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. Find out more by calling 01908 576777, visiting www.winergy.com or www.facebook.com/winergyfeeds.

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