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.

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.

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.

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 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Here’s Why

Several key factors influence the level of sugar in the grass our horses and ponies graze. This includes the weather, how stressed the grass is (over-grazed grass and/or grass under drought conditions), grass maturity, the time of year, species of grass and the time of day.

Sun shining on grass causes the process of photosynthesis to occur. This creates sugar which the plant stores then uses overnight to keep growing. As a result, grass tends to have higher sugar content later in the day compared to earlier in the day: grass has had more sunlight exposure and more time to photosynthesise and produce sugar.

What this means from a practical sense, is the horse who is at risk of laminitis (but is still safe to graze) is best turned out to pasture early in the morning, and bought off grass by 10-10:30 AM (cloud coverage and region dependent).

Some key factors to keep in mind

Turning out late in the afternoon/evening is NOT safe for at risk horses- as grass sugar levels are at their highest at this time. It takes several hours after the sun sets for sugar levels in grass to drop. In most cases, sugar levels are safe to graze again at around 3am.

*Cool or frosty nights combined with warm/sunny days promote very high sugar levels in the grass. When the temperature drops below about 5 degrees celsius (40 degrees Fahrenheit) overnight, yet the day is still sunny and warm, the growth rate of grass slows. As a result, much of the stored sugars in the grass aren’t used up. In this case, grass sugar levels can still be high in the early morning. This may mean keeping at-risk horses off pasture on these days.

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 horse or pony prone to laminitis can be a challenge to keep healthy. Poorly managed or severe episodes of laminitis can lead to devastating consequences. Diligence and modification to the diet and management regime of a horse or pony at risk of or with laminitis are required to prevent further deterioration or episodes of the condition and keep the equine in the best health possible. If a supplement on the market claimed to prevent acute episodes of feed related laminitis AND didn’t require changes in the way we feed and manage our horses and ponies, then surely that would be great? On the surface, maybe, but when we understand about HOW such a product possibly prevents laminitis and the potential long-term health repercussions, then stopping to reconsider its use is certainly warranted. Especially when one of the leading equine veterinary authorities in the world completely ban its use.

One widely promoted and used product on the market contains the active ingredient Virginiamycin. Virginiamycin is an ANTIBIOTIC.

It is well known, researched and demonstrated that antibiotics have an adverse impact on gut health through several mechanisms. They kill off not only ‘bad’ but ‘good’ bacteria which play many essential roles in our horses’ and ponies’ digestive systems. Amongst other functions, these healthful bacteria help to break down the fibre in hay and roughage to produce ‘cool’ energy for our horses; they produce substances which play a role in preserving the lining of the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) helping to reduce inflammation and protect against ulceration; they produce B group vitamins, biotin and vitamin K- essential for energy production, hoof health, reproductive health, bone health and strength, and recovery from exercise to name a few; they are intimately involved in the production of neurotransmitters (chemical messengers which influence our horses’ moods, temperament, behaviour, gut motility, etc); and these helpful bacteria also play a crucial role in proper and healthy immune function. Furthermore, compositions of specific ‘good’ GIT microflora have been shown to play an important role in metabolism, blood glucose control and insulin sensitivity: all which may have a protective effect in the horse or pony at risk of insulin resistance (IR) and equine metabolic syndrome (EMS). It is well known that horses with IR and/or EMS are at an increased risk of laminitis.

Antibiotics are also known to increase intestinal paracellular permeability and promote intestinal barrier dysfunction- sometimes referred to as ‘leaky gut’. Episodes of laminitis are commonly a sequelae of the above.

Through the use of antibiotics, bacteria (both ‘good’ and ‘bad’) are kept in check (although with increasing antibiotic use and levels of antimicrobial resistance eliminating the ‘bad’ bacteria is becoming increasingly more difficult) thereby keeping some of the triggering factors to laminitis episodes at bay.

We KNOW that diet has a significant influence in the majority of cases of laminitis. We also know that the integrity of the GIT lining also plays a paramount role. In horses with poor digestive health (which is common and can be caused by many factors- visit the Articles section on Optim Equine’s website to read more) high grain/carbohydrate diets have been shown to change bacterial populations (to non-favourable bacteria) in the hindgut. These bacteria produce lactic acid through fermentation, damaging the GIT lining and contributing to a cascade of events that can result in laminitis. In theory, as long as the horse is kept on this antibiotic, rapid shifts in gut microflora which may precede laminitis are less likely to occur. Therefore helping to ‘prevent’ it.

There are a few issues with this. The constant use of antibiotics actually impairs the integrity of the gut lining through several mechanisms. One of the many supportive roles of ‘healthy’ bacteria are to protect and promote a healthy GIT lining. Part of this mechanism involves reducing intestinal inflammation.

