Psyllium and sand colic

Psyllium has been on my mind again. My mare lives in a rocky sandy paddock. She eats hay from the ground and although hay is fed in feeders it always ends up in the dirt where she will try to grab every possible crumbs. I am very concern about her ingesting sand and eventually developping sand colic so I've been thinking of doing a psyllium seven days treatment and then the monthly routine.

Psyllium is a natural source of fiber. It acts as a bulk laxative. It's helpful to clean sand from the intestinal tract. We find it in two forms: pellets and powder. The pellets are more palatable for the horse as flavor is added.
It is important to note that psyllium shouldn't be mixed with water when fed. It will turn into a sticky gel mixture and will present a choking risk for the horse. Also psyllium does not work as well when wet (we want it to get sticky in the gut to trap the sand). For that reason pellets can represent to best form to feed.

Studies have also shown that psyllium fed along  with probiotics improves the sand clearance. Therefore it appears to be a good idea to add some probiotics to the diet during the treatment.

What Ayurveda says:
Psyllium is a bulk laxative, demulcent, anti-inflammatory. It helps to absorb mucous and bacteria in inflammatory intestinal conditions. It drags toxins and worms out of alimentary canal.
Interesting fact:

• Prolonged use of psyllium reduces fertility.
• Psyllium may slow the absorption of other medication. It's better to take it two hours after medication (allopathic or herbal)

Source: Ayurvedic Medicine, Sebastian Pole

Now the best way to avoid sand colic is by prevention. Feeding in a clean area, having rubber mats under feeder and hay net is a solution. Or as Dr Juliet M. Getty wrote in her book "Feed your horse like a horse": "Best way to prevent sand colic is to provide forage -lots of it- all day long.".

Equine Nutrition #2: Composition of the food

In this post I will give an overview of the composition of the feedstuff. As you can see in the following diagram, there are two main components in food: water and dry matter. The nutrients are found in the dry matter fraction. This is where we find the minerals, the vitamins, the carbohydrates, the fats and the proteins. (click on diagram to enlarge)

Water

Water is an essential component of the horse's diet. Water is required for transporting nutrients in the body. It's involved in the thermal regulation. It's essential for the excretion of the waste products but also for the gut function.

Carbohydrate (CHO)

The carbohydrate falls into two categories:

- Structural CHO

It's the fibrous fraction of the food. The digestion of structural CHO takes place in the large intestine by microbial fermentation. It produces volatile fatty acids. It's the main energy source for most horses. It's a slow release energy but more steady and constant.

- Non-structural CHO

Non-strucutral CHO are in the cell content and they constitute the storage carbohydrate of the plant (energy source for the plant). We find here the starch, fructan and simple sugar. The digestion of starch and simple sugar takes place in small intestine by enzyme. It's a rapid source of energy.The fructans cannot be digested in small intestine and so travel through the large intestine where they are fermented by the microbial population. 

!!! If non-structural CHO are present in too big quantity the small intestine cannot digest them and the remaining undigested starch and sugar will end up in large intestine. The product of microbial fermentation will be lactic acid that can alter the gut environment. That is why we want to feed small amount of starch and sugar.

Oil and Fat

The fats that are present in forage are simple in structure. Fats added to the diet are mostly triacyglycerols. Horses don't require high level of fat. Fat is added to the diet to increase the energy content as it is a concentrated source of energy (2x energy content of cereals). The digestion takes place in the small intestine.

We are seeing an increase interest in the two essential fatty acids, Omega 3 and Omega 6, in terms of potential health benefits but more studies need to be done.

Protein

Proteins are required for structural purpose (muscle, skin, hair), formation of enzyme, hormones and immune system. 

There are two categories of protein: essential and non-essential amino acids. Essential has to be supplied in diet and non-essential are synthesized by the animal.

Lysine is an essential amino acid.

Protein requirement will increase with work, growth, pregnancy, recovery from injury, muscle loss, surgery, etc.

!!!! Too much protein will damage liver and kidney and create mineral imbalance!

Minerals

Minerals are required for growth, transport of energy, co-factors of enzyme, etc. They are mainly absorbed in small intestine. There are two categories: macro minerals and trace minerals.

Macro minerals are required in large quantities (Calcium, Phosphorus, Chloride, Sodium, Potassium, Magnesium, Sulphur). Trace minerals or micro minerals are needed in very small quantities (Cobalt, Copper, Molybdenum, Zunc, Manganese, Iron, Floride, Iodine, Selenium, Chromium).

!!!! Ratio between some minerals is very important like Ca:P 2:1 Calcium has to be twice as Phosphorus. Calcium has a good ration in forage but poor in cereals grains.

Another important ration is the Cu:Zn 3-4:1

Vitamins

Vitamins are required in small amounts but they are vital for many bodily functions like vision, immunity, growth, bone development, etc.

There are two categories of vitamins: fat soluble (A, E, D, K) and water soluble (C and B Complex).

The water soluble are not stored but are produced or synthesized by the organs.

