A 10 second manure check is a simple habit that can tell you more about your horse’s health than most other practices ever will. It’s not glamorous, but it’s one of the most reliable, real‑time windows into what’s happening inside your horse’s gut. And once you know what to look for, you can spot small problems long before they become big ones.

Scours, or diarrhea, can be a common issue among horses that causes dehydration and discomfort. It isn’t just a messy inconvenience. It’s a red flag that something’s gone awry in the gut, and in adult horses, it often signals hindgut dysfunction, particularly in the caecum and colon where fluid reabsorption normally occurs.

A study released in August this year in the Journal of Equine Veterinary Science into contaminants in horse feeds has found that “99 % (n = 107) of the samples tested positive for fungal metabolites, particularly Fusarium metabolites, unspecific metabolites, and pesticide residues."

Here are 5 natural supplements that offer a wide range of benefits at just 10g per day.