of our horses and ponies. If we’re not actively providing salt to our equines, then they’re likely falling well short of their requirements.

Salt is an electrolyte which helps to maintain fluid balance and hydration. It is continually lost through saliva, urine and sweat, so, therefore, must be provided in the diet to be replenished. Horses need salt on a daily basis, even when they’re not visibly sweating.

Salt is needed for proper functioning of the nervous system, digestion, balancing pH levels in the blood and helping muscles to function correctly.

Sodium also stimulates the thirst response in our horses and ponies. Without adequate salt in their diet, many equines will not drink enough water. This is one of the many important factors to consider in horses who have suffered from spasmodic or impaction colic, where gastrointestinal (GI) motility and/or dehydration play a role.

Optim Equine

Camilla Whishaw is a highly regarded, experienced horsewoman and naturopath, helping to holistically treat and manage a broad range of equine health conditions and injuries, with a passion for mare and stallion fertility.

As a world-renowned practitioner, presenter, author, and consultant in the field of Equine Naturopathy, Camilla shares her knowledge through keynote presentations, interviews, lectures, panel sessions, and workshop training.

Unlike the two mechanisms above, a third way our horses and ponies keep warm is not significantly influenced by how we feed or manage them.

Have you ever wondered why on cold, wet, windy days they turn their backs to the cold? This is because our horses’ and ponies’ rumps and back have thicker skin and coat and less surface blood vessels. This means they lose less heat and maintain warmth better in these areas. This enables them to withstand cold weather better in this position. Their tail hair also serves an important purpose in helping to protect against heat loss.

Optim Equine

Camilla Whishaw is a highly regarded, experienced horsewoman and naturopath, helping to holistically treat and manage a broad range of equine health conditions and injuries, with a passion for mare and stallion fertility.

As a world-renowned practitioner, presenter, author, and consultant in the field of Equine Naturopathy, Camilla shares her knowledge through keynote presentations, interviews, lectures, panel sessions, and workshop training.

Another way is how they position themselves during cold, wet and/or windy weather. Read more about this by visiting Why do horses and ponies turn their backs to the cold during inclement weather?

Another important aspect of helping our equines keep warm during cold weather is how and what we feed them. The digestive systems’ of horses and ponies can significantly contribute to keeping them warm.

Our horses’ and ponies’ hindguts house trillions of microbes (including bacteria and other microorganisms). These microbes play a key role in many facets of equine health: they influence immune function, inflammation, behaviour and temperament, and nutrient status. When we feed our horses and ponies high fibre diets (particularly long stem fibre found in hay) we help to promote a healthy balance of these microbes.

The microbes digest (ferment) the fibre found in hay, pasture and other fibrous feeds to produce energy in the form of volatile fatty acids (VFAs). These are also referred to as short chain fatty acids (SCFA).

Heat is a by-product of breaking this fibre down. In turn, the fermentation of fibre can provide a significant amount of energy (calories) to our horses. Further heat is also produced by chewing: the more time a horse spends chewing, the more heat is produced. Eating 1kg of hay requires four times as much chewing and takes four times as long as eating 1kg of oats or grain! This also has additional effects in helping to protect against gastric and colonic ulcers. To read more, see the articles: Hay, Stomach (Gastric) & Hindgut (Colonic) Ulcers; Why Basics Matter: The Importance of Chewing

Feeding our horses and ponies sufficient hay (at a minimum 1.5% of their body weight in dry matter daily) is one of the most natural and easy ways to help keep them warm in the winter. As an added bonus, feeding them this way in turn helps to promote a healthy gastrointestinal microflora balance: resulting in a flow on of multiple positive health benefits.

Optim Equine

Camilla Whishaw is a highly regarded, experienced horsewoman and naturopath, helping to holistically treat and manage a broad range of equine health conditions and injuries, with a passion for mare and stallion fertility.

As a world-renowned practitioner, presenter, author, and consultant in the field of Equine Naturopathy, Camilla shares her knowledge through keynote presentations, interviews, lectures, panel sessions, and workshop training.

