Being a trickle-feeder a horse will stress if they run out of forage and have no means to find any more, which for the stabled horse can then lead to developing those well-known stable habits, i.e. weaving, wind-sucking, cribbing, box-walking et al.

Why? Because unlike us, when our stomachs are empty, our acid production stops, whereas a horse’s stomach constantly produces hydrochloric acid - they're a trickle-feeder for a very good reason. Under normal feeding habits, the acid is naturally absorbed into the continually eaten food and buffered by bicarb-containing (acid soothing) saliva. However, if they run out of forage and their stomach empties, the acid keeps on coming.

Without a continual forage supply, the intestinal lining in the stomach degrades. And without a strong protective mucosal gut lining in place, the continual acid splash will burn the fragile intestinal mucosa, creating a raw wound, aka an ulcer.

Meanwhile, the stress involved with both lack of forage and the ulcer pain now triggers the release of the stress hormone, cortisol. This isn’t a situation you want to prolong as cortisol isn’t necessarily a friendly hormone; it’s fine for a perceived short-term threat because it has a vital protective job to do, but for a prolonged state of anxiety it not only permanently floods the body with acid, making the peripheral limbs feel like they’re on fire, but it also switches off several vital metabolic functions ( including digestion), while suppressing immunity and increasing blood glucose levels.

Cue squamous stomach ulcers developing due to food disruption/quality, and glandular/pyloric ulcers which are caused by the stress/anxiety.

UlsaCOMBO is a nutritional, functional food programme and not veterinary medicine. For more on this, see Dr Kellon's article - ' Nutrition is not 'Alternative' Therapy .

🌿Combined Herbal Blend

Human grade, produced to ecological standards and free from agro-chemicals. See our Quality page for Organic Certification Documents.

A combination of EquiNatural's DuoBute , StressTonic , UlsaTonic , & GutAminos , combined together as a convenient 4-in-1 food supplement.

• 15g/100kg bodyweight per day, i.e. 75g for a 500kg horse.
• 1-yr shelf life.
• Want a scoop? You can add a scoop to your basket during checkout.
• 1-yr shelf life.
• Supplied in a resealable, food-grade foil pouch for freshness.

Footnotes

• Feed as a minimum 1-month course.
• For fussy eaters, start with a pinch and slowly build your way up.
• Pregnant or nursing mares - always seek veterinary advice before feeding.
• Each item is available separately in our Gut System Shop page.
• ♻️ Eco Note: Our packaging is recyclable and refillable.
• 🧊 Storage Tip: Keep cool and dry.

The focus now is on maintaining your horse's gut health long-term. By feeding tonifying supplements to support a balanced gut, alongside a diet rich in healthy, natural nutrition, you'll be giving your horse the best chance to thrive.

Have a look at our suggestions below - we're not saying to feed them all - just go with what feels right for you. Metabolic health is a sliding scale, influenced by daily choices that compound over time. Each decision - big or small - helps tip the scales in your horse's favour, ensuring lasting wellness and vitality.

1. Think fortify- switch any processed feeds to a grass forage-fibre feed, i.e a meadow cob/chaff, and getting as much quality hay going through the hindgut, while closing the nutrient gap with forage-balanced minerals - see our EquiVita/VitaComplete range.
2. BiomeTonic , aka the well-known 'oily herbs', stabilise the intestinal environment, creating an unwelcome environment for pathogen microbes and parasites. Some horses seem to need it permanently; others (like our Mac) do well when fed every couple of weeks or so - it's very much horses for courses so your horse will no doubt tell you.
3. WildFed Prebiotics is beneficial to feed occasionally to add valuable prebiotic roughage and nutrient diversity to the diet. Either add to the feedbowl or sprinkle a handful over hay every other day or so - horses love to seek out the herbs for enrichment.