| NUTRITION |
Bill Vandergrift, PhD
Alamy, Nigel Kirby Photography
GUT HEALTH
A SPEC T S OF BA D BE H AV IOU R A N D HOW T O F I X I T
W
hen performance horses behave or react in ways that are less than desirable, we as trainers and handlers try to figure out what they are telling us. Is there a physical problem causing discomfort, or is it anxiety based on a previous negative experience? Or, is the bad behaviour resulting from a poor training foundation leading the horse to take unfamiliar or uncomfortable situations into their own hands? This usually triggers the fright and flight reflex instead of relying on the handler for direction and stability. Often when the most common conditions that cause physical discomfort are ruled out, it may be tempting to assume that the bad behaviour is just in the horse’s head or that the horse is just an ill-tempered individual. In my experience, most unexplainable behaviour expressed by performance horses is rooted in the horse’s “other brain,” otherwise known as the digestive system. In this article, I will explain what causes poor digestive health, the link between digestive health and brain function, and what steps can be taken to prevent and/or reverse poor digestive health.
• Digestive health
While most trainers are familiar with gastric ulcers, symptoms and common protocols utilised to heal and prevent them, there still remains a degree of confusion
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regarding other forms of digestive dysfunction that can have a significant effect on the horse’s performance and behaviour. In many cases, recurrent gastric ulcers are simply a symptom of more complex issues related to digestive health. Trainers, veterinarians and nutritionists need to understand that no part of the horse’s digestive tract is a stand-alone component. From the mouth to the rectum, all parts of the digestive system are in constant communication with each other to coordinate motility, immune function, secretion of digestive juices and the production of hormones and chemical messengers. If this intricate system of communication is interrupted, the overall function of the digestive system becomes uncoupled, leading to dysfunction in one or more areas of the digestive tract. For example, a primary cause of recurrent gastric ulcers that return quickly after successful treatment with a standard medication protocol is often inflammation of the small and/or large intestine. Until the intestinal inflammation is successfully controlled, the gastric ulcers will remain persistent due to the uncoupling of communication between the stomach and lower part of the digestive tract. How do we define digestive health? Obviously, digestive health is a complex topic with many moving parts (figuratively and literally). The main parts of a healthy digestive system include, but are not limited to 1) the