Not only does every women’s magazine regularly feature “detox diets”, nowadays this topic also appears in many equestrian magazines.
Detoxification is often touted as a universal remedy for various metabolic diseases, promising improved rideability and a range of other positive effects.
On the other hand, you should know that a healthy organism is constantly detoxifying itself anyway, even without you doing anything special for it. Nevertheless, disruptions to this natural process can occur. If the quantity of toxins ingested or accumulating in the body exceeds its excretory capacity, which can occur, for instance, through the consumption of (unrecognized) moldy hay or haylage, or by ingesting poisonous plants from hay or grazed pastures.
But even if the liver or kidneys are malfunctioning, this can result in a buildup of waste in the organism, as the toxins cannot be eliminated quickly enough.
During particularly stressful periods like changes of coat, stress, or medication, the body may struggle to compensate, leading to a higher risk of metabolic disorders.
Healthy or clinically sick horse?
Hence, it’s crucial to distinguish whether you have a generally healthy horse that you simply want to provide support for, in order to better handle specific stresses like adjusting to a new stable, undergoing sedation during a dental check, or experiencing a change in coat.
Detox treatments facilitate the swift and efficient excretion of resulting toxins, thereby alleviating the burden on the immune system and preventing the horse from slipping into a metabolic imbalance in the first place.
However, if I have a horse that is already clinically ill, for example, with laminitis, equine metabolic syndrome (EMS), Cushing’s disease, or other metabolic disorders, a well-intentioned detox program that is unfortunately incorrectly formulated or implemented at the wrong time can do more harm than good.
Fact sheets
We would be pleased to provide you with our fact sheet, offering insights into the initial indicators of an imbalanced detoxification system and suggesting ways to provide support.
Simply send an email to info@sanoanimal.de, and we will send you the information free of charge as a PDF file.
If you’re uncertain about whether a detox treatment is suitable for your horse, it’s advisable to seek guidance from a qualified therapist.
A well-trained metabolic therapist can provide precise explanations regarding which treatments are beneficial and appropriate for the horse at any given time, as well as which should be avoided.
