Has anyone have any suggestions for a gas problem with a horse.  I currently have a boarder that is concerned about how much gas her horse has when she comes and visits/ride him.  It has just happened over the last few months--no feed changes.  We do not notice a problem when he is being handled daily or when he is in his stall, but she notices it when she comes.  I wondered if it was a anxiety issue...he will get worked fairly hard and then not have anything done for 2-3 weeks.  Any ideas or suggestions...possible supplements?

Better to have the gas coming out than not at all! :) An old farmer told me the more tootin a horse does, the less chance for colic. I kinda agree with him as I have an old QH mare that gives me "turbo boosts" when I ride her and she has never had a colic episode with me.

A diet high in concentrates will usually cause more gas than one on just pasture/hay. If the horse is only getting rode once a month, I'd evaluate how much grain the horse really needs.

Probiotics may help with the gas, but be sure to ask the vet prior to administrating. The working hard once a month really isn't fair to the horse and can cause all kinds of issues as you probably know.

Good luck with the rootin-tootin horse.

My horse will fart purposely when she is mad about something....like if she doesn't want to be tied (she stands quietly, but brewing up a plan of attack) She'll wait till I'm brushing her tail or braiding it and let one fly.  I swear she holds it in until I'm back there!  For such elegant beautiful creatures, they can sure have poor manners!  Between the grass slobbers, farts in your face, and manure piles everywhere...it's a wonder we keep these things and love em!

Amanda

A regimen of probiotics will often clear up this problem in horses just as it does in humans.

Marla