Probiotic is a word we hear a lot when we're talking about human health and well-being. But did you know that you can also give probiotic supplements to your horse? In this guide, we're going to take a look at probiotics for the horse, what they are and how they work. This way you'll have a clear understanding when it comes to choosing the best probiotics for horses.
Best Horse Probiotics at a Glance
Supplement | Format | Main Role | Main Consideration |
|---|---|---|---|
Meal / powder | Extra calories with digestive-support ingredients | Choose when extra calories are needed | |
Apple-flavored chews | Probiotic digestive support | Contains grains, molasses and soy | |
Powder | Probiotic and prebiotic supplement | Measure the serving and follow storage directions | |
Powder | Multi-species probiotic with equine feeding directions | Contains sucrose and dried whey | |
Feed supplement | Protein, fat, probiotics and vitamins/minerals | Check overlap with existing fortified feeds | |
Meal / powder | Bacterial probiotics and live yeast | Powder needs to be measured into feed |
What are Horse Probiotics and How do they Work?
Probiotics are live organisms that can be fed to your horse, and it’s thought that some may help with digestive health. Their effects depend on the organism, the amount fed and the particular product.
Giving a probiotic doesn’t guarantee that its microorganisms will establish a lasting colony in the horse’s gut. It also doesn’t guarantee that the supplement will prevent or treat digestive disease.
What are the Beneficial Bacteria?
Beneficial gut microbes play an important role in the horse’s digestion. In the cecum and colon, microbes help ferment fiber and produce compounds that the horse can use for energy.
A suitable forage-based diet and gradual feeding changes help support this microbial community. The importance of the horse’s normal gut microbes doesn’t mean that adding any probiotic will improve digestion.
Do Equine Probiotics Really Work?
Studies in horses have produced mixed results. Some specific probiotic formulations show promise, but the evidence doesn’t support treating every product as effective for every horse.
A review of probiotic bacteria in horses found limited and conflicting evidence for several clinical uses. The strain, formulation and intended use matter, so a product’s ingredient list or large CFU number isn’t proof that it will treat a digestive problem.
Potential Benefits and Limits of Horse Probiotics
The digestive system plays a massive role in horse health and wellbeing throughout a horse’s life. Below we’ll explore why horse owners consider probiotics and where the evidence is still limited.
1. Older Equines and Weight Gain
If you’ve ever owned an older horse or “hard keeper”, you’ll know how difficult it can be to keep weight on them, especially in the winter. Poor teeth, inadequate calories and other health problems can all contribute to weight loss.
Certain live yeast supplements may help improve fibre digestion, allowing the horse to make better use of its feed. This is a potential benefit to consider as part of an older horse’s or hard keeper’s feeding plan, although improved digestion doesn’t automatically mean weight gain.
Your vet or an equine nutritionist can help you review the diet and investigate weight loss. The University of Minnesota’s underweight-horse guide explains the main considerations.
Read our article about how much a horse weighs for typical weights of different horse types.
2. Medical Recovery
Some vets consider probiotics during or after a course of antibiotics, which can disturb the horse’s normal gut microbes. The aim is to support digestive function and the gut’s microbial community while the horse recovers.
A suitable probiotic may have a role in the recovery plan, but research hasn’t consistently shown faster recovery after antibiotics. If your horse has had recent gut surgery, check with your vet about whether a probiotic is appropriate and when to introduce it.
3. General Digestive Complaints
Certain probiotics may help support the horse’s hindgut microbes and normal fermentation. Some live yeast preparations have shown promise in helping horses on higher-starch diets maintain a more stable hindgut environment.
There is also some evidence for a role in managing diarrhoea. A small trial of a particular yeast preparation found a benefit in hospitalized horses with intestinal inflammation, although another trial involving antibiotic-associated diarrhoea found no clear benefit.
These findings don’t establish that probiotics prevent colic, laminitis or gastric ulcers. If your horse has diarrhoea, ask your vet about the cause and suitable treatment; signs of colic need prompt veterinary attention.
4. Stress
A horse’s digestive system can be affected by stress, whether that comes from a long journey in a horsebox or the demands of racing, endurance riding and showing.
