Psyllium Husk Powder for Horses

Owning horses can be a rewarding and exciting experience, but it can also be a challenge. Horses are notorious for having delicate digestive systems, and can have all kinds of problems when it comes to stomachaches, otherwise known as colic. Psyllium husk can be helpful in preventing some types of colic.

  1. Significance

    • Colic is the number one killer of horses. The word colic simply means "abdominal pain," and can be anything from simple gas pains to something as deadly as a twisted gut. Psyllium husk, which is an ingredient that cannot be digested by mammals, is a safe roughage product that can be used to help prevent colic from occurring.

    Types

    • The most common type of preventable colic is sand colic. Sand colic occurs when a horse eats its food off the ground, and ingests sand, dirt and other debris along with the hay or grain it is eating. These bits of material can build up in the horse's gut and cause colic. By providing a source of roughage that "scrubs" the intestines, psyllium husk is a good preventative supplement to feed your horse.

    Function

    • Psyllium husk is a natural, completely water-soluble, bulk forming laxative that is used around the world for its health benefits. When added to the horse's feed, it combines with water from the stomach and gut, expands, and passes harmlessly through the digestive tract, picking up debris and other materials that might be "stuck" in the gut as it passes. While grain, hay and other items can get stuck in whatever might be in the horse's intestines, worsening the problem, the psyllium actually pushes against any blockage, loosening it, and causing it to pass.

    Benefits

    • Psyllium is very lightweight, has no flavor, and expands to a smooth, slippery mass when added with water. It is ideal to add to horse feed for the prevention of colic, as it mixes readily with feed--especially feed that contains molasses or other sweet or sticky material. In addition, psyllium husk is very economical, and can be purchased at any local feed store, or even at human grocery stores in the form of Metamucil or other general psyllium powder supplements.

    Time Frame

    • As with anything added to a horse's diet, add the psyllium husk slowly, over a period of a week or more. Twice a day feedings are recommended, and always follow the directions on the label when dosing. You should see the psyllium passing within 24 hours of your first feeding. Once you have a horse on psyllium, it is important to keep it on the supplement or wean it off slowly, as cutting it off quickly can cause constipation and stomach upset.