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A Horse is a Horse - Except of Course, When in Pain by
Lorrie Bracaloni
Occasionally you'll come across a horse in pain that just seems unexplainable. Caring owners have come to me feeling frustrated that their horse is still "off," after trying every traditional and holistic health option they could think of.
There is always a reason that a horse is sore. Mainly it has to do with how his muscles support his skeletal system. Muscles contract and release. When muscles tighten and cannot achieve a full release, they will remain tense and will shorten over time. This puts strain on the surrounding areas.
Because tightening and spasms are an extension of the normal contraction process, these types of problems do not show up on x-rays or standard testing procedures. The horse's problem can be a muscle misalignment.
Every move the horse makes produces stress upon a specific point. All muscles pull, so all skeletal motion is performed in this manner too. Tight muscles can lead to spasms, knots, muscle misalignment and blocked energy. When this happens you can start to see:
- Choppy strides
- Loss of impulsion
- Jump refusals
- Back soreness and hollowing
- Resistance to lateral flexion and bending
- Girthing problems
- Biting and other "bad behaviors"
- The horse being off and on "for no reason"
- Improper tracking forward, back, or laterally
Covering up minor problems most often ends up creating major ones.
Natural Ulcer Relief for Horses
Burning pain from ulcers is an unfortunate fact of life for many horses. Ulcers occur when too much acid is produced in the stomach. It is important to note that Stomach Acid acts as a natural defense against pathogenic bacteria colonizing the stomach and small intestine. While conventional drugs offer ulcer relief for the horse, they ultimately interfere with digestion and set the horse up for infection and other long-term problems. Holistic products are effective as both short-term and long-term Ulcer relief.
EquineChia is a non-prescription, all natural, organically grown product that does not contain artificial acid buffers. It works by increasing bloodflow and natural mucus production to protect the lining of the stomach and intestines. EquineChia is an effective holistic product for prolonged treatment, healing and prevention of gastric and intestinal ulcers.
Factual evidence of chia seeds used as an aid for GERD, ulcers, gastritis and irritable bowel syndrome is found in people. Chia Seed is approved by the FDA as a dietetic food. (GetChia LLC, the parent company of EquineChia, offers certified organic chia seed for human consumption.)
Significant benefits of EquineChia come from the inherent oils and hydrophilic (water-absorbing ) nature of chia seeds, which slow gastric emptying and stabilize blood sugar by slowing carbohydrate breakdown, essentially evening out the digestion rate. This dense, "calming" cool-calorie energy source aids in stable digestion, preventing blood sugar related highs and lows. This further aids in balancing the levels of stress hormones and insulin, which can substantially reduce excessive inflammatory stress, often a contributing cause of ulcers.
Oil acts as an intestinal lubricant.
EquineChia is an oil seed that is 80% oil, mostly Omega 3, and 100% digestible. Anecdotal evidence shows reduced incidences of colic when horses are fed essential Omega 3 oils (EFA’s).
The Texas A&M University study, Alteration in the Inflammatory Response in Athletic Horses Fed Diets Containing Omega-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids, revealed reduced inflammatory responses in horses.
A unique feature of EquineChia is how the gelatinous gel protects the natural mucous lining of the stomach, soothing and encouraging natural mucous production as well as sweeping away toxins and irritants to the mucous lining.
Symptoms of Ulcers
Symptoms of ulcers vary depending on age of the horse. Gastric ulcers can be accurately confirmed with stomach scoping by a veterinarian.
Typical signs include:
- Declining performance
- Irritability
- Girthiness,
- Mild recurrent colic
- Weight loss
- Dull coat
- Teeth grinding
- Decreased appetite
- Lethargy
Causes of Ulcers
Horses in intensive training are especially likely to develop ulcers since exercise and high grain diets increase acid production. Other factors that can lead to ulcers are:
Confinement to stalls
High grain diets that increase acid production
Hauling, especially long distances
Long hours between feedings
Isolation and lack of turnout
Weaning
Poor diet, inadequate oils, Omega 3 sources
Ulcers are a common medical condition in horses and foals. It is estimated that almost 50% of foals and one-third of adult horses confined in stalls may have mild ulcers. Up to 60% of performance horses and 90% of racehorses may develop moderate to severe ulcers. Because ulcers are so common, the condition is often called "equine gastric ulcer syndrome" (EGUS) or "equine gastric ulcer disease" (EGUD).
Both stress and intense exercise deplete neurotransmitters crucial for the adequate blood flow to the stomach. This decreased blood flow reduces the production of mucus necessary to protect the stomach lining from stomach acid. The result is ulceration of the stomach lining.
Intestinal ulcers can show similar symptoms to stomach ulcers but they do not respond to acid blockers or buffer drugs. Natural products that do not contain high amounts of aluminum buffers are the best choice for long-term prevention and treatment of ulcers. EquineChia fits this description.