Firstly, it’s important to remember that all horses should be treated as individuals, and it can be easy to be influenced by what others are doing or saying (both in person and/or on social media!). The following points, however, are really important to keep in mind when making your decision.

Horses and ponies don’t quite feel the cold like you and I do: just because we are reaching for jackets and warmer layers, doesn’t mean our equines need rugging.

Horses and ponies can comfortably tolerate a wide range of temperatures: The thermoneutral zone (TNZ) for horses is the range of temperatures in which a horse or pony maintains its body temperature with little or no energy expenditure. The TNZ for horses and ponies is within a range of 5-25 degrees Celsius (41-77 degrees Fahrenheit).

The TNZ is one important consideration, but in many cases, horses and ponies can safely and easily keep warm in much, much lower temperatures. As low as -15 degrees Celsius (5 degrees Fahrenheit)!

Horses and ponies have several natural ways to keep warm in cold weather. One important aspect is the way we feed them. To read more see the article: Feeding horses and ponies in cold weather. The way they position their bodies in the weather also helps them to keep warm. To read more about this visit Why do horses and ponies turn their backs to the cold during inclement weather? Another healthy mechanism is increasing their metabolic rate. This is especially important for the fat/well-rounded/ ‘good doers’, particularly those with or at risk of insulin resistance (IR), laminitis and equine metabolic syndrome (EMS). By leaving these horses and ponies unrugged, they burn extra calories to safely and easily keep warm.

Taking advantage of this is one really critical strategy in stopping horses and ponies from getting too fat coming into spring. It is one easily modifiable tool in helping to reduce the risk of EMS, IR and laminitis. If we rug our horses and ponies, they don’t get the advantage of increasing their metabolism. This means, coming into spring (a time when good doers are more at risk of laminitis and EMS) and when high-energy grass is plentiful, they’re carrying more fat and body weight than nature intended, thereby increasing their risk and making management much more difficult.

In the case of metabolic conditions in horses and ponies, simple modifiable management strategies can have a significant impact on their long-term health outcomes.

Optim Equine

Camilla Whishaw is a highly regarded, experienced horsewoman and naturopath, helping to holistically treat and manage a broad range of equine health conditions and injuries, with a passion for mare and stallion fertility.

As a world-renowned practitioner, presenter, author, and consultant in the field of Equine Naturopathy, Camilla shares her knowledge through keynote presentations, interviews, lectures, panel sessions, and workshop training.

Many factors can potentially contribute to idiopathic colic episodes: consumption of tainted/mouldy feed or hay; diets low in roughage (hay and/or fibrous feeds); high grain diets; sudden changes in feed; high parasite burdens; excessive stress; and long-term use of NSAIDs (such as flunixin, ‘bute/PBZ’). 

Whilst all these factors play a unique role in their contribution to increasing the risk of colic in the horse, they all share a commonality: they significantly alter the microflora balance of the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) of our horses. This in turn can play a key role in the development of colic. To read more about the effect of NSAIDs on GI health, visit the article: Inflammation & Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatories in Horses

In light of this, it is important to consider other factors which unfavourably alter gastrointestinal (GI) microflora (such as the use of antibiotics and corticosteroids) when evaluating the cause of colic. 

In the case of influences such as the aforementioned medications, it is important to remember that colic is unlikely to result from immediate use: it may be some time after that the horse has a seemingly ‘unrelated’ or ‘inexplainable’ case of colic. This is due to the increasing imbalance in GI microflora, which was first initiated by the medication.

In clinical practice, I see many referred cases of horses who have repeated idiopathic colic episodes who have been on long-term ulcer medications (generally those containing omeprazole, and sometimes those containing ranitidine). These medications interfere with proper digestion of feed, commonly resulting in fermentation of starch and grains in the hindgut, resulting in excessive production of gas. The use of these medications can also significantly impact a horse’s natural, healthy balance of GI microflora. To read more about the effects of ulcer medications on GI health see articles: Hindgut (Colonic) Ulcers in Horses and Ponies; Ulcers in Horses: The importance of understanding how medications work; and Ulcer Medications: What Nobody Tells You and What You Need To Know.