Secondly, when a horse comes off the ‘supplement’ (medication) unless strategic dietary practices are implemented, the microflora balance will more likely default to an unhealthy one as a consequence of the use of antibiotics…thereby actually further increasing their risk of future episodes of laminitis than before they were on the supplement in the first place. Keep in mind too that antibiotics also degrade the protective barrier function of the intestinal lining. 

Then we’ve got the nutritional consequences as a result in shifts in GIT microflora. Horses on antibiotics are now lacking the beneficial bacteria to help them properly digest and utilise fibre as an energy source, in addition to the myriad of roles those healthy bacteria play in overall health and performance as outlined previously.

Virginiamycin has been completely banned for animal use in the UK since 2014. This alone should ring alarm bells! The antibiotic was banned as it posed a risk to increased development of antimicrobial resistance. The Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD) also found no robust evidence that Founderguard prevents laminitis. They supported that this condition can be managed though animal husbandry and pasture management. They declared the use of Founderguard in horses no longer justified. Globally, we need to recognise the very real problem of antimicrobial resistance and responsible prescribing of antimicrobials in the veterinary profession. As the pathology which drives laminitis is not caused by bacterial infection, we must ask ourselves is the use of antibiotics in this instance responsible? 

We have the opportunity to support healthy GIT microflora, promote healthy GIT integrity and feed our horses so they are able to perform at their best and be in the best of overall health and help prevent laminitis. This is largely dependent not only what we feed our horses, but how we feed them too. It also involves looking at the way we use routine medications in our horses and incorporating alternative strategies to minimise unnecessary use and addressing the side effects they cause when they are required…

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 horses spend the majority of their days in small paddocks, yards and stables. They only need to move minimally to have access to feed and water. Essentially, they are quite idle. Although widely variable depending on discipline, many horses in hard work don’t do more than 1-2 hours most days. Ridden time aside, they are essentially quite idle.

This is in stark contrast to the way horses move in herds in nature. Natural social groups of horses have evolved to never stop moving or eating for very long. Research in semi-feral herds has shown that horses move at least 17km per day! At different periods throughout the year, the distance they cover can increase significantly. When in search of forage or when interacting with other herds, horses may move up to 160km daily.

This movement plays a crucial role in keeping horses healthy. Contrastingly, lack of physical movement in domestic horses is an important contributing factor in many health conditions we see today. The large volumes of physical activity (along with the diet of wild horses) helps to prevent horses being overweight. The physical activity improves insulin sensitivity an important factor in metabolic syndrome, as well as many cases of laminitis. Laminitis in our horses is largely a ‘man-made’ disease.

The constant physical activity increases bone density and strength, as well as promoting muscle, tendon and ligament strength and development. This is likely to lead to stronger, sounder horses.

So how can we implement some of these benefits in our man-made modern settings?

We can take some of the principles and incorporate them into the management of our horses. The suggestions listed below are general suggestions which can be used where they are possible, safe and feasible. It’s about making the best of the situation and facilities that you have.

Where possible:

• Choose keeping your horse turned outside in preference to stabling.
• Choose larger fields over smaller paddocks and yards.
• Choose turning out in mobs as opposed to turnout alone to encourage movement and interaction.
• Consider the implementation of natural track systems in paddocks to encourage movement.
• Feed well away from water source- ie water at one end of the paddock, feed at the other.
• Consider hand walking the horse that isn’t ridden frequently.

For the majority of horses and ponies, increasing their overall daily physical movement and activity is most beneficial. Small changes can have a significant positive impact on your horse’s health, soundness and longevity.

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.

Managing energy intake is certainly a critical strategy in successfully preventing and/or managing these conditions in our horses. It’s important to remember that there are numerous other highly influential factors on body weight, body composition and metabolism. These include exercise and activity levels, various hormonal levels, the effects of specific medications a horse may be on, and specific vitamin, mineral and other nutrient levels.

One of the most fascinating, yet less appreciated influences on a horse’s metabolic rate and body composition are the types and balances of bacteria that reside in their hindgut. Specific types of bacteria in a horse’s hind gut produce short chain fatty acids (SCFAs) also known as volatile fatty acids (VFAs) through a process of fermentation. Short chain fatty acids help to reduce the development and accumulation of fat cells, promote the breakdown of fats and reduce pro-inflammatory cytokines (thereby reducing inflammation). Short chain fatty acids may help to reduce body weight and improve insulin sensitivity- extremely important factors in managing the overweight horse and preventing further complications.

These bacteria need plenty of fibre to survive and thrive. This is one of the many reasons why starvation diets for overweight horses are not suitable. Severely restricting an overweight horse’s fibre intake often compounds the metabolic problems.

In order to successfully manage the overweight horse or pony (or prevent at risk equines from becoming overweight) we need to address all the contributing factors which influence their metabolism. Whilst energy (feed) intake is one of these components, the type of feed is just as important. Appropriately addressing activity levels, specific nutritional components and promoting optimal hindgut microflora are paramount.

