Horse parents are always looking for ways to help their equine friends live long and healthy lives, and these six tips will help you support your horse’s immune system and optimal wellness.
Your horse’s immune system keeps them at peak health, including when it comes to whole-body wellness and performance. Because of the link between immune health and the gut, the right diet and nutritional supplements are some of the most important ways you can support your horse’s immune system. However, there are other things you can do to help your horse’s immune function, so let’s look at what they are!
1. Feed a High-Quality Diet
In all mammals, including horses, about 70 to 80% of the body’s immune cells are in the gut, and a healthy and diverse microbiome is essential for a robust immune system. Horses need many nutrients to maintain immune health, including:
- Vitamins A, C, and E
- Zinc
- Selenium
- Copper
- Probiotics
As such, a healthy diet is essential for maintaining your horse’s immune health. You can ensure a well-balanced diet by providing them with high-quality forage and protein, fresh water, healthy fats, concentrates, and supplements.
2. Provide Plenty of Opportunities for Exercise
Regular, moderate exercise can help support your horse’s immune system. There are several mechanisms through which exercise can benefit horses, including increasing blood flow and the circulation of immune cells, reducing cortisol levels and stress, stimulating the production of antibodies, and supporting weight management.
3. Take Steps to Reduce Stress
Horses can experience stress because of nutritional, physical, and psychological factors. Helping your horse maintain healthy stress levels can promote better behavior, improved gut health, and better overall health. Managing stress for horses can include:
- Regular grooming and gentle handling
- Companionship with other horses
- Maintaining a consistent routine
- Training and mental enrichment
- Regular activity
- Freedom to move and graze
4. Get Regular Veterinary Checkups
Routine visits give your veterinarian a chance to monitor your horse’s physical and mental health, assess their diet and behavior, and maintain a good preventative care plan.
5. Keep Their Environment and Hoofs Clean
Cleaning stalls regularly will help prevent the spread of bacteria and diseases, which can support your horse’s immune system by protecting them from pathogens that could make them sick.
Similarly, regular hoof care can also help prevent fungal infections, abscesses, white line disease, and thrush.
6. Consider High-Quality Nutritional Supplements to Support Your Horse’s Immune System
Dietary supplements like Equine Immune Support from Standard Process provide whole foods and nutrients that support the innate and adaptive immune response and may support immune cell health. It can be given to horses who are:
- In training
- Traveling
- Experiencing stress
- Getting older
- Lacking adequate turnout
By helping ensure adequate nutrition, Equine Immune Support may help to support your horse’s health, performance, and stamina.
Visit Standard Process to learn more.
