I’m researching pro and pre biotics, and other gut health products. I find it overwhelming and hard to compare products. Most state “Proprietary ingredients” and most have completely different ingredients listed. I find human probiotics much easier to understand as its pretty much a list of probiotic strains and the amount of them. Horse products appear to be so different by brand. I’m looking for a daily product to help with gut health including the hind gut. My horse is currently using Vitalize Equine Protein Pellets which has Amaferm in it. Im not sure if this is enough or if she should be on another product or a different product. We just started this product after a round of omeprazole. She’s had Epm twice, has had ulcers and we travel for competitions. Any advice on how to pick what’s best? How to compare these products? I’m getting a headache researching! Lol
What are you looking to actually do? Omeprazole isn’t something I’d normally consider a biotic for.
There’s not a lot of evidence that most probiotics make it to the hind gut. So many products don’t have nearly enough to potentially impact things, you really need multiple billions of CFUs, and most barely have millions, and if they don’t have an NASC seal, who knows if they have even that.
That said, Equiotic is marketed as a probiotic, but uses equine sourced reuteri and Saccharomyces boulardii which do have valid research behind them. But, its use is likely best for diarrhea, rather than general support.
Post-biotics are relatively new and are much more promising.
Saccharomyces cerevisiae is another ingredient that has promising research in horses and livestock in general, so that’s one, in the billions/serving, to look for.
Diamond V yeast is an excellent postbiotics using Saccharomyces cerevisiae with a proprietary processing. It’s not available as a standalone product, rather it’s provided to suppliers of commercial products.
if you’re wanting something for ulcer prevention, this road isn’t likely the one to travel though.
The omeprazole was to treat the ulcers, not for a probiotic. But now that we’ve finished that treatment I’d like a product that promotes overall good digestive health, knowing that we compete and travel throughout the year.
You mentioning amounts that may not even be helpful to a horse is part of my concern. I don’t want to buy or use a product if it’s not effective. I feel like most of these companies just have a good marketing!
I’ll look into the post biotics, I have not heard of that. Thank you for the suggestion!
Right, sorry, I guess my comment wasn’t clear 
Post-omeprazole, a biotic isn’t something I’d normally consider. I was just wondering if you felt omeprazole compromised, things, like antibiotics do.
What’s his diet? That’s a bigger factor in gut health, both in what you don’t feed (lots of starch), but in what is there to promote gut health
you’re right about marketing! We have to learn to look past all that ,and look at what’s (allegedly) actually in the products lol
No, I don’t think the omeprazole compromised things.
I feed Sentinel LS (by Kent) horse feed, vitamin E added, (recently added the previously mentioned Vitalize pellets) and there is always a redmonds salt rock available and free choice prairie hay.
With her Epm history, and traveling most weekends, I’m really just wanting to have her digestive tract as healthy as possible. I feel this will keep her feeling good and will help her immunity. She’s a 1D barrel horse, she knows her job and does it well. She has zero issues at the gate or on pattern, but she can be a worry type horse. So when we travel, she does great, but she is always aware and keeps an eye on things. She’s the mother hen if you will. I don’t want the ulcers or EPM to come back, we’ve treated multiple times for both. I understand none of this is guaranteed, I’m just trying to help her insides as best as possible. I have a good plan with my vet regarding this history. He has suggested a probiotic, but he couldn’t really recommend a brand other than the local grain store sells the Vitalize protein pellets with the Amaferm. So that’s why I’m using that.
Gotcha, thanks!
I’m actually a Vitalize sponsored rider. My horses are on both the Digest More Plus pellets and Alimend Stomach Comfort Liquid Supplement. They are different in purpose/ingredients, but can be fed together to combat gut-health from two directions
So the DigestMore pellets are a “pre-biotic” Think Fiber.Theres additional biotin and zinc. I would feed this, not to alleviate acute symptoms, but looking future wise putting good fiber/ingredients in the body.
Alimend Liquid Supplement- I would give this to a horse with symptoms, to treat. So the goal is to treat the tissue, normalize gastric and immune system reactions to stress, and slow down the rate food goes through the GI tract.