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 purpose of this article, we will focus on soy bean meal and feeds containing processed soy- not soy oil or soy bean hulls- as these components alone have significantly different nutritional value and properties.

Pros

Soy is one of the more widely fed significant sources of protein in a horse’s diet. It is a common misconception that protein is only needed to promote weight gain, muscle condition or the development of topline. Whilst it is important in these instances (in combination with appropriate exercise and training), protein is absolutely essential for a multitude of functions in all horses at any life stage and exercise level: it is a critical component of normal immune function; facilitates proper growth and repair of the musculoskeletal system; and is needed for the majority of metabolic processes in the horse. Even horse’s who aren’t in heavy work and/or actually need to lose weight need sufficient protein in their diet.

Protein is comprised of smaller units called amino acids. Horses require 21 amino acids, 12 of which a horse can synthesise (produce) themselves. The remaining nine (and in the case of illness or injury- potentially ten) amino acids must be present in a horse’s diet. These are known as ‘essential amino acids’. In addition to all essential amino acids being present in the diet, they must be present in appropriate quantities- so a horse has enough of each of them to facilitate various bodily functions. If they fall short of any essential amino acids then health, normal development, performance and recovery may be compromised.

With the exception of oils, practically all horse feeds, grains and forages contain SOME protein- Depending on the exact feed source, the actual amounts of protein contained in these feeds will vary. Different sources of protein are comprised of different sequences of amino acids. This influences how useful they are to a horse. Some high protein feed sources are actually of little value to a horse, as they lack decent amounts of essential amino acids that a horse needs, or they are unable to be properly digested and absorbed by a horse.

So how does all this relate to soy? Soy is one of the best dietary sources of lysine for our horses and ponies. Lysine is a very important essential amino acid in the equine and it is generally one which is lowest in our horse’s diets. Lysine is absolutely essential for normal muscle growth and turnover, helps to promote collagen integrity (important for healthy bones, skin, muscles, tendons and ligaments), is critical for proper immune function, and may further help bone health through improving calcium absorption and utilisation. Animal studies have also shown that diets low in lysine may be associated with anxiety. Thus, a diet low in lysine may be one of many potential contributing factors in some cases of horses with an anxious tendency.

For horses competing in endurance events, optimising hydration pre-event is an important consideration. Commercial soy feed products which require soaking before being fed, can help to increase fluid intake in horses. It’s important to keep in mind that there are other feeds which can be used for this same purpose. Soy is not the only option.

Being a low starch and protein rich feed, processed soy meal can aid in stabilising blood glucose levels- thus helping to prevent rapid spikes in insulin levels. High insulin levels are a driving factor of equine metabolic syndrome and are commonly implicated in many cases of laminitis. Horses with Pituitary Pars Intermedia Dysfunction (PPID) (also commonly referred to as ‘Cushings’) and Polysaccharide Storage Myopathy (PSSM)- a component in many cases of ‘tying up’, may also particularly benefit from a diet low in starch and containing adequate quantities of quality protein.

The phytoestrogen content of soy is an important, yet often misunderstood concept. Soy is unique in that it contains a high concentration of isoflavones, a type of plant oestrogen (phytoestrogen) that is similar in function to the hormone oestrogen but with much weaker effects. Soy isoflavones can bind to oestrogen receptors in the body and can either increase or decrease oestrogen levels in the body. Research has demonstrated that when oestrogen levels in the body are naturally low, then ingestion of phytoestrogens may help to increase the body’s levels.  When oestrogen levels in the body are naturally high, then consuming phytoestrogens may help to reduce oestrogen levels, as they bind to some of the receptor sites that naturally produced oestrogen may bind to.

Potential Cons

The phytoestrogen activity of soy may also potentially be a drawback of this feed. Excessively high intakes of phytoestrogens have the potential to decrease testosterone levels, an important consideration in stallions and colts. Soy certainly isn’t the only source of phytoestrogens commonly found in horse diets: clover grass is rich in phytoestrogens. Before attributing potential positive or negative effects of phytoestrogens in a horse’s diet, the total quantity of all phytoestrogen rich food sources needs to be taken into account.

Soy is commonly attributed to causing allergic symptoms in horses- everything from itchiness and skin irritation, colic and digestive disturbances, to overly-reactive behaviour and respiratory issues. Whilst soy is a common allergen in humans, the same has not yet been demonstrated in horses. Diagnostic tests for equine food allergies are difficult to carry out, time-consuming and often unreliable. In clinical practice, I find that the majority of horses with allergy related symptoms (whether these be environmental or food related) improve significantly when overall nutritional status and specific components of both immune and gut health have been therapeutically addressed. Generally something which may appear to cause allergic symptoms in a horse is not the real culprit.

