Gut balancers for horses – digestive supplements: what’s on the market?

Horse supplements – all you need to know

Digestive supplements and gut balancers support your horse’s digestive system to help him cope with a number of transitions throughout the year, such as increased turnout in the spring or change of grazing quality in the winter. These changes can leave some horses’ digestive systems struggling, leading to a reduction in efficiency, loose droppings and other digestive upsets.

Often containing soothing herbs as well as pre- and probiotics, these supplements aim to maintain a healthy digestive system, provide a buffering effect against excess stomach acid and promote a normal population of bacteria to make sure your horse is getting the most out of what he eats while keeping him comfortable.

Common ingredients of digestive supplements include…

probiotics, which are often referred to as “good bacteria”
prebiotics, which are the “food” for probiotics, helping them to work effectively

If you compete with your horse then it is important you make sure any supplements you use do not contain any prohibited substances.

Digestive supplements and gut balancers for horses: what are your options?

Here is a selection of the best digestive supplements and gut balancers for horses that are currently available below in our alphabetical list, which includes the manufacturers’ descriptions of their products…

NB: Cost per day has been calculated using the maintenance measure for a 500kg horse in light work (where there was variation) and the RRP of the smallest available tub. Some products require loading doses and some horses will require a higher dose, which will increase the cost per daily measure, while buying a larger tub will likely decrease it – these costs per day are a guide only.

Alltech Forage Guard

This supplement is designed to help lessen the damaging effects of mycotoxins (toxins caused by moulds that naturally occur in forages) on performance and health. It prevents their absorption from the gut, without removing key nutrients from the diet.

Aloeride aloe vera

An organic aloe vera supplement that supports a healthy digestive system.

Animalife Vetrogard Intense

This supplement supports the natural defences of the gastric lining. It supports cell regeneration of the stomach, reducing irritation of the stomach lining, while improving appetite and faecal quality.

View Animalife Vetrogard Intense at viovet.co.uk

Audevard Ekygard

This supplement offers the stomach lining protection against acid and has a soothing and appetite-stimulating effect.

View Audevard Ekygard at viovet.co.uk

Aviform Pro-Choice Gold

This supplement features a unique blend of a pre- and probiotic making it ideal for horses prone to stress or any who may need extra support. Available in a 100% compostable pouch.

View Aviform Pro-Choice Gold at amazon.co.uk

Baileys Digest Plus

Feeding Baileys Digest Plus prebiotic during the changeover to winter forage will give the bacterial populations of the hindgut the support they need as they get used to the new fibre sources arriving in the gut, ensuring your horse gains the maximum nutritional benefit from the forage in his diet.

View Baileys Digest Plus at amazon.co.uk

Betta Life PharmaTrac Total Digestive Support

This supplement targets both the fore and hindgut, supporting the gastric environment and helping to maintain an optimum pH level.

View Betta Life PharmaTrac Total Digestive Support at viovet.co.uk

Blue Chip Super Concentrated Ulsa-Cool Balancer

This balancer is formulated to assist with the maintenance of acid balance in the gut. It includes an acid buffering agent that can help to alter gut pH by slowly releasing calcium, magnesium and silicon, over a prolonged period, to enhance the buffering effect it has on stomach acids.

View Blue Chip Super Concentrated Ulsa-Cool Balancer at viovet.co.uk

BSC-SeaBuckthorn

This natural plant extract provides support for gastro-intestinal health and digestive stability by nourishing the delicate tissues that line the stomach and intestines. It is rich in anti-oxidants and omega oils, as well as being an effective prebiotic.

Cavalor Vitaflora

This is a high quality pre- and pro-biotic that aids your horse’s digestion and supports his intestinal health.

View Cavalor Vitaflora at viovet.co.uk

Dodson & Horrell Digestive Support

This high specification, pelleted supplement provides nutritional and herbal support for the entire digestive system, promoting the normal population of bacteria within the large intestine. It is ideal for sensitive digestive systems, those undergoing dietary changes, being stabled for long periods, travelling or during periods of change or competition.

View Dodson & Horrell Digestive Support at viovet.co.uk

Equiform Nutrition Excel Digest

Daily use of this supplement can help support the digestive tract — it contains a unique blend of minerals, plant extracts and digestive soothers.

Equine America Uls-Gard Pellets

Formulated to help maintain digestive health and comfort, these pellets have an alfalfa and soya hull base, and contain pectins, lecithin, aloe vera, marshmallow root, glycine and liquorice.

View Equine America Uls-Gard Pellets at viovet.co.uk

Equine Products UK TransVite Excel

This high-grade probiotic is one of the strongest currently available and works by balancing the good flora inside the gastrointestinal tract, which helps to increase appetite and condition.

View Equine Products UK TransVite Excel at viovet.co.uk

Feedmark Ultimate Ease

This supplement settles the gut with an acid-buffering action and soothes the delicate gastric and intestinal lining by forming a gel.

View Feedmark Ultimate Ease at ebay.co.uk

Foran Equine Nutri-Gard Extra

The digestible fibre in this supplement can help coat the stomach lining while prebiotics aid gastric health, optimise feed metabolism and promote gut-friendly bacteria, especially during periods of reduced turnout.