Colic can be a fatal condition in our horses and ponies, and it can be frustrating when the cause of colic is unknown. Taking the time to assess potential contributing factors, including those which influence GI microflora are important steps in helping to prevent colic episodes.

Optim Equine

Camilla Whishaw is a highly regarded, experienced horsewoman and naturopath, helping to holistically treat and manage a broad range of equine health conditions and injuries, with a passion for mare and stallion fertility.

As a world-renowned practitioner, presenter, author, and consultant in the field of Equine Naturopathy, Camilla shares her knowledge through keynote presentations, interviews, lectures, panel sessions, and workshop training.

For the owner or rider considering taking on an OTTB, careful thought and planning should go into ensuring that the transition from the life of a racehorse to the next phase of the horse’s career is as smooth as possible. Some of the biggest considerations need to be given to changes in the horse’s diet, routine and optimising health parameters. Equipping yourself with knowledge and enlisting the help of suitably qualified professionals can help to realise your horse’s full potential.

Goals and Capabilities as a Rider/Handler

Before even inspecting an OTTB for potential purchase, clearly know what you are wanting in your new horse and your capabilities as a rider. Are you looking for a future show hack with impeccable conformation and looks? Are you looking for a pony club mount that needs to be calm and versatile? Are you looking for a horse with the potential to be a top-class eventer, thereby needing to be very sound, athletic and able to withstand high levels of training? Are you looking to get a cheap yet athletic horse to re-educate and sell on? Knowing the answers to these questions will quickly help to narrow down the horses you inspect for potential purchase and look to undertake a pre-purchase veterinary examination. By clearly knowing your goals, you can save yourself a lot of time and money and are far more likely to choose the most suitable horse.

When taking on an OTTB (particularly one that has come straight from a racing stable environment), honestly assessing your capabilities as a rider is critical. Are you confident and competent enough to safely and effectively manage and deal with an anxious, highly geared horse (whose temperament may or may not change significantly whilst in your care)? Or are you better suited to taking on a more relaxed OTTB or even one that has been off the track for some time and has spent time being re-educated with a different owner? One of the many beauties of OTTBs is that there are so many to choose from and at many different life and career stages- you are bound to find one that suits you perfectly! Be patient and choose wisely.

Vet Check

One of the first things to consider (and often most overlooked) when purchasing an OTTB is getting a thorough vet examination prior to purchase. Musculoskeletal soundness and airway health are two of the most significant considerations. Just like human athletes, racehorses’ bodies are put under strenuous physical demands, with the potential to develop injuries. Due to the hard galloping done by many young horses in training, considerable stress is put on bones, tendons and ligaments. This can lead to soundness issues. A thorough vet examination can help to identify previous injuries or any potential issues which may influence the ability of the horse to be suitable for its intended next career. On radiographic screening (x-ray), many racehorses will have some degree of osteoarthritic changes in their joints. With planning, sound dietary practices and the strategic use of appropriate supplements and management interventions, many of these conditions can be well managed. Furthermore, the fact that many OTTBs transition into their next careers at a relatively young age is advantageous. From a physiological perspective, when given suitable nutrition and support, their body is better able to repair and regenerate than an older horse. Referring back to your goals and what you intend to do with your OTTB is an important consideration here. A past injury in a racehorse which may prevent it from high-level eventing may pose no issues for a horse intended for general pleasure riding.

Suboptimal hoof health is a common finding in the newly transitioning OTTB. This is often due to a combination of poor gastrointestinal (GIT) health (which influences nutrient absorption and the production of essential vitamins such as biotin needed for sound, healthy hooves). For more information on the role of GIT in overall health and the role of nutrition in hoof health see articles: Fibre, Chewing and Gastrointestinal Health; Ulcers in Horses: The importance of understanding how medications work; Hay, Stomach (Gastric) & Hindgut (Colonic) Ulcers; and Beyond Biotin: Optimising Horse Hoof Health.