A significant valid concern with soy is the fact that it is one of the most commonly genetically modified (GM) crops. Whilst this is only an issue in some parts of the world, it is certainly worth taking into consideration. Animal studies with GM foods indicate that they may cause some common toxic effects such as hepatic, pancreatic, renal, or reproductive effects and may alter blood parameters and immune function.

Soy is high in omega six fatty acids. Whilst these types of fatty acids are an essential component in our horse’s diets, they are generally present in higher than desirable amounts. Of further importance is the percentage of omega six fatty acids in proportion to omega three fatty acids. High levels of omega six fatty acids with accompanying low levels of omega three fatty acids are known to promote inflammation. Adding large amounts of soy products to a diet already high in omega six fatty acids further accentuates the shift towards a pro-inflammatory tendency. This can  have wide-ranging effects from impairing recovery from training, competition and exercise; compromising immune function; and exacerbating already existing inflammatory conditions such as osteoarthritis, desmitis, placentitis and laminitis to name a few.

Uncooked or even inadequately cooked soybean meal has some anti-nutritional factors. Trypsin inhibitor is the most significant one. Trypsin is an essential enzyme which helps horses to properly digest protein, allowing for absorption and metabolism of the amino acids which make up the protein. Trypsin inhibitor found in uncooked soybean prevents trypsin from being able to properly break down proteins. This means that in the presence of trypsin inhibitors a large percentage of all protein from all sources a horse is consuming is unable to be properly digested, absorbed and metabolised.

Some concerns exist that soy can have a negative effect on thyroid function and can alter the levels of thyroid hormones. Whilst the majority of data is from human studies, it is unlikely that regular consumption of small amounts of soy containing foods have significant impact on thyroid function in healthy subjects. In cases where hypothyroidism already exists (keeping in mind that diagnosis and true cases of hypothyroidism in horses is rare), then reviewing the appropriate feeding of soybean containing products is warranted.

Conclusion

Processed soybean meal and feeds containing this product can be a valuable inclusion in the diets of many horses. Factors which may caution against the feeding of soy to some horses include specific health concerns and where in the world the soy is grown and produced. Soybean meal MUST be properly heat treated to prevent trypsin inhibitor from interfering with protein digestion. The quantity of soy products fed and the overall diet of the horse are crucial factors to take into consideration.

Rarely is anything inherently good or bad: the same may be said of soybean products. The most important consideration is that one size doesn’t fit all: feed the individual horse in front of you!

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.

What is laminitis?

Laminitis is a painful, often devastating inflammatory condition affecting the lamellar tissue of the foot. Each hoof contains 550-600 primary laminae, and each of those consists of 150-200 secondary laminae. The laminae connect the hoof wall to the coffin bone and function to provide shock absorption during locomotion, holding the coffin bone in place and supporting the horse’s entire body weight against gravity during movement. Laminitis results in the separation or failure of the laminae, causing permanent structural changes in a horse’s foot, often leading to repeated bouts of the condition and lasting lameness. In severe cases, the pedal (coffin) bone in the hoof can rotate and/or sink downward (this is termed founder). The devastating end result can be the coffin bone protruding through the sole of the hoof.

Clinical Signs of Laminitis

Laminitis most frequently occurs in the front hooves, which carry the majority of the horse’s weight (about 60%), although it can affect the hind hooves as well.

Common clinical signs include:

• Reluctance or inability to walk, and/or looking very footsore or ‘toey’ when walking;
• Weight-shifting between legs;
• Increased respiratory rate and frequently increased heart rate;
• A glazed, painful expression;
• When front feet are affected, a stance with the hind legs camped under the body and forefeet camped out;
• Bounding (throbbing) digital arterial pulses; and
• Increased heat of the feet (this can be felt by touching the horse’s effected hooves).

It is extremely important to note that structural damage to the laminae can occur before obvious clinical signs are noticed.

Causes

Laminitis can be caused by several different factors, many of which can overlap or occur concurrently. At this time of year, the primary focus is on laminitis which results from eating grass rich in NSC. These NSC can cause blood glucose and insulin levels to skyrocket, resulting in excessive inflammation and damage to the lamellae. Fructans (a particular type of of NSC, often high in grass at this time of the year) pose a further risk to horses. Fructans are largely indigestible to equines, causes undesirable changes in gastrointestinal (GI) microflora and the integrity of the cells which line the GI tract. This is a significant risk factor in the development of laminitis.

Horses and ponies most at risk of laminitis at this time of year include those that are overweight and/or have metabolic syndrome, those with Pituitary Pars Intermedia Dysfunction (PPID) (which is often referred to as Equine Cushing’s Disease) and those that have previously had laminitis.

Prevention

Prevention is key to ensuring your horse’s best health and welfare- and requires a diligent and holistic approach. Providing sufficient roughage (such as soaked hay) which is low in NSC and minimising grazing of grass high in NSC are key. One thing which can catch many people out is that even grass which is not lush and green can be high in NSC. It is imperative to note that the common practice of locking susceptible horses up and giving them minimal hay and/or feed has deleterious health effects on the horse and can actually increase the severity of laminitis.