Global Herbs Gut Support

This quick-acting and concentrated supplement is designed to target digestive health for normal droppings, appetite and feed utilisation by maintaining the levels of beneficial bacteria through a blend of pre- and probiotics.

View Global Herbs Gut Support at viovet.co.uk

The Golden Paste Company TurmerAid

This natural turmeric supplement is carefully formulated to aid digestion, support the gut microflora, improve hindgut fermentation and absorption. It also supports the body’s natural inflammation processes and promotes a healthy skin and coat.

View The Golden Paste Company TurmerAid at viovet.co.uk

Hack Up Bespoke

Using fresh raw ingredients that support the digestive system, such as powerful pre- and probiotic, milkthistle and chamomile, every bespoke supplement is hand-made, free from fillers, preservatives and chemical caking agents. The supplement is packaged in paper and stored in tinplate pail.

Hi Form BioEquus

This supplement helps to maintain a healthy bacterial flora and has a beneficial impact on metabolic processes, maintaining normal, healthy intestinal and immune function.

Hilton Herbs GastriX

A dry supplement containing herbs, such as slippery elm, meadowsweet and cramp bark, to help support healthy digestion, optimum nutrient absorption and maintain balanced pH levels. This is especially helpful during a change in routine.

View Hilton Herbs GastriX at viovet.co.uk

Horse First Acid Aid

This supplement is formulated to support stomach health, soothe the gastric system and settle excess acid. The ingredients complement each other to form a balanced product that helps maintain healthy acid levels in the stomach.

View Horse First Acid Aid at viovet.co.uk

Horslyx Pro Digest

Form: Lick | Sizes: 650g | RRP: £4.50 |

This lick contains a combination of ingredients to support the whole digestive system, while the action of licking enhances saliva production, which helps buffer stomach acidity.

View Horslyx Pro Digest at viovet.co.uk

KER EquiShure

A scientifically proven time-released buffer that supplies an encapsulated source of sodium bicarbonate to the hindgut, helping to stabilise the pH and optimise digestive function.

View KER EquiShure at ebay.co.uk

Lincoln Yea-Sacc 30

This product is a combination of yea-sacc and brewer’s yeast, which gives both pre- and probiotic digestive support while also providing essential B vitamins and amino acids. It helps to maintain a healthy hindgut, supporting and stabilising the hindgut microflora to avoid digestive upsets.

View Lincoln Yea-Sacc 30 at viovet.co.uk

Maxavita Maxabiotic

This supplement contains natural pre- and probiotic ingredients, plus green-lipped mussel, to help maintain a healthy, balanced digestive system. Yeast is added to encourage the growth of friendly bacteria, with dietary fibre and alfalfa to help maintain regular gut function.

View Maxavita Maxabiotic at viovet.co.uk

NAF GastriVet Pellets

This formula supports a healthy gastric environment, the natural anti-inflammatory processes and balanced pH levels, as well as soothing the stomach walls. It is ideal for competition and performance horses.

View NAF GastriVet Pellets at viovet.co.uk

Nettex Gut Balancer

A highly effective pre- and probiotic supplement that supports healthy hindgut and digestive function, skin and coat and condition and vitality.

View Nettex Gut Balancer at viovet.co.uk

NutriScience Gastro Care

Designed to have a multi-faceted approach to gastrointestinal health, this supplement contains antacids that help mimic the effects of saliva and protect the stomach lining from acid. It helps to absorb and buffer excess acid to allow the natural regeneration of the stomach lining.

View NutriScience Gastro Care at viovet.co.uk

Plusvital Neutragast

By combining B vitamins, calcified seaweed, boswellia extract and active yeast, this supplement is designed to soothe and help prevent digestive disturbances.

View Plusvital Neutragast at amazon.co.uk

Protexin Equine Premium Gut Balancer

This contains prebiotics, probiotics and yeast to help re-establish a healthy gut microflora and encourage normal digestive function and efficiency.

View Protexin Equine Premium Gut Balancer at viovet.co.uk

Science Supplements Gut Balancer

Winner of the BETA International Innovation Award, this fast-acting supplement is a balanced combination of pre- and probiotics to support gut health and aid digestion.

View Science Supplements Gut Balancer at viovet.co.uk

Synovium Gastrosafe

Developed to support a healthy stomach environment and aid digestive function, this supplement has been extensively trialled and is suitable for horses with poor appetite, poor condition, poor performance or behavioural changes.

View Synovium Gastrosafe at amazon.co.uk

TopSpec Digestive Aid

Designed to optimise digestive health and stimulate appetite in horses, this supplement contains high levels of a pure, protected probiotic yeast and pre-biotic MOS as well as vitamin B12. It is particularly effective for horses that are working hard, on high concentrate/low forage diets, or stressed.

View TopSpec Digestive Aid at viovet.co.uk

Vital Equine Gastri-Max

Gastri-Max helps support optimum digestion and maintain normal acid levels within the digestive tract, allowing horses to cope with day-to-day stresses and deliver their best results. It is ideal for changes in the horses routine, which could be changes in forage from grass to haylage, or increased stabling.

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