Equibiome worth it?

[zoon]

I have a long term gut issue with one of my horses. He is 13 and has had issues since a foal. Vet intervention never improves it. He has soft droppings with lack of form, occasional faecal liquid and is bloated and tense. It’s severe enough to cause a mild right hind lameness.

I am now renting land in order to make a track (a grass track unfortunately as we cannot surface it, but it allows me to limit his grass intake easily and he still gets plenty of movement) which has wonderful woodland and hedgerows. The land is an old meadow and hadn’t been grazed for a couple of decades so the grass he has is diverse with plenty of other plants growing in there too.

But my horse is still uncomfortable and his osteo is convinced the recurring tightness in his lumbar region and right hind are due to his gut (these have also been investigated by the vet)

I am consider an equibiome test, but it is expensive and seems results just tell you to feed more variety or plants and herbs which they sell in their biome foods. I’ve just ordered from wholefoods to make some oily herbs and am thinking of buying the equibiome prebiotic

Is it really worth the test or is it just going to tell me to do what I’ve already started to do?

 

[Pinkvboots]

I would just try what you have planned first and see how he goes then at least you can say you tried and then can have the test if it doesn't work.

One of mine has always been prone to watery droppings at times its not consistent ties in with stress normally and his always had a noisy belly compared to other horses I've had, I am sure since giving him the oily herbs the belly is not as noisy and his not had an episode of watery droppings either, he also seems alot more relaxed and content in himself.

So I would say definitely give it a try.

 

[SEL]

I'd try a month on oily herbs and then reassess. I did the test when it first came out (2017??) and it was useful but I found you needed a lot of your own research. A group of us sort of bonded online with similar issues and although some of the horses aren't with us now it's been interesting to see how people did with their approaches.

I would always start with oily herbs and if you want to know other successes then pm me and I'll tell you what products people used!

 

[catembi]

I did the biome test with one of mine, didn’t really understand the results and the recommendation was to feed a LOT of their different blends. Sold the horse so didn’t try it and tbh I found the whole thing rather confusing. Might be me being thick though…

 

[Tiddlypom]

For a very symptomatic horse I would always recommend doing the Equibiome test. For others, just putting them on a generally improved and varied diet including oliy herbs is fine.

Equibiome was a life saver for my homebred mare, it was her last chance as she was so cranky. Her hind gut biome proved to be completely out of kilter. She had scoped -ve for foregut ulcers. I followed the 6 month course of numbered supplements for her (they are not expensive) and now some years on she is maintained just on normal oily herbs.

 

[GinaGeo]

For one of mine who had long term issues that we (us and vet) had been unable to get to the bottom of it was life changing.

He’d had hives and hind gut issues for two years by the time we decided to try it.

Using the oily herbs and Equibiome prebiotic made a big difference. But following the Equibiome protocol after the test, sorted the problem.

All of my others have been on the oily herbs consistently and the prebiotic when needed ever since.

They’re certainly worth trying first, but I wouldn’t rule out doing the whole thing.

 

[zoon]

If you have the test done and they recommend one of their mixes, does it tell you the ingredients? I’d not be keen to feed something without knowing exactly what it was

 

[Tiddlypom]

The report will recommend what to feed adjustments to make, if any, after the result. It will tell you what‘s in which biome food, but equally you will be recommended which herbs or plants you could feed yourself. It’s not really a hard sell of their products - they do give alternatives.

What kind of changes might I need to make following the test?​

The report may suggest changes in the diet ie increasing certain herbs, plants and supplements to improve the pH of the gut and help reduce inflammation. You may also be advised to give pro or prebiotics to help rebalance the gastrointestinal tract. We have a long history in the research of prebiotic compounds, found in the range of Biome Food on the website

 

[Highmileagecob]

I had the tests done as my old cob was showing similar symptoms to yours, although he is much older. It basically told me he wasn't coping with long stalk forage. That year he also needed dental intervention, and went onto a forage replacer diet. Much improvement, although this winter I am seeing faecal water again. Pink mash appears to help his digestion, whilst haylage seems a bit rich. he is allergic to hay, so I am continuing with small feeds of veteran chop haylage in addition to his bulk feeds.

 

[Tiddlypom]

Btw, for those considering doing the test there is currently 20% off the tests and the various biome foods. Not sure how long this discount lasts for.

Shop | equibiome

Buy the best products to support gut health of horses, including the EquiBiome test kit and a full range of pro and prebiotics.

www.equibiome.org

 

[Pinkvboots]

Out of interest has anyone had the test for head shakers done?

Just curious as Arabi is a mild shaker.

 

[Mudfukkle]

Mine has had on and off gut issues and this year she had her first bout of really bad water faecal discharge, it was awful. I have read about Equibome, but decided to go to my trusted favourite Trinity Consultants - who are brilliant!
They recommended a course of L94 to do a liver detox and a gut balancer. Within 48hrs of receiving the L94, the faecal water discharge and gone! But as soon as she had finished the L94, it came back, so she had to have another course, this time I tailed it off slowly, rather than just stop it, and it worked. No more runny bottom or filthy tail. I am so impressed, I would definitely recommend speaking to them.