Abler - Equine Health Products

In horses, ulcers are a very common condition, especially in newborn foals. Poor physical condition, poor appetite, weight loss, and behavioral changes are a few of the non-specific signs of gastric ulcers in horses. There are many different symptoms associated with horse ulcers, and they can go unnoticed for a long time. It is not unusual for horses to survive their entire lives without receiving the correct diagnosis or care. More than half of horses saddled for pleasure and sport encounter horse ulcers. How do stomach ulcers in horses develop?  Gastric ulcers in horses are caused by the overproduction of hydrochloric acid in the stomach, which irritates the digestive tract's walls, leading to ulcers in the inflamed areas, where the stomach's protective lining is destroyed, and ulcers form.   Additionally, the formation of gastric acid lowers the pH of the gastrointestinal tract, increasing the acidity of the surrounding environment. The following are some common symptoms of

  What Is Colic? Colic is an encompassing word for abdominal pain rather than a specific illness. Gas in the digestive tract, blockages and feed impactions, bowel twists, strangulating tumors, ruptures, and even neurological, cardiac, or musculoskeletal difficulties elsewhere in the body are all possible causes of such pain. Colic is a sign that something is seriously wrong with your horse's stomach. Colic is a major concern among horse owners since it is often unforeseen and unpreventable. Colic is a natural occurrence in horses. Fortunately, more than 80% of colic varieties respond well to treatment. Often colic is treated with horse medicine . Signs of colic in your horse Manure passes very slowly or not at all.  Small feces balls. Passing dry or mucus-covered (slime) excrement. Lack of appetite - grain and hay - poor eating habits. A shift in drinking habits. The horse is colicky and chews on its side. A colicky horse would frequently bite and roll at its side. Look to their si

As horses have evolved to graze on the ground almost continuously, limiting this natural behavior is known to result in many health and behavioral problems. Horses are trickle or slow feeders by nature. Slowly feeding hay at a naturally low rate is the best way to ensure your horse remains happy and healthy if he cannot access pasture 24/7. Are You Slow-Feed Savvy? The following are seven slow-feeding benefits you may not be aware of…… Reduced risk of ulcers The equine stomach produces acid 24 hours a day, and it can empty in as little as 15-20 minutes. Chewing stimulates the production of saliva (an alkaline material), which helps to buffer stomach acid.  The horse will create roughly five gallons of saliva per day in natural conditions with free-choice feed, and will eventually "recycle" much of the water content via re-absorption prior to outflow.  Effective Weight Management If your horse is overweight, slow feeding will help regulate insulin levels, metabolism, and corti

Measuring a horse helps you to know whether your horse is growing or not. So, how do you measure a horse? Is it done from hoof to head? Or from the tip of the tail to the tip of the nose? But why do we refer to a horse's height as “hands” ? We all know horses don’t have hands - right? Hands High (HH) The height of the horse should be measured from the ground to the top point of the withers, or from the ridge between their shoulder blades. Some countries use centimeters where the metric system is standard. Many regions a horses' height is measured using hands or four-inch increments measurement method. This measurement was derived in ancient Egypt. For example: Horse height is 60 inches from the ground- height of horse is 15 hands high (15HH) Tape Measure To measure a horse correctly, owners or caretakers may use a tape measure, or a length of string or twine you can mark and measure later with a ruler. For best results, you can use a measuring tool with hands marked easily a

Equine gastric ulcer syndrome is one of the most common health problems with horses worldwide. Many studies have proven that 90% of ulcers occur in performance horses. These ulcers cause pain and discomfort in horses, even affecting the horse’s ability to perform.  Gastric ulcers are a major health issue in horses but many horse owners are not aware of what causes them, and how they can be prevented.  Let’s Dig in, What are Gastric Ulcers? These are the sores that form on the stomach lining. The horse stomach has two major regions namely the upper ‘squamous’ area and the lower ‘glandular’ area. Ulcers mainly occur in the ‘squamous’ area of the stomach or at the junction of the squamous and glandular regions. Why do gastric ulcers mainly occur in the upper section of the stomach? Horses evolved as grazing animals which means they are constantly chewing and salivating which means their stomach is always full. Due to this, their stomach doesn’t have an on-off switch for gastric acid produ

Equine Intestinal Tract is divided into large sections based on its functionality. All these sections are the same in mammals. This includes the stomach, small intestine, large intestine, and small colon. Anatomy About Equine Intestinal Tract Stomach: The stomach is a large sac that condenses the feed which is ingested by horses. The acid present in the stomach helps to break down feed particles and an enzyme called pepsin starts protein digestion. Small and Large Intestine: True digestion starts in the small intestine that gets liquefied feed materials from the stomach with the pancreas secreted by enzymes into the small intestine. Small intestines are the primary site for digestion and absorption of sugar, starch, protein, and fat. Calcium, phosphorous, and fat-soluble vitamins such as A, D, E, and K are also absorbed by the small intestine. The next segment is the large intestine which starting with the cecum and ends with a descending colon. The large intestine acts like a large fe