A small study of live yeast during transport suggests that a particular yeast strain may help reduce disruption to the gut’s microbial community. This gives us a reason to consider digestive support during stressful periods, although it doesn’t establish that probiotics calm nervous horses or prevent ulcers.
Alongside any supplement, keep forage intake and feeding routines as consistent as possible, and make changes gradually.
5. Immune System
The horse’s immune system is very closely related to its digestive system. A healthy gut lining and its resident microbes help support normal immune defenses.
One proposed benefit of probiotics is support for the gut barrier and its interactions with the immune system. Researchers are investigating these effects in horses, but evidence for a useful immune benefit is still limited.
This remains a potential benefit under investigation. There isn’t good evidence to claim that probiotics protect horses against Salmonella or general infections.
What Ingredients are Used in Horse Probiotic Supplements?
When you’re reading the labels of probiotics, it’s easy to be confused by the bacteria and their Latin names. Below we’ll take a look at the main types of ingredients you may find.
1. Bacterial Probiotics
Horse supplements may include bacteria such as Lactobacillus, Enterococcus, Bifidobacterium or Bacillus. These aren’t all the same kind of organism, and benefits depend on the particular strain and formulation.
Check which organisms the manufacturer identifies. More species on a label doesn’t automatically mean better results.
2. Yeast
Saccharomyces cerevisiae is a yeast used in some horse supplements. Check whether the label guarantees live yeast or lists yeast culture and fermentation products.
Aspergillus is a different fungus, not a yeast. Its fermentation products can appear in feed supplements, but their presence doesn’t automatically mean the product contains live probiotic organisms.
3. Prebiotics
Prebiotics are non-living ingredients that certain gut microbes can use. Inulin is one example found in some horse supplements.
They are different from live probiotic microorganisms, and they can support microbes already in the gut as well as those supplied by a supplement.
What are the Right Potencies?
Probiotic labels often use colony-forming units, or CFU, to describe the quantity of viable microorganisms. Check whether the number is given per gram, per pound or per recommended serving before comparing products.
A bigger CFU number isn’t automatically more effective, and there isn’t one established minimum dose for every horse and every probiotic. Look at the organisms, feeding directions, storage instructions and expiry date as well as the count. Follow the label rather than choosing a dose solely because it contains billions of CFU.
Can you Give a Horse Too Much Probiotics?
A horses digestive system is very sensitive which means that you shouldn't give them too much of any concentrated food or supplement. You should always stick to the recommended dosages when it comes to giving probiotics to your horse.
Speak to your vet before using probiotics for a foal, a sick horse or a horse recovering from gut surgery.
Can Horses Have Human Probiotics?
Choose a product with clear equine feeding directions. Some horse supplements use microorganisms also found in human probiotics, but a human supplement’s dose and other ingredients may not be appropriate for a horse. If you’re considering one, check with your vet.
How to Choose a Horse Probiotic Supplement
When you’re looking for an equine probiotic then there are a few important things to consider before you make your purchase. By following these points you’ll be sure to find the best ones for your horse.
1. Powder Pill or Paste?
Just like horse joint supplements, equine probiotics are usually available as a powder, a pill or chew, or as a paste. Which one you use depends on your horse and your personal preferences.
If your horse is very suspicious about taking medicine or supplements then you chose a probiotic that comes as a pill or chews. These are usually flavored and your horse will find them appealing.
A paste can be given directly into the horse’s mouth. Follow its feeding directions rather than assuming a paste works faster than a powder or chew.
A powder is the most common type of probiotic. These can be added easily to your horse's food.
2. Purpose
What kind of probiotic are you looking for? Are you looking for a daily supplement for a healthy horse or one that can help soothe the digestive system in times of stress?
Always take the time to choose a supplement that’s suitable for the job. A horse which already maintains a healthy weight may not need the extra fat and calories in a weight-gain supplement.
3. Extras
Probiotics are often combined with other ingredients such as vitamins, minerals or yeast. Check the whole label against your horse’s current feed and supplements before adding another product.
Some also contain prebiotics, such as inulin, to support gut microbes.
