This week, I dive into more ways to support a healthy equine microbiome.

In the last episode, I explained what a microbiome is and why it is essential for every aspect of a horse's health. If you have not already done so, I suggest you tune in to that episode to understand why supporting the microbiome is crucial for the hindgut and every organ in a horse’s body.

Maintaining Healthy Gut Bacteria

Maintaining a healthy population of bacteria in a horse's digestive system is essential, especially considering that 75% of their energy comes from fermenting fiber. When the balance gets disrupted due to poor feeding practices, exposure to toxicity or chemicals, or stress, health issues like colic, ulcers, fecal water syndrome, diarrhea, or immunity-related problems like scratches, rain rot, festering infections, and chronic thrush may arise. 

Creating a Supportive Environment

A supportive environment starts with carefully considering the horse's diet, avoiding high-sugar and high-protein intake, managing fat levels, minimizing exposure to chemicals and preservatives, and regulating pH levels.

How Medications and Stress Affect the Microbiome 

Apart from diet, medications and stress levels also significantly impact the equine microbiome. Medicines can alter bacterial populations, so it is always essential to evaluate how necessary they are and their potential side effects. Emotional or physical stress can elevate acidity levels in a horse’s body. That could affect their bacterial populations and cause inflammation. Assessing lifestyle factors, addressing stressors, and making necessary changes will all contribute to maintaining a healthy equine microbiome.

Introduction to Prebiotics for Gut Health

Providing your horse with prebiotics is a proactive way to support their gut health. Prebiotics are in the soluble and insoluble fibers of plants. Foraging horses can access their probiotics naturally from the grasses, leaves, and shrubs they eat. In a domestic setting, however, you must give those to your horse in a feed bucket. Beet pulp, chia seeds, cooked barley, cooked oats, and certain herbs are all options that will help in creating an environment conducive to healthy gut bacteria.

Understanding Probiotics and Their Benefits

Probiotics are living biological organisms crucial for modifying the microbiota, producing beneficial compounds, and enhancing intestinal immunity. Studies have shown that common strains, like bifidum and lactobacillus, positively affect equine digestive conditions, immunity, weight gain, and energy levels. When selecting probiotics, it is best to choose refrigerated options that do not contain any added ingredients.

Dosage and Timing of Probiotic Supplementation

Dosage for probiotics gets measured in colony forming units (CFUs), typically ranging from 50 to 100 billion CFUs for horses. Specific circumstances, such as post-deworming or antibiotic use, may warrant probiotic supplementation. 

How Effective are Probiotics?

Even though the studies on the survival of probiotics in the gastrointestinal tract vary, I have seen how effective probiotics are for improving gut health, especially in colic situations. Monitoring how your horse responds to probiotics will help you determine their efficacy. 

Assessing Probiotic Effectiveness

To truly understand the effectiveness of probiotics, you will need to observe their immediate benefits, re-evaluate after long-term use, and recognize the instances where they do not produce your desired outcome. If the probiotics consistently offer no improvement or cause adverse effects, you must reassess your horse's overall health, diet, and environment. 

Valuable Contributors to Gut Health

Probiotics are valuable contributors to gut health. They are most effective when you use them as part of a comprehensive approach to your horse's well-being.

Links and resources:

Connect with Elisha Edwards on her website 

Free Webinar Masterclass: Four Steps to Solving Equine Metabolic Syndrome Naturally

Today, I explore the equine microbiome. 

The microbiome is a crucial aspect of overall equine health. It is an ecosystem in the gut that supports the immune system of horses. It helps them stay healthy by keeping their energy levels up and ensuring they get the correct nutrition.

The Equine Digestive System  

The equine digestive system encompasses the mouth, teeth, stomach, and small intestine, with the hindgut constituting 65% of the digestive tract, including the large intestine and cecum. Maintaining a healthy hindgut is crucial for proper digestion, as issues can lead to diarrhea or a leaky gut.

Microbial Population and Fermentation in the Hindgut 

The hindgut houses 10 to 15 trillion bacterial cells, responsible for fermenting complex carbohydrates and providing around 75% of the horse's energy. That process produces volatile fatty acids, B vitamins, amino acids, and neurotransmitters. Imbalances in the microbiome can result in energy level issues and deficiencies, affecting a horse's ability to ferment fiber adequately.

Microbiome Beyond the Hindgut 

Every organ in a horse's body, including the skin and respiratory tract, hosts localized populations of microbes. Those microbes are crucial for supporting immunity and maintaining the communication between different body parts.

Unique Microbial Fingerprint  

Each horse has a unique microbial fingerprint influenced by their genetics, the environment, and exposure to stress or health events. The diversity of microbial populations significantly impacts a horse's overall health, affecting their immunity, metabolism, digestion, and detoxification.

Microbial Contributions to Health 

Microbes in the horse's body produce B vitamins, butyrate, and glutathione. Those substances contribute to gut health, protect against disease, and facilitate detoxification. Microbes also create neurotransmitters like serotonin and dopamine, influencing brain health and hormone regulation.

Environmental Factors and pH Balance 

Maintaining a pH between 6.4 and 6.7 in the hindgut is crucial for microbial health. Over-fermentation of starches and sugars can increase acidity, damaging the microbiome and causing conditions like acidosis and leaky gut. Excess acidity also contributes to inflammation and the release of toxins.

