The leaves are off the trees, the air is getting fresher. You enjoy the last rays of the sun with your horse, yet something gnaws at you. You know what's coming: winter. The period of dull coats, reduced energy and those inexplicable skin problems that seem to return every spring.
Recognizable? You're not the only one.
Many horse owners see their horse's vitality decline as the seasons change. We blame it on the weather, hay or mud, but the real cause is often hidden deeper. Invisible, in the heart of your horse's health: the intestines.
What if you could not only catch that seasonal dip, but prevent it? What if a healthy gut is the key to a shiny coat in winter, strong resistance to ailments and a smooth transition into spring?
Together, let's dive into the fascinating world of gut flora and discover how you, the owner, can make a difference.
A horse's body is a master of adaptation. But the transition from juicy pasture grass to dry hay is one of the biggest challenges to its digestion. The microbiome - that complex community of billions of bacteria in the intestines - becomes unbalanced.
We call this dysbiosis: the bad bacteria get the upper hand. You don't notice it immediately by colic or diarrhea, but by subtle, "silent" signs:
Prevention in the fall is the key to a worry-free winter and a flying start in the spring.
Imagine the gut wall as a smart, selective border wall. This wall consists of cells that lie tightly together and decide what is allowed into the bloodstream (nutrients) and what must stay out (toxins, bad bacteria).
With dysbiosis, this wall gets damaged. The connections between cells weaken, literally creating holes. This is the infamous "leaky gut" or "leaky gut.
Harmful substances now seep into the bloodstream unimpeded. The result? The immune system, 70% of which resides in the intestines, sounds the alarm. Low-grade inflammation occurs throughout the body. This is the source of vague symptoms, allergies and weakened immunity.
Fortunately, nature has a genius solution: butyric acid (butyrate).
This little substance is produced by good gut bacteria when they digest fiber (from hay and grass). Butyric acid is the absolute superfuel for the intestinal wall. It does three crucial things:
The problem? In the fall and winter, with the transition to hay and less dietary diversity, the natural production of butyric acid drops. Just when your horse needs it most.
Why does a horse with a "leaky gut" often have skin problems? The connection is twofold:
Our approach for horses is therefore clear: you tackle a skin problem at the source. And that source is almost always the gut.
Don't wait until problems are visible. With a proactive approach, help your horse get through the seasons smoothly.
🍂 Autumn (September - November): Prepare
❄️ Winter (December - February): Support
🌷 Early Spring (March - May): Getting Ready
You can support gut health with good management, but sometimes a targeted move is needed to restore balance. Especially when the natural production of butyric acid is deficient.
Happy Belly Solid is not a generic prebiotic; it is a targeted, prebiotic food that does exactly what is needed: it delivers coated calcium butyrate to the right place in the intestines.
Happy Belly Solid can be perfectly combined with Happy Stomach (for stomach support) or Happy Skin (for extra intensive skin support).
Do you recognize the concerns about your horse's seasonal dip? Do you want to break the cycle of skin problems and lethargy once and for all this year?
Contact our team of professionals for personalized advice!
Your horse deserves to feel vital and healthy all year round. You lay the foundation for that now.