Exercise is often overlooked, but is imperative in the prevention of laminitis. The effects are multiple: exercise itself has a direct effect on utilising energy, thus helping with weight management of the horse. It also helps to reduce fat tissue and promote lean muscle mass, thereby increasing energy utilisation at rest. But by far the biggest benefit comes from regulating blood glucose levels, through a mechanism that can only be facilitated during exercise.

Treatment

In the early stages of an acute episode of pasture-associated laminitis, the horse should immediately be removed from the affected pasture. Soaked hay (ensure that the water it is soaked in is discarded away from where the horse can graze it) should be the primary feed source provided until further nutritional advice is sought. Icing the hooves may slow down inflammatory processes and may also impede enzymatic processes associated with the deterioration of the laminar attachments. Icing should be employed for the first 72 hours.

Treatment of the horse with laminitis needs to be tailored to the individual horse and the the factors which have contributed to its condition. Specific feeding plans, combined with appropriate exercise (at a stage where the horse is able to safely and comfortably move), and strategic nutritional and herbal medicine supplementation are imperative. This should only ever be prescribed from someone suitably qualified and experienced. Whilst immediate pain relief may be required for the horse’s welfare in the case of an acute laminitic episode, the use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatories (NSAIDs) such as ‘bute’ must be judicious. Such drugs may actually worsen the condition by further compromising GIT integrity. Additionally, the pain relief provided by these may allowing the horse to move more than appropriate at that stage of its recovery, thereby further damaging the hoof laminae.

Conclusion

Laminitis is a serious, yet largely preventable condition in our equines. Through appropriate dietary and management strategies, and the use of specific nutritional and/or herbal medicine where indicated, a horse’s risk of developing the condition can be minimised. In the horse that has developed laminitis, appropriate early intervention improves the outcome for the 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.

Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) in horses refers to a group of intestinal diseases that are caused by the infiltration of different types of inflammatory cells into the mucosal and submucosal walls of the intestine, resulting in intestinal dysfunction. Each disease in the IBD group involves a different combination of white cells or involves a different part of the intestinal tract.

Corticosteroids are the veterinary treatment of choice in horses diagnosed with IBD. Generally, a prolonged, tapering course is used, however, there are no particular indications on doses and duration of these drugs. It is well known that systemic administration of corticosteroids to horses has been associated with several adverse effects, including adrenocortical suppression and dysfunction, laminitis, hepatopathy (liver damage), muscle wasting, altered bone metabolism (reduced bone density and strength), and increased susceptibility to infections. 

One of the other major, yet less well-acknowledged considerations is that disruption of the protective mucus barrier of the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) is a key contributor to the initiation and perpetuation of IBD. The use of corticosteroids can further compound this problem, as these drugs adversely impact several of the body’s natural mechanisms for maintaining a healthy mucus barrier in the GIT.

To successfully resolve/manage the horse with IBD, an approach that addresses the inflammation and associated abnormal immune response, in addition to promoting healthy mucus production and function in the GIT is absolutely paramount.

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.

Laminitis is a painful, often devastating inflammatory condition affecting the lamellar tissue of the foot.  Each hoof contains 550-600 primary laminae, and each of those consists of 150-200 secondary laminae. The laminae connect the hoof wall to the coffin (pedal) bone and function to provide shock absorption during locomotion, holding the coffin bone in place and supporting the horse’s entire body weight against gravity during movement. Laminitis is inflammation of the laminae that anchor the coffin bone within the hoof capsule. This can result in the separation or failure of the laminae, causing permanent structural changes in a horse’s foot. In severe case, the coffin bone in the hoof can rotate, drop and/or sink downward. This is known as ‘founder’

Types

Laminitis can be categorised into three main types:

• Subclinical (where the horse or pony is not yet showing clinical signs, but changes have already occurred within the hoof);
• Acute (rapid onset with a short but severe course);
• Chronic (lasting a long period of time or marked by frequent recurrence).

Clinical Signs

Laminitis most frequently occurs in the front hooves, which carry the majority of the horse’s weight (about 60%), although it can affect the hind hooves as well.

Common clinical signs include:

• Lameness: varying from mild to near refusal to weight bear. Often lameness is worse when walking or turning on hard surfaces;
• Reluctance or inability to walk;
• Weight-shifting between legs;
• Increased respiratory rate and frequently increased heart rate;
• A glazed, painful expression;
• When front feet are affected, a stance with the hind legs camped under the body and forefeet camped out;
• Bounding (throbbing) digital arterial pulses; and
• Increased heat of the feet (this can be felt by touching the horse’s effected hooves).

Structural damage to the laminae can occur before obvious clinical signs are noticed.