A little walk outside the comfort zone.

I took my mare for a walk outside our usual path today. Fifi is a Right Brain Introvert in the Parelli language. In other word, she tends to be more on the fearful and nervous side, can be reactive, spooky and very emotional. Everything new or just different is a challenge in itself. Even going from working in the round pen to the arena made her nervous!

I love the look on her face saying something like "Are you really sure you want to go that way? I think I see something over there.... maybe we should go back".
It's not too bad on the photo. A few minutes later she got actually scared of the "something over there" that was actually a horse grazing and did a little dance on the spot. The good thing is that after that it only take her a minute or so to relax and chew and lick (secretly of course).
But at least we can go now. Before she wouldn't even want to walk there.
Love my Fifi:)

Rainy day, cookie day

Thanks to the weather, I had some time today at home to be able to cook some horse cookies.

All very good ingredients, organic, no sugar or molasses, herbs to improve joint health.

It smelled so good and they taste really good too.

Let's see tomorrow what Finale has to say about that:)

Ouch! Finale has a cut.

A few days ago I found my mare with a cut on her front leg. The cut didn't look too bad and the swelling was really mild so I didn't even mind cold hosing it and just cleaned the cut.

Second Day

The following day as you can see the swelling was more serious. It was pretty close to the cut. This time I used cold water for 10 minutes although I don't believe in icing when it's not right after it happens. Swelling is a natural reaction, it's there for something and I think we shouldn't always interfere with the body natural healing process. I cleaned the wound with Betadine and used Sore No-More on the swelling. Third day was pretty much the same with the swelling going down and being around the knee. It was huge. I let her out to graze and walk.

Fourth Day

This is the Fourth day and already better. I cleaned the leg with Castile soap and water, Sore No-More around the knee and a long walk with snack break.
Today it was very clean with no more swelling. All back to normal:)

I really like Sore No-More. It's a natural herbal liniment with cooling properties. It contains arnica, rosemary, lavender. It's very good on sore muscles, it reduces pain and inflammation, stimulates blood flow, loosens muscle and tendon. I even use it on myself sometimes, that's how much I like it:) I use the gelotion. I love the smell and the feeling. A must have in every grooming kit or even every bathroom;)

Joint Support Supplement

Joint Support by Christelle, Equine Ayurveda.

EA Joint Support is a herbal supplement that supports a healthy function of the joints and muscles.

Properties: detoxifies, lubricates and soothes the joint tissues. It has nourishing and anti-inflammatory properties.
Indication: arthritis, sprain and strain, bone fracture.

Main ingredients:
Boswellia (Indian Frankincense): It relieves pain from arthritis or post trauma. It has anti-inflammatory properties and can be used instead of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). Used to speed the healing of wounds, broken bones and bruises via its blood circulatory action.
Turmeric: It treats inflammation in the joints, alleviates pain and strengthens the joints and tendons.
(Turmeric is also considered a blood "purifier" and it benefits the skin, the heart but also the digestive system.)

Formula can be adapted to specific condition (arthritis, bone fracture, etc...) and/or to specific constitution.
Other ingredients that can be added: Guggulu, Ginger, Ashwangandha, Black Pepper.

Essential Oil doTERRA

It's not often (and actually almost never) that i am talking about a specific brand but I have to make an exception for this amazing brand of essential oil: doTERRA.

I've been using essential oil for a while now. I've been using them mainly topically for massage or pressure point or in my product too like the skin balm. But this brand got me back to work with essential oils even more and I know I will be able to reach a whole new level in therapy. I hope to be able to do a clinic in the future to introduce the use of essential oils with horses. That's another project!

For now I have a lot of fun bringing the oils to my mare and see what she thinks. I have an anxious mare and I started to use the doTERRA blend Serenity. I rub a few drops into my hands and apply it on her chest, knees, poll and ears. It seems to really calm her and she loves the smell.

I love how her eyes soften.

If you don't have doTERRA , well first I can always sell some to you :) or for a calming effect you can use the following essential oils in the same way: lavender, chamomille, Ylang Ylang, Bergamot.

Herbal Soothing Skin Balm

Herbal Soothing Skin Balm by Christelle, Equine Ayurveda.

The soothing balm is made out of herbal oil and essential oils. It promotes a healthy skin. It has cooling properties. It soothes the tissues and supports the rejuvenation process. The lavender and  citronella essential oils act also as a natural repellent.

Properties: anti-inflammatory, anti-viral, anti-fungal, antiseptic, anti-bacterial, analgesic, anti-scarring.

Indication: Fly bites, skin irritations, skin allergies, scratches.

Ask for a sample!!!

Some of the ingredients and their properties:

Brahmi Oil: Cooling and calming. It promotes hair growth, cellular regeneration. It soothes irritated skin.

Castor Oil: antimicrobial, anti-fungal, anti-itch and pain-relieving. It nourishes the tissues.

Neem Oil: Anti-viral, anti-fungal, anti-bacterial, analgesic, anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial. It reduces inflammation and relieves dry and itchy skin.