Toxins, Leaky Gut, and Auto-Intoxication 

When toxins from an imbalanced hind gut enter the general circulation, issues arise, progressing from leaky gut to auto-intoxication, where the entire body becomes toxic. Maintaining a healthy microbiome is crucial for preventing those conditions.

Factors Damaging the Microbiome 

Several factors may contribute to damaging the microbiome, lowering pH, and fostering unhealthy bacteria. Feed and forage are the primary fuel for microbial populations. Long-term stress, dewormers, medications, and age can impact hindgut health, and overmedication, especially with dewormers and antibiotics, can disrupt the microbial balance. 

Age and Microbiome Damage 

Age is critical, as prolonged exposure to stress, over-fermentation of starches and sugars, and various medications contribute to hindgut damage over time. Supporting a healthy microbiome becomes increasingly crucial as horses age.

Choosing the Right Feed for Your Horse 

Always be mindful of what you feed your horse. Too much sugar and carbohydrates, especially from corn in commercial feeds, can upset the balance of microbes in the hindgut by affecting its acidity. Keeping an eye on the sugar content in grains and grass is crucial, as it can feed bacteria that might be harmful. Too much protein, dietary oils, feed byproducts, artificial additives, dairy byproducts, and molasses can also lead to hindgut problems. Paying close attention to the ingredients in your horse's feed will help to avoid unnecessary issues and keep your horse healthy.

Conclusion and Next Steps 

Simplifying and cleaning up your horse's nutrition, avoiding unnecessary additives, and focusing on hindgut support will contribute to its overall digestive health. Whether for prevention or addressing existing health challenges, prioritizing a healthy gut and microbiome is the key to equine well-being.

Links and resources:

Connect with Elisha Edwards on her website 

Free Webinar Masterclass: Four Steps to Solving Equine

Metabolic Syndrome Naturally

This week, I discuss one of the plants I use frequently in my equine health programs. 

Licorice root is widely known for its unmistakable sweetness and distinct flavor. In addition to being a popular ingredient in the culinary arts, it has many medicinal properties. It has been used for thousands of years in Chinese medicine, and has been the subject of extensive research due to the pharmacological activities of its constituents. 

Licorice Root Contains Glycyrrhizin 

Licorice root contains glycyrrhizin, a plant glycoside fifty times sweeter than sucrose. Despite its sweetness, glycyrrhizin does not affect the glycemic index, making it safe for horses with insulin resistance concerns.

Glycyrrhizin Becomes Glycyrrhizin Acid

After being metabolized by the gastrointestinal tract, glycyrrhizin becomes glycyrrhizin acid, an acidic compound well-known for therapeutic properties related to the adrenal glands. That is particularly significant for horses with metabolic conditions, such as insulin resistance and Cushing's, where the adrenal glands respond to emotional and physical stressors.

Adrenal Glands and Stress 

The adrenal glands are essential for the fight-or-flight response because they produce hormones like adrenaline and cortisol during stress. Prolonged cortisol production due to chronic stress may lead to adrenal burnout, something we see in horses experiencing fatigue, depression, pain, and long-term inflammation. It is essential to notice and address adrenal burnout, as it could intensify health issues like compromised immunity and muscle wasting.

The Role of Licorice Root in Adrenal Support

Licorice root is a natural ally for supporting adrenal health. It helps to manage equine stress levels by mitigating adrenal fatigue, reducing inflammation, and alleviating various conditions associated with chronic stress. 

The Role of Glycyrrhizin Acid

The glycyrrhizin acid in licorice root interferes with the breakdown of cortisol by inhibiting its premature inactivation in the liver and kidneys. That unique characteristic allows for more cortisol availability in the body, which is helpful for horses struggling with elevated cortisol levels. 

The Multi-Faceted Benefits of Licorice Root

Licorice root has antiviral, antibacterial, and antifungal properties, making it a valuable addition to a horse's diet for their overall health and wellness and boosting their immune system. 

Licorice Root is helpful for Insulin-resistant horses

Licorice root contains flavonoids and triterpenoids, which have anti-diabetic properties that enhance insulin receptor sensitivity and glucose utilization, making it a valuable supplement for insulin-resistant horses.

Leaky Gut Issues 

Licorice root can be helpful for horses with leaky gut issues, as it inhibits detrimental bacterial strains and fosters a healthier gut environment.

Managing Ulcers and Boosting Immunity

Licorice root discourages ulcer-causing bacteria and promotes mucus production for intestinal lining protection and repair. It also has immune-boosting capabilities, particularly for combating viruses like influenza and herpes, making it a valuable natural option for supporting a horse's immune system. 

Guidelines for Safe Usage

While incorporating licorice root into your horse's health program can yield various benefits, cautious and purposeful usage is essential. It is advisable to start with a low dosage and monitor the horse to see how it responds. Short-term use is best because licorice root can have a mineral corticoid effect, which could impact sodium retention and potassium levels. 

A Purposeful and Targeted Approach

Maintain a purposeful and targeted approach when incorporating licorice root into your horse’s health program. That will ensure it becomes a supportive component for addressing specific health concerns without compromising the horse's overall well-being.