Causes

Laminitis can be caused by several different factors, many of which can overlap or occur concurrently:

• Endocrine disorders. These include Pituitary Pars Intermedia Dysfunction (PPID) (formally referred to as Equine Cushing’s Disease), and Equine Metabolic Syndrome (EMS). These often go hand in hand with pasture-associated laminitis, diets high in non-structural carbohydrates (sugars, fructans, starch) and insulin resistance.
• High blood insulin levels and associated insulin resistance are common causes of laminitis. High levels of insulin can increase laminitis risk through several mechanisms: vasoconstriction (narrowing of blood vessels) leading to decreased blood flow to the hooves; excessive inflammation, increasing the activity of enzymes which cause destruction to the lamellae and weakening of the hoof lamellae.
• Nutritionally induced laminitis is another common form of the condition. This primarily occurs through carbohydrate overload. Horses are designed to digest carbohydrates (starches, sugars) in the small intestine and fibre in the hindgut. If the capacity of the small intestine is exceeded however, the digestion of starches and sugars overflows into the hindgut, disrupting the microflora and in turn increasing the acidity of the hindgut. The beneficial microflora die off, creating a toxic environment, damaging the hind gut epithelium and are released into the bloodstream through the now highly permeable epithelium.
• High fructan intake. Fructans are another form of carbohydrate, comprised of fructose and glucose. Horses do not have the enzymes needed to break fructans down so the hindgut bacteria must do this. Fructans are highly fermentable, and if large amounts are consumed it disrupts the hindgut microflora and pH balance.
• Systemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome (SIRS) or toxaemia. This is associated with post-foaling uterine infection/retained placenta, and infectious diarrhoea, among other causes;
• Exposure to black walnut extract, either digested or via contact with hooves (in the case of horse bedding).
• Supporting limb laminitis, where one leg is injured and the weight-bearing supporting limb is affected.
• Traumatic laminitis, once called “road founder,” from overuse, often on hard surfaces.
• The systemic use of corticosteroids in susceptible horses and ponies.

Other less common causes include allergies, infections, fever, cold weather, severe colic cases, hormonal change; drug inducement. All possible causes are worsened by poor hoof care and obesity.

How naturopathy can help laminitis

Naturopathy can help the laminitic horse or pony as part of a holistic treatment approach, in conjunction with appropriate farriery. Nutritional and herbal medicine, combined with naturopathic management and feeding practices can help prevent laminitis; reduce severity, duration and frequency of recurring cases, and help to promote optimal laminae health and hoof growth.

Naturopathic treatment is customised to each individual horse, and therapeutics used are determined by the predisposing cause(s) of laminitis and specific factors pertaining to each case. Discussed below are some of the key treatment aims achieved through naturopathy in cases of laminitis.

Restoring intestinal endothelial integrity and function

One of the keys to reducing the incidence and severity of laminitis is to ensure that the integrity of the intestinal lining is restored. In the majority of laminitic cases, it is believed that the integrity of the cellular lining of the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) is compromised and is a key factor in endotoxicity, inflammation, altered gut microbiota and activating metalloproteinases which break down laminae. These factors combined all contribute to laminitis. Endothelial integrity is further exacerbated by the use of anti-inflammatories such as phenylbutazone (‘bute’/‘PBZ’), flunixin and other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), which are commonly used to help manage pain and inflammation in laminitis. Gut membrane integrity can be restored by nutrients such as zinc, vitamin C, B-group vitamins, glutamine and herbs such as Golden Seal, Chamomile and Meadowsweet.

Restoring bowel microflora

Bowel flora is often compromised in cases of laminitis, and often goes hand-in-hand with altered intestinal permeability. This alteration in microflora is likely to contribute to inflammation, increased insulin and blood-glucose levels and obesity as well as being a result of these factors too, thus making it a central mechanism in laminitis. The use of specific pre and probiotics as well as herbs such as Golden Seal, Slippery Elm, Aniseed and Marshmallow Root can help to restore and promote optimal bowel flora.

Reducing inflammation

As discussed earlier, inflammation is a central mechanism in laminitis: both at a local (laminar) level, as well as systemically. It is known that inflammation in the bowel alone can influence systemic inflammatory mediators- thus contributing to and exacerbating laminitis. Herbal and nutritional medicine offer a plethora of natural anti-inflammatories, which are devoid of the side effects common to NSAIDs such as bute/PBZ- which may worsen the pathophysiology of laminitis. Some of the many anti-inflammatories on offer include: Pure fish oil; zinc; Chamomile; Devil’s Claw; White Willow; Meadowsweet; Bilberry; Licorice; Cat’s Claw and Withania.

