Madalyn Ward, DVM shares her answers to specific holistic horse care questions from clients. To see more questions and answers on real holistic horse care situations check out our Holistic Horsekeeping and Horse Harmony Facebook pages.

Q – I’m looking for a holistic supplement for flies; not sure if garlic is safe to use or you recommend something else. Flies are really bad in my area this year.

A – Garlic may not be your best choice since it can be heating to the horse’s system. You could try apple cider vinegar in the food. 1/4 to 1/2 cup a day is a place to start.

Q – I have an Earth/ Metal Morgan mare. I feed her whole oats and Equine Challenge for grass hay also Himalayan salt block, and grass hay. When I tie her up she licks the dirt from the rail. What mineral is she lacking? Equine challenge has flax seed and a probiotic.

A – Your mare may be trying to buffer her stomach. Earth horses can be prone to stomach ulcers. If you go to www.horsetemperament.com you can look at our Earth horse balancing formula. It could help.

Q – Do you recommend or sell an alternative to Ulcer Guard when shipping a horse long distances? I am buying a horse and it will have 1500 miles to travel over about 3 days.

A – We carry a product called Gastro Plus Pro which helps increase the circulation to the gut and increases mucous production to soothe and protect the gut during stress such as hauling. The GastroPlusPro says on the label to give away from food but can be given with food when used to support a horse that does not already have an ulcer. We also suggest a good prebiotic such as Ration Plus. Ration Plus is a liquid and can be given with food or directly in the mouth if the horse has a decreased appetite.

If you enjoyed this post or found it helpful, let me know by leaving a comment below. You can also find me on Facebook where I always appreciate a LIKE. To order any of the products mentioned in this post or other  products for you or your horses, please visit my online store.