August 2002

Powdered Psyllium Brings Fast, Reliable Results

Psyllium is excellent for horses with a tendency toward impaction and/or other poor intestinal health problems.

Most people listen to the upper re- ûgions of the abdomen for gut sounds ûand detecting gas bubbles, but a ûthorough examination also includes ûthe lower areas.

When you hear the word “psyllium,” you probably think of sand colic, and with good reason. All equine psyllium products are advertised as a sand-colic preventative. However, it has more uses to help keep your horse’s intestinal tract healthy.

The portion of the tiny psyllium seed that’s of benefit is the thin outer husk, not the whole seed. The seed husk contains up to eight times more fiber in the form of hemicellulose than oat bran and is also high in mucilage. Soluble fiber, as the name suggests, is fiber that will dissolve in water. When water is mixed with the mucilage and hemicellulose in psyllium it forms a slippery/slimy mass. …