Routinely being shod in race plates can also compound the problem of poor hoof structure and health. Many racehorses have contracted hooves with under-run heels, long toes and thin soles. Encouragingly, hoof health is an aspect that can readily be turned around in a period of around 8-12 months with appropriate dietary changes and good farriery. Including radiographs of the hooves as part of the pre-purchase examination may be a valuable investment in some horses: x-rays can help to demonstrate what is going on in the hoof and can aid the proactive farrier to trim, shoe and manage the hoof appropriately.

It is important to remember that often racehorses in training will initially go footsore when their shoes are removed and they are left barefoot during a spell. This is especially true of the front feet. Some farriers and owners will choose to keep their horses in shoes. In many cases however, it is advisable for the spelling horse to have an extended period of time being unshod: this helps to positively influence hoof shape and integrity and aids in proper circulation and blood flow to the hooves. Feeding the horse a diet which reduces inflammation, using nutritional supplements (nutraceuticals) and herbal medicine under qualified supervision, and potentially easing the transition to barefoot through the use of padded, removable boots are all beneficial strategies.

Another aspect of the pre-purchase examination should also include an upper airway scope. Respiratory conditions which may be evident when assessing an OTTB include a history of exercise-induced pulmonary haemorrhage (EIPH, more commonly known as bleeding), airway inflammatory disease, and laryngeal hemiplegia (roaring). The first two can generally be well managed with appropriate feeding and supplementation practices and adopting strategies to minimise the inhalation of air particulate matter and dust.

History

Where possible, finding out as much history about the horse as possible can help to make a smooth transition to the next phase of its career. For a horse coming straight off the track, contact with the trainer and/or stable manager can help provide you with valuable information as to any health or injury concerns with the horse, the dates it was last vaccinated and drenched (de-wormed), any medications and/or supplements it may have been receiving, its current diet and any quirks, habits or temperament considerations to take into account. Having said this, it is also important to remember that when a horse is put in a new environment, some of the aforementioned things may change! For example, a horse that was previously often irritable can become much calmer with a more natural diet and living environment. Similarly, horses which may have been very picky eaters whilst in training often become very good eaters once their GIT health has improved and the stress of the training environment has been removed.

Diet

The majority of diets fed to thoroughbreds in training are not conducive to optimal GIT health and function. Practices vary between trainers and stables, but most often, horses in training are fed two or three large grain and/or concentrate-based meals per day. Grass and/or lucerne hay are often provided in limited amounts. Many trainers do not have the luxury of turning horses out to graze. This puts the horse’s digestive system under strain and increases the likelihood of many health issues including ulceration throughout the GIT (gastric and colonic ulcers), colic, disturbances in the GIT microflora (bacterial balance of the digestive system), hindgut acidosis, suboptimal ability to utilise feed properly and nutritional deficiencies/insufficiencies. The addition of high cortisol levels produced by the horse in response to stress and high-intensity exercise further compromises GIT health and digestive function. To read more about the contributors and effects of stress in our horses see: Stress in Horses: Why it isn’t always obvious.

Horses, by nature, are designed to be constantly moving about and grazing high-fibre roughage. This is important as the stomach of the horse is relatively small in volume and has little capacity to expand. As a result, small amounts of feed which are consumed often are digested much better than the large volume feeds given a couple of times per day. The constant grazing a horse does in its natural environment also ensures that there is a physical buffer in the stomach to protect against the breakdown action of hydrochloric acid and digestive enzymes. These substances are constantly produced in the horse and are essential for proper digestion, as well as immune function. To read more, visit: Ulcers in Horses: The importance of understanding how medications work. Grazing and chewing also stimulate the production of saliva. Saliva serves many important functions in the horse, including releasing bicarbonate ions into the stomach (which also protects the stomach lining, another smart natural mechanism of the horse to protect against ulcers). To learn more about the benefits of grazing, visit: Why Basics Matter: The Importance of Chewing.

Sudden changes in feeding practices (even those that are beneficial to the horse) can increase the risk of colic and other complications. This is thought to be largely attributed to rapid changes in GIT microflora in response to the feed offered. Finding out the horse’s current diet prior to purchasing can help to make smooth transitions to a more fibre-rich feed, whilst ensuring the gut microflora change at an appropriate rate. It is advisable to make the transition of feeds gradual (over a period of 12-14 days) to help best facilitate this.

