Free Fecal Water Syndrome in Horses: A Hindgut-Focused Guide
Executive Summary Free Fecal Water Syndrome (FFWS), also referred to as fecal water syndrome in horses or free fecal liquid syndrome, is a chronic equine digestive issue in which horses…
Fiber Is Fuel: Why Forage Is Essential for Gut Health in Horses
Executive Summary Forage for horses is the cornerstone of equine digestive health and the primary driver of hindgut stability. Horses evolved as continuous grazers, and research on natural grazing behavior…
Hindgut Acidosis in Horses: How Grain Overload Disrupts Gut Health
Executive Summary Hindgut acidosis is a diet-driven disruption of normal hindgut fermentation that occurs when starch from grain-based feeds exceeds the digestive capacity of the small intestine and reaches the…
Hindgut Ulcers – The Hidden Threat Inside Your Horse
Executive Summary Hindgut ulcers in horses, also referred to as equine hindgut ulcers, colonic ulcers in horses, or cecal ulcers in horses, represent one of the most clinically important yet…
Alfalfa Before Exercise: Does It Buffer Equine Stomach Acid?
Executive Summary Feeding alfalfa before exercise is widely applied as a management-based strategy to reduce gastric acid exposure in horses, particularly those at risk of equine gastric ulcer syndrome (EGUS).…
Endocrinopathic vs Sepsis-Related Laminitis: A Clinical and Pathophysiologic Comparison
Executive Summary Laminitis is not a single disease. It is a structural failure syndrome of the lamellar interface with multiple upstream drivers. Two major categories—endocrinopathic laminitis and sepsis-related laminitis—represent fundamentally…
Equine Metabolic Syndrome & Insulin Dysregulation: Mechanisms, Diagnosis, and Field Applications
Executive Summary Equine Metabolic Syndrome (EMS) is a complex metabolic disorder in horses characterized primarily by insulin dysregulation, increased risk of metabolic laminitis, and often—but not always—regional adiposity. While insulin…
