Caring for horses is not as easy as many horseowners think. Especially for animals under heavy work, there are many factors that can contribute to problems. Equine athletes, such as racehorses or eventing stars, can develop debilitating and even life-threatening ulcers, for example. Equine inflammation management supplements can be of great benefit in both prevention and treatment.
Experts estimate that as many as 80% of horses under demanding workloads have ulcers. It's easy to see that this problem is not to be underestimated. As with every other health issue, prevention is much better than trying to effect a cure. Understanding how diet works to prevent ulcers is important.
Horses in the wild eat grass around the clock, with short times out for resting. Horses in stalls, however, often have regular feeding times with periods of fasting in between, when they have eaten their hay and have to wait for more. Show or racing horses also need the concentrated energy and calories of grain, which make their systems more acidic than roughage does.
When a horse grazes, it chews the roughage and mixes it with alkaline saliva. In order to digest the constant supply of roughage, the horse secretes stomach acid continually. This is good when roughage is always available but can cause problems when it is limited. When there is no protective mass of roughage in the stomach, the acids can damage the intestinal lining.
This damage causes inflammation of the stomach wall, and eventually open sores - ulcers - form. Many experts think, as well, that all inflammation stems from the digestive tract. This means that improper feeding can be the original cause of muscle, leg, and foot problems. Just as humans address their arthritis with dietary changes and supplements, horseowners can take this approach, too.
Alfalfa is a healthy herb, sold as tea, tablets, or powder in health food stores. Horses love alfalfa hay and will eat it readily. Owners and trainers should make sure there are no sharp sticks in the hay, which can perforate weak spots in the stomach lining. An option is to rely on soaked alfalfa cubes to add this nutrition and bulk to the horse's diet.
Keeping stall confinement to a minimum, or making it as stress-free as possible, can help. Horses are herd animals, so just being able to see other horses can reduce stress. Keeping a sick animal in familiar surroundings helps. Allowing a horse access to hay or grass at all times is important; if hay consumption must be limited, try one of the slow-feeder nets that make it impossible for the horse to grab a large mouthful.
Many anti-inflammatory herbs, like tumeric and boswellia, are good for the stomach. It may be that a supplement can address stomach health and other conditions, like muscle soreness or leg and foot problems. Every horseowner should know how a horse's digestive system works and how to normalize its diet and lifestyle as much as possible. Supplements can then help when stressful situations are unavoidable.
Experts estimate that as many as 80% of horses under demanding workloads have ulcers. It's easy to see that this problem is not to be underestimated. As with every other health issue, prevention is much better than trying to effect a cure. Understanding how diet works to prevent ulcers is important.
Horses in the wild eat grass around the clock, with short times out for resting. Horses in stalls, however, often have regular feeding times with periods of fasting in between, when they have eaten their hay and have to wait for more. Show or racing horses also need the concentrated energy and calories of grain, which make their systems more acidic than roughage does.
When a horse grazes, it chews the roughage and mixes it with alkaline saliva. In order to digest the constant supply of roughage, the horse secretes stomach acid continually. This is good when roughage is always available but can cause problems when it is limited. When there is no protective mass of roughage in the stomach, the acids can damage the intestinal lining.
This damage causes inflammation of the stomach wall, and eventually open sores - ulcers - form. Many experts think, as well, that all inflammation stems from the digestive tract. This means that improper feeding can be the original cause of muscle, leg, and foot problems. Just as humans address their arthritis with dietary changes and supplements, horseowners can take this approach, too.
Alfalfa is a healthy herb, sold as tea, tablets, or powder in health food stores. Horses love alfalfa hay and will eat it readily. Owners and trainers should make sure there are no sharp sticks in the hay, which can perforate weak spots in the stomach lining. An option is to rely on soaked alfalfa cubes to add this nutrition and bulk to the horse's diet.
Keeping stall confinement to a minimum, or making it as stress-free as possible, can help. Horses are herd animals, so just being able to see other horses can reduce stress. Keeping a sick animal in familiar surroundings helps. Allowing a horse access to hay or grass at all times is important; if hay consumption must be limited, try one of the slow-feeder nets that make it impossible for the horse to grab a large mouthful.
Many anti-inflammatory herbs, like tumeric and boswellia, are good for the stomach. It may be that a supplement can address stomach health and other conditions, like muscle soreness or leg and foot problems. Every horseowner should know how a horse's digestive system works and how to normalize its diet and lifestyle as much as possible. Supplements can then help when stressful situations are unavoidable.
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You can get a summary of important factors to keep in mind when choosing a supplier of equine inflammation management supplements at http://www.naviculardisease.com right now.