Reviews of the Best Horse Probiotic Supplements on the Marketplace
Take a look at our reviews below to get an idea of the best probiotics that are currently available on the market.
1. Manna Pro Weight Accelerator for Senior Horses
This is a high-fat and calorie supplement from Manna Pro for older horses that need help maintaining body condition. It contains flaxseed, which provides omega-3 fatty acids, along with active yeast and fermentation ingredients for digestive support.
It also includes vitamin E and biotin. The meal form can be added to your horse’s food. Extra calories are its main purpose, so choose it as part of a feeding plan for a horse that needs them.
Pros
- Adds calories from fat.
- Contains flaxseed.
- Meal form is easy to mix into feed.
Cons
- Extra calories may be unnecessary for a horse already maintaining a healthy weight.
These soft chews from Probios offer probiotic digestive support in an apple-flavored treat. The current ingredient list includes Bacillus subtilis and Bacillus licheniformis, along with other microorganisms.
The soft-chew format may be useful for a horse which dislikes powder mixed into its feed. They also contain grains, molasses and soy, so check the label against your horse’s dietary needs.
Pros
- Convenient treat format.
- Apple flavor.
- Contains a blend of probiotic microorganisms.
Cons
- Ingredients may not suit every restricted diet.
This powdered probiotic can be added to your horse’s food. The current label lists 20 species of probiotic organisms, including bacteria and yeast, and guarantees 24 billion CFU per 8-gram serving. It also contains the prebiotic inulin.
The microorganisms are freeze-dried, and the manufacturer recommends cool, dry storage. It’s an option for owners who want a probiotic-and-prebiotic powder; measure the serving according to the horse’s weight and the label.
Pros
- Organisms and serving-based CFU count are declared.
- Includes inulin.
- Powder mixes into feed.
Cons
- Powder may not suit a horse which refuses supplemented feed.
This is a multi-species probiotic powder with feeding directions for horses as well as other animals. It contains a blend of live bacteria, including Enterococcus faecium and several Lactobacillus species, and can be mixed into feed.
The formula uses sucrose and dried whey as carriers, so check those ingredients if your horse has dietary restrictions. The linked 240-gram container is relatively small for an adult horse; follow the equine feeding directions on the label.
Pros
- Powder can be mixed into feed.
- Includes equine feeding directions.
- Contains a defined bacterial blend.
Cons
- Contains sucrose and dried whey.
- The 240-gram jar may need frequent replacement when used for an adult horse.
This is a fantastic weight-gain supplement for horses needing extra calories. It uses full-fat extruded soybeans and combines protein and fat with bacterial probiotics, live yeast culture and Horse Guard’s vitamin-mineral package.
It contains selenium and vitamin E as well as other nutrients, so review any existing fortified feeds and supplements before adding it. Follow the manufacturer’s feeding directions for your horse’s weight.
Pros
- Combines protein and fat with digestive-support ingredients.
- Includes bacterial probiotics and live yeast.
- Provides vitamins and minerals.
Cons
- Contains soy.
- Vitamins and minerals may overlap with an existing supplemented ration.
This is an easy-to-feed meal supplement from nutritional experts Manna Pro. The label includes viable Saccharomyces cerevisiae yeast and bacterial microorganisms, along with yeast culture and other fermentation ingredients.
Manna Pro formulates it for nutritional digestive support. It can be mixed into feed, but follow the product’s feeding directions and consider how it fits into the horse’s overall diet.
This is a good all-round option for owners looking for a probiotic meal supplement.
Pros
- Includes live yeast and bacterial microorganisms.
- Easy-to-mix meal form.
- Manufacturer declares microorganisms in the guaranteed analysis.
Cons
- Powder may not suit a horse which refuses supplemented feed.
Conclusion
When it comes to choosing the best equine probiotic then we highly recommend HealthyGut Maintenance. It declares its organisms and serving-based CFU count, and includes inulin.
The best probiotics for horses should fit the individual horse’s needs. Take its diet, workload and body condition into account, and choose a weight-gain formula only when extra calories are needed. If your horse has ongoing digestive symptoms, get veterinary advice before relying on a supplement.