Reducing Oxidative Stress

Inflammation causes the production of free radicals in the body, and when inflammation is severe and/or chronic (as in the case of laminitis), these free radicals are unable to be eliminated by the body’s natural protective mechanisms (antioxidants) leading to oxidative stress. This increase in oxidative stress leads to further degradation of cells and molecules in the body, and can result in further destruction to the laminae. Naturopathically, we can increase the levels of many different antioxidants in the body, helping to combat free radicals. Nutrients which may be used include: vitamins C and E; minerals such as zinc and selenium; amino acids such as glutamine; and herbs such as Bilberry, Cat’s Claw, Ginkgo, Hawthorn, Rhodiola, Schisandra and St Mary’s Thistle.

Regulating blood flow to the laminae

Alterations in blood flow to the hoof are complex and are believed to vary throughout the progression of laminitis. In the early prodromal and acute phases blood flow to the hoof is thought to increase. As the condition progresses, vascular damage and decreased blood flow in the capillaries is believed to occur, contributing to the further degradation of laminae and poor hoof quality and growth. Herbs such as Ginger, Bilberry, Hawthorn, Gotu, Butcher’s Broom can help to optimise the blood flow and help to maintain vascular integrity, preventing further damage.

Weight management

Weight management is vital in helping to manage laminitis. From a simplistic point of view, the more weight the horse has to carry, the more stress upon the laminae and the hooves. Excess adipose tissue (fat) acts as an endocrine organ: meaning it has an influence on hormone production in the body. It alters peripheral oestrogen levels, promoting and feeding inflammatory mediators and processes. This is also closely associated with high blood glucose levels (which, when sustained leads to blood vessel damage) and high insulin levels and insulin resistance. Naturopathic methods employed to help promote and maintain a healthy weight include nutritional and management advice. Herbs such as Licorice, Bladderwrack, Coleus and Globe Artichoke may be a valuable inclusion, when combined with appropriate management and dietary interventions.

Insulin and blood glucose stabilisation

Insulin is needed to help keep blood glucose levels stable. Carrying excess body fat is one of the primary causes of insulin resistance.  In cases of insulin resistance, the body becomes less sensitive to the actions of insulin, leading to high levels of glucose in the bloodstream. This further drives inflammation and oxidation in the body, leading to further damage of the laminae. Nutrition and management practices are fundamental considerations in regulating insulin and blood glucose levels. Cinnamon, Fenugreek and St Mary’s Thistle are fantastic herbal additions to aid in insulin sensitivity and regulation. Nutritionally, chromium, magnesium, zinc, vitamin C, vitamin E, selenium, fish oil, vitamin E, coenzyme Q10, acetyl-L-carnitine, B group vitamins, zinc and manganese can all play valuable roles in promoting good blood glucose control and insulin sensitivity.

Hormonal regulation

Horses with PPID produce insufficient dopamine, which leads to the pituitary gland being unregulated. This in turn results in over-production of the hormone ACTH (amongst others). Up to 70% of horses with PPID are thought to develop laminitis, most likely due to the exaggerated insulin response, which occurs when sugars (such as those naturally found in grass and feeds) are ingested. The herb Vitex is able to bind to and activate dopamine receptors, thereby helping to regulate ACTH levels. Nutritional cofactors essential for dopamine production are also important considerations. These include: Phenylalanine, tyrosine, B group vitamins, vitamin C, magnesium and iron.

Promoting healthy hoof growth

Hoof growth in horses with laminitis can be varied, but is typically faster than horses without laminitis. The heel of laminitic horses often grows faster than the toe (due to changes in blood flow), but the quality of the hoof tends to be poor. In addition to regular specialist farrier care, it is essential to provide the nutrients needed for healthy hoof growth, as well as regulating circulation to the entire hoof through the use of herbal medicine. Biotin, zinc, vitamin C, omega-3 fatty acids, calcium, selenium, manganese and protein (particularly the amino acids methionine, cysteine and lysine) all play crucial roles in healthy hoof growth. Ginger, Hawthorn, Prickly Ash, St Mary’s Thistle, Gotu and Bilberry are all valuable herbal medicines to support optimal hoof health in the laminitic horse.

Promote healthy diet

When treating any equine health condition, the importance of facilitating optimal overall health cannot be forgotten. Treatment plans must take into account meeting each horse’s individual nutritional and therapeutic needs, and not just treating the presenting disease process (in this case laminitis). For this reason, the nutrients and herbs used to treat each horse will vary between individuals.

Stress

Controlling the stress response in the laminitic horse is essential to help prevent further destruction of the laminae, and to help facilitate healing. Stress- whether caused by pain, environmental factors, diet, or the horse’s natural temperament tendencies, all contribute to elevating the hormone cortisol in the body. High cortisol levels can drive inflammation; promote insulin resistance; elevate blood glucose levels; interfere with digestion and nutrient absorption; compromise integrity and function of the gut lining; disrupt bowel microflora; deplete the body of vital nutrients such as vitamin C, magnesium, B-group vitamins; contribute to elevated levels of oxidative stress; alter hormonal levels; and cause changes in blood flow. The importance of optimising cortisol levels in the laminitic horse can therefore not be underestimated. Depending on the stressors involved and the individual horse, important nutrients to consider include vitamin E, magnesium, specific amino acids, B group vitamins and vitamin C. Herbal medicines used may include Valerian, Chamomile, Withania, Lemon Balm, Corydalis and Vervain.