Lavender essential oil: anti-fungal, analgesic, antiseptic, It has a calming, relaxing and balancing effect. It promotes tissue regeneration and reduces scarring. It is a natural fly repellent.

Equine Nutrition #1: The Equine Gastro Intestinal Tract

A few months later ... I now have a certification in Equine Nutrition and can't wait to learn more! This is a fascinating subject and there is so much to learn and share. So I am going to start a series of post related to Equine Nutrition with this first one about the Gastro Intestinal Tract.

This is very basic information as my goal is not to reproduce my training or a book.

Equine Nutrition #1: The Equine Gastro Intestinal Tract (GIT)

The GIT begins at lips and ends at anus. It consists of three functional regions: stomach, small intestine and large intestine.
Mouth: the digestion begins in the mouth with the mastication of the food and production of the saliva.
Stomach: the stomach is small and inelastic (reason we feed little and often). Only little food digestion happens there.
Small Intestine: the small intestine has three parts: Duodenum, Jejenum, Ileum. This is where we find the digestion of starches, sugars, fat and proteins but also minerals. It uses an enzymatic digestion method.
*note: any constituents not digested in Small Intestine will pass to Large Intestine

Large intestine or hindgut: The large intestine has three parts: the Caecum, the large colon and the small colon. This is where the degradation of fibers takes place. This is where the horse gets its energy. There is no digestive enzymes. The method of digestion is microbial fermentation (bacteria, fungi, protozoa). The health of the large intestine is very important and it is designed to process fibers! Problems occur when low fibers diets are fed. Also any sudden change in the diet will affect the microbial population and can lead to health issues.

Important facts:

• Good teeth are major in the digestive process as they reduce the food into particles sizes. This reduction will allow the enzymes to access the constituents of the food.
• The horse's stomach produces acid continuously regardless of whether it contains food or not! Saliva has a balancing role on the gastric environment BUT  saliva is only produced in response to mastication. This is one of the reason why chewing is essential for horses.
• The intestinal system is designed to process high level of low nutritional quality forage on almost continual basis. Therefor the principle diet for a horse should be forage and this around the clock. If concentrates has to be given, it should be given in small amounts and throughout the day.

Equine Nutrition Course

I am starting a 5 weeks online course on Equine Nutrition (and so excited about it). It's time for me to go further on the subject as I want to understand and I want what is best for my horses. In Ayurveda, food plays an important role in promoting health and is therefore considered medicine. I read somewhere Let Your Food Be Your Medicine and I will even say Let Your Food Be Your Medicine And Not The Problem. Today people feeds grains, molasses, all kind of unnatural things for horses. Why? What are the other options for a complete and balance diet? I am not sure this course will bring me answers but at least it will make me think and research.

Course Summary
This course will cover many aspects of equine nutrition ranging from anatomy and physiology of the gastrointestinal tract to dietary management of horses/ponies affected with nutrition-related disorders. This course is designed to provide knowledge of equine digestion and nutrition for those with an interest in this area. The anatomy and physiology of the equine alimentary canal will be studied to provide students with a detailed understanding of the equine digestive system. Nutrient sources for horses will be discussed, with emphasis placed on the health and welfare issues surrounding the inclusion of various types of feedstuffs in equine diets. Students will also discuss recommendations on rations for horses and ponies performing various activities and will be able to make recommendations on rations for horses and ponies in health and disease.

Parelli Horsenality and Ayurvedic constitution

Could Parelli actually have an ayurvedic approach to training? Well, I was surprised (and happy) to see that they use something very close to what we know in Ayurveda as the constitution or prakriti [See post to come on Ayurvedic constitution].

"In the Parelli program, we use four core horse personality (or Horsenality) types to categorize horses. Horsenality helps us understand our horses' innate characteristics and what motivates them so that we can create customized training plans for each horse!" Read more here.
And here is how the classification goes.
The four Horsenality types are:

• Left-Brain Extrovert - dominant, likes to move his feet. If he could talk, he'd say, "You're not the boss of me! Play with me!"
• Left-Brain Introvert - dominant, calm doesn't like to move his feet. If he could talk, he'd say, "I'm ignoring you... What's in it for me?"
• Right-Brain Introvert - unconfident, doesn't like to move his feet. If he could talk, he'd say, "Don't rush me. Be gentle with me."
• Right-Brain Extrovert - unconfident, fearful, likes to move his feet. If he could talk, he'd say, "The sky is falling... focus me!"

This is very inspiring for me and I can see how the Right Brain Extrovert is close to a Vata, a Left Brain Extrovert to a Pitta and then some combination with Kapha. [See post to come about the different constitution].
Yes, yes, definitively YES for a training that respect the personality, the nature of the horse!

In the Parelli forum some people were talking about how in the fall season the Right Brain Extrovert/Introvert (Vata dominant) was showing more of the extreme behavior. It all makes sense since it's the season when Vata is aggravated.
Isn't it amazing?