Whilst horses who come directly out of training will have been maintained on high-energy rations, their relative energy needs during their initial transition into an OTTB will be much lower. Furthermore, if GIT health is optimised as part of their transition (through feeding, management practices and appropriate supplementation), they will be better able to use fibre rich feeds (ie pasture and hay) as energy sources. This is made possible through bacterial fermentation in the hind gut (helpful microbes in the large intestine break fibre down into short-chain/volatile fatty acids, a high source of energy for the horse). It is important to remember that whilst a horse’s actual energy needs may be much lower than when they were in training, their need for specific minerals, vitamins and protein may remain relatively high. Without the excess demands of training and racing the body is in a prime position to help address and heal any niggling injuries, musculoskeletal damage or immune health challenges. To find out more about nutrient requirements and the role of protein for horses visit Nutrient Requirements for Horses: Fortified Feeds and the need for Supplementation; The Importance of Protein. These are commonplace in any athlete involved in demanding sports. To facilitate optimal healing and health, is essential to ensure that the OTTB receives at a minimum the recommended dietary intake of minerals and vitamins, in addition to good quality protein sources. A good quality balancer feed or supplement, in the addition to sufficient pasture, hay and lucerne hay (where appropriate) will help to meet these needs.

Some people find challenges in putting condition on their OTTB and/or the horse being picky with their feed. This is most often due to irritation of GIT, use of ulcer medications and non-steroidal anti-inflammatories (NSAIDs) such as ‘bute’ (PBZ), and the diet racehorses are commonly maintained on,. These factors can all significantly compromise gut integrity and health. Add to this the stress of a new environment and the change in the horse’s routine and it can take a little time for the horse to adjust. Whilst the prescription of appropriate nutritional and herbal supplementation can help immensely in these cases, basic management practices including turning the horse out to graze, the provision of sufficient roughage (hay, pasture), and keeping the OTTB  with a sensible paddock mate are all effective starting points owners are encouraged to implement. One of the most common mistakes that can be made when wanting to put weight on a newly acquired OTTB is to continually increase the ration of grain or high-energy concentrate feed, without the provision of sufficient roughage and fibre. This contributes to additional compromises in the integrity of the GIT lining and further shifting the hindgut microflora away from that which promotes the best utilisation of feed and energy. As a result, the cycle of struggling to gain weight is perpetuated, and often leads to frustration as the horse seems to take an extended period of time to ‘let down’ and gain condition. To read more about horse’s who struggle to put on condition, visit the article: HELP! My horse won’t put on body condition.

Down Time

One of the best things you can do as an owner of a newly transitioning OTTB is give it some much needed ‘down time’. The majority of racing stable environments are far removed from what is a natural for the horse. Like humans constantly under work deadlines, family demands and everyday pressures, horses too routinely experience stress. This stress is manifested in many forms, primarily driven by changes in levels of the stress hormone cortisol (which can lead to reduced immune function, high levels of inflammation, changes in temperament and behaviour, and reduced capacity to recover). Additionally, the constant physical demands of training and racing can lead to ongoing musculoskeletal ‘niggles’- aches, pains and minor injuries. A period of 4-8 weeks, turned out in the paddock, fed a fibre-rich diet, and not in the demands of work or being fussed with is one of the most beneficial things you can do to help the newly transitioned OTTB. It helps the horse to mentally wind-down, aids in the restoration of GIT health, gives any small niggles the chance to heal, and lets the horse settle into a new environment and freshen up. Just like humans, horses too need holidays. Simply giving them time out before asking new demands from them in their new career, can help them get off to the best start. 

Temperament

A significant (and often highly variable and unpredictable) consideration in the OTTB is temperament. This can be a challenge when acquiring a new horse, as it is difficult to know exactly how much is ingrained behaviour and the horse’s natural tendency, compared to how much it is a result of the environment the horse has been in, the feeding practices and GIT health. An important consideration to note is that 70-80% of the neurotransmitters (the chemicals which influence mood, temperament, behaviour and learning) are produced in the GIT. There are clear links between GIT health and levels of anxiety, mood changes and behaviour. This is useful to take into account: an OTTB which has struggled with compromised gut health in training and may be nervous, edgy or readily spook can change significantly when GIT health is addressed. A combination of appropriate supplementation and feeding, combined with appropriate ‘down time’ can really significantly impact the behaviour of an OTTB for the better. It routinely plays a role in why many horses that are temperamental/nervy/anxious in training become more relaxed away from the stable environment. Keep in mind too, that the actual environment the horse is kept in also plays an important role.