Conclusion

From the factors discussed above, correctly prescribed naturopathy has a vital role to play in the prevention, treatment and management of laminitis. There are a plethora of effective nutrients and herbs to help achieve specific treatment goals in laminitis, and those employed must be selected to best fit each individual horse. It is paramount to know that specific herbs and nutrients have carefully calculated effective dosage ranges, cautions, contraindications, toxicity levels and interactions between other herbs, nutrients and conventional pharmaceuticals. The importance of professional prescribing is therefore essential in order to appropriately select safe and effective therapeutics, achieve treatment goals and facilitate the best possible outcome for each individual 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.

Whenever any medication is used, the systemic effects the drug has on the horse should always be considered.

Adverse effects of glucocorticoids are well known, yet we don’t always stop to think what this can mean for the horse in front of us. The immunosuppressive effect of this class of drugs has been demonstrated to predispose horses to bacterial and/or fungal infections, decrease wound healing and increase the risk of insulin-resistant laminitis. Other less severe but important adverse effects include muscle wasting, hyperglycaemia (high blood glucose levels), polyuria (excessive urination), polydipsia (excessive thirst) and gastric ulcers.

Corticosteroids also effect the nutritional status of the horse, as they influence the synthesis, absorption and/or excretion of key nutrients including: zinc, magnesium, calcium, selenium, vitamin C and vitamin D.

Horses receiving glucocorticoids are known to have decreased immune response to infection and vaccines. Whilst some conditions may necessitate the use of these drugs, in the best interests of the horse’s health, performance (physical and/or reproductive) and wellbeing- addressing WHY the drugs are needed in the first place is paramount. Should the use of glucocorticoids be strongly indicated, then concurrently addressing specific nutrient requirements is paramount.

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, just because garlic is ‘natural’ and has health-promoting properties, doesn’t make it safe or suitable for all horses and ponies. When garlic is fed in high doses and/ or for extended periods of time, it may result in haemolytic anaemia (destruction of red blood cells). Garlic is also high in fructans, a carbohydrate which has poor digestibility in the equine. This must be kept forefront in mind before feeding to horses and ponies prone to or at risk of colic or laminitis.

As with any supplement, it is vital to consider the needs, characteristics and intricacies of the horse or pony being treated. Just because a supplement is beneficial for one horse, doesn’t make it suitable for all.

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 concerning then, that recent research has shown that a number of US equine veterinary hospitals do not have specific nutritional protocols in place for conditions such as colic, laminitis, tying up, and post surgery. Many equine patients receive the same diet regardless of their state of health and the reason for their hospitalisation. Whilst the study was conducted only in USA equine hospitals, it is likely that similar practices may exist globally.

If all the money and effort is invested to help a horse through major medical intervention, surely adopting feeding and nutritional practices to OPTIMise their recovery is plain, simple commonsense.

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 iron deficiency in humans is an all too common problem, in our horses it is fairly rare. When it occurs, it is not usually due to an insufficient intake of iron in the diet. Instead it generally occurs due to low-grade, longterm blood loss (the causes of which deserve to be written about in a separate post). Losing large amounts of blood in an acute injury/health complication are also a cause.

One of the most commonly seen scenarios I see in practice is when trainers and riders give horses iron supplements in response to a horse performing poorly or a horse which has had an infection (viral or bacterial).  Iron is perhaps the most important micronutrient required for bacteria to proliferate and cause disease. Viruses also depend on iron in order to efficiently replicate.

It is important to remember too that iron is needed by inflammatory cells. Any condition a horse has where there is significant inflammation (Equine Asthma, placentitis, sesamoiditis, ligament or tendon damage, endometritis- just a few examples!) could be further worsened by iron supplementation.

Takeaway messages:

• By supplementing iron in the poor performing horse/horse that has a ‘virus’ or infection, or any significant inflammatory process, chances are you are making the condition worse.
• ‘Natural’ supplements aren’t always safe/appropriate/indicated
• Get professional advice to help identify and address the cause(s) of the poor performance/challenging health condition in 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.

More obvious ridges, grooves, or bulges in the hoof wall may be signs of a health problem that occurred at some time in the past few months. Illness which has resulted in temperature, infection, or inflammation changes blood flow and has the potential to affect hoof growth. The ingestion of toxic plants, spoiled feeds, excessive (toxic) intake of particular nutrients (even those that are essential for normal health) and any poisonous substance that influences a horse’s metabolism may result in hoof ridges. These defined grooves in the hoof wall are also common in horses who have suffered from laminitis, with the ridges to take on a V-like appearance toward the toe in chronic cases.

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.