So as a rider, non professional opinion, if a horse is uncomfortable, is prone to stress at competitions, I would suggest the Alimend alongside your vet’s recomendation. (It is very pricy) If you have a horse whose no longer showing those signs, I would continue to feed the Digest More pellets. This is my basic understanding of the products and how I feed the products.
Pre-biotics are the food for the gut bacteria: fiber. Pro-biotics are the gut-bacteria. My understanding is that when you are giving ulcer-guard/meds the good-gut bacteria/environment can be shut off, or disrupted so we’re encouraged to feed ingredients that promote a healthy gut-environment.
If you want to add Vitamin E, I’m also sponsored so receive free product, but love the HorseGuard Super Weight Gain. It’s a good price point, and I’ve liked the “bloom” its put on my event horses.
Alimend, Relyne, and Gut-X are all similar in what they have and potentially help with. High molecular weight hyaluronic acid, and beta glucan, are the similarities. I can’t speak to the Amaferm part of Alimend. All these are aimed at creating/maintaining a healthy gut lining - potentially help heal leaky gut, potentially help prevent ulcers, by strengthening the intestinal wall. I agree, these are decent option for prevention. Gut-X is the cheapest, though about half the amount of HA and bg compared to the study done on Relyne, so I don’t know offhand if doubling Gut-X eats up the $ savings.
Horseguard Super Weight Gain does have 1500IU of Vit E per 8oz serving, and it’s synthetic, so it’s less than that as an effective dose. It’s more than that though, it’s got calories, and at $2/day, that’s expensive for what it is! UltraCruz Natural E is so much cheaper, at $.13 per 1000IU
Thank you for this information! I’m in a very rural area and I’m surprised our local store sells the Vitalize pellets. It’s nice to know I can just drive to the store and buy a bag and not have to worry about reordering. I’ve looked at the alimend and your post helps as I wasn’t sure if you were to use one or both, and when. Thank you!
Also, I love the Santa Cruz natural vitamin E. I get the powder, it takes up hardly any room in my feed room compared to a pelleted version. My horse goes for the powder before her grain!
Actually it is. I can buy it in 50# bags here. ??? Maybe that’s just a regional thing?
Ohhhh, you can?? Where is that?
OP, for gut “support” in an ulcer prone horse, I have had great luck with Purina Outlast pellets (until this week, but that’s a story for another time.) – after treating the ulcers of course. 1 cup twice a day is the minimum but it can be fed more frequently and at higher rates. Some other companies are coming out with similar products. Purina also adds it to some of their feeds. It also comes as a cookie!
I have switched from Ultra Cruz to Vitamin E gelcaps (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0845QRGV5/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1). They are a little easier on the budget. My mare also has an EPM history.
Sweet, thank you!
I’d stick with reputable brands, like KER, Uckele, Platinum, MVP, etc. KER makes Equishure and Rite Trac which are both good gut support products. Uckele makes GUT which is also a good product. I also like MVP products and they are more affordable IMO but have not tried any digestive support products from them.
Succeed has a good reputation for digestive help but it’s definitely pricey.
I am currently using some Dynamite Specialty products (Dynamite and Dynaspark electrolyte). They make good products but you have to get from a distributor. My BO is one so it’s easy.
I’m really not a fan of most digestive supplements that are probiotic based. I have one horse that gets stomach issues from probiotics and the others they make no difference to. The only probiotic I like and have found safe are ones of the Saccharomyces variety. My stomach health/ulcer prevention regiment is French green clay (from amazon) 2tbsp/day during high stress times, and GastroElm 1tbsp for maintenance or 2 tbsp in high stress times. This combo was given to one of my boarders by her equine naturopath. I saw such an unbelievable change in her horse that I have adopted the program for my horses.
I also give the Purina product Outlast, as well as KER Equisure, to my new guy. No probiotics, because I have not seen a problem with his manure. I AM currently giving him a course of Nexium, because he is a really worker bee type, and is new to me, and it seems we were taught different aids for certain things,… and we need to get to know each other.
