WE
is the watchword for a healthy gut
WE know that fibre is the key to a healthy equine
digestive system but do you know why? WE is WINERGY
Equilibrium® and with 20 years of ground-breaking
research into the digestive health of hundreds of
horses, WE can explain.
Over 65% of the horse’s digestive system, in
the form of the large intestine, is devoted to the
digestion of fibre. Yet the work we ask our horses
to do often calls for energy intakes above those supplied
by fibre alone. To this end horses are often fed higher
energy feedstuffs such as cereals and even fats.
The starch in Cereals is digested in the small intestine,
which makes up around 30% of the digestive tract.
The feeding of meals high in cereals may overload
the small intestine, causing cereal starch to escape
and spill into the hindgut where it is rapidly fermented
creating acidic conditions. Signs of starch overload
range from loose droppings through to more serious
conditions such as colic, laminitis and certain types
of tying up.
The horse has evolved to eat for up to 18 hours a
day. Its stomach produces acid continuously yet the
horse can only produce acid-neutralising saliva as
it chews. In a domestic environment limited opportunities
to eat and chew can result in the development of gastric
ulcers. Studies have shown that in some competition
disciplines up to 60% of horses are affected by gastric
ulcers.
Hannah Briars, WINERGY® nutritionist, explains
the solution: “If you want to keep the gut in
good health it’s best to maximise fibre intake
and reduce sugar and starch. Keeping meal sizes small
and feeding little and often will also reduce the
risk of starch overload.”
WINERGY Equilibrium® provides a healthier option
by maximising fibre intake. It reduces reliance on
cereal starch and sugar and instead provides energy
from a unique blend of fibre and oil, all conveniently
available from a single bag. The long fibre format
of the WINERY Equilibrium range can help increase
chewing time, encouraging saliva production and increasing
the horse’s ability to buffer damaging stomach
acid. The lucerne included in all WINERY Equilibrium®
feeds is also believed to have a buffering effect.
WE and you keep your horse in great shape.
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