Monitoring and Progress

From a basic health standpoint, once the new OTTB has arrived and settled, it is wise to measure temperature, respiratory and heart rates at roughly the same time each day for a week to establish what is ‘normal’ for your horse. Record these and keep on hand (using the notes section on your mobile phone can be great, otherwise written on a whiteboard or somewhere easily accessible). This information is incredibly helpful in the instance that your horse may become unwell: you know what is ‘normal’ and healthy for your horse, helping to implement appropriate strategies in a timely fashion.

Taking photos of your horse from the side and back (safely), on a fortnightly or monthly basis is a simple tool to monitor body composition changes and progress. The same thing can be done with their hooves front and side-on, in addition to picking the hoof up and taking pictures of the sole and frog. It can be incredibly rewarding to look back over a 4-6 week period and notice the subtle improvement in body condition. Horses can make significant progress in gradual increments, which may be missed when you are seeing the horse on a daily basis. By having photo evidence on hand, you are able to make a more objective assessment. Keep in mind that changes in hoof shape and quality will be much slower to notice: front hooves take a full 8-12 months to grow from the coronary band to the toe.

The majority of horses in training are maintained on a routine drenching (deworming) schedule. Given our current state of understanding in relation to resistance to worming products, it makes sense to adopt a strategic drenching approach. In order to implement this safely and effectively, taking routine faecal samples to be sent off for testing are encouraged. Doing this at the commencement of ownership can help to provide guidance to the most effective drenching requirements of your horse. For more information on drenching/deworming visit the article Drenching/Deworming with Panacur.

Conclusion

Like most worthwhile things in life, effectively transitioning a racehorse to an accomplished OTTB takes time and patience! Knowing your capabilities as a rider and having clear goals as to what you want to achieve with your new mount are important starting points. Enlisting the expertise of suitably qualified professionals and equipping yourself with the knowledge of best practices can help make for a smooth and rewarding journey. Choosing an OTTB can make for one of the most gratifying experiences as a horse owner and rider. Careful consideration, planning and attention to detail can ensure you give your horse every chance to excel in its new phase of life.

Optim Equine

Camilla Whishaw is a highly regarded, experienced horsewoman and naturopath, helping to holistically treat and manage a broad range of equine health conditions and injuries, with a passion for mare and stallion fertility.

As a world-renowned practitioner, presenter, author, and consultant in the field of Equine Naturopathy, Camilla shares her knowledge through keynote presentations, interviews, lectures, panel sessions, and workshop training.

The cause(s) of IBD are not fully understood, however, it is thought that abnormal immune responses to bacterial, viral, parasitic, and/or dietary antigens play a key role. 

One such dietary allergen which has been highlighted is gluten, a protein which causes intestinal damage to people who suffer from coeliac disease. In recent years, gliadin (a component of gluten) has been reported to increase the permeability of the small intestinal mucosa and cause concurrent intestinal inflammation associated with IBD in the horse.

The key takeaway points from this are that diet can and does play an essential role in the health of the horse- beyond merely providing energy to fuel their work, growth and metabolic processes. 
As with any health condition in the horse (especially IBD), diet needs to be addressed for effective treatment/management of the condition in the horse. If the allergen remains in the diet, then inflammation and intestinal damage persists, despite treatment.

Optim Equine

Camilla Whishaw is a highly regarded, experienced horsewoman and naturopath, helping to holistically treat and manage a broad range of equine health conditions and injuries, with a passion for mare and stallion fertility.

As a world-renowned practitioner, presenter, author, and consultant in the field of Equine Naturopathy, Camilla shares her knowledge through keynote presentations, interviews, lectures, panel sessions, and workshop training.