Ellen explains: "Especially at the beginning of winter, I often see digestive problems. I also frequently encounter horses with manure water. Manure water arises from changes in the diet. Especially when horses transition from pasture to a diet of only dried roughage."

Cause of manure water

With manure water, your horse has relatively firm to quite soft manure balls, but a significant amount of liquid is also expelled. This manure water indicates that the digestive juices are not properly thickened at the end of the digestive system. Manure water is different from diarrhea, which is watery stool. If a horse has diarrhea, you should call the vet. "The approach to manure water is different for each horse," Ellen explains. "Manure water can have various causes and therefore different solutions."

Observing and measuring the horse

Ellen explains her approach: "Prior to the appointment, I ask the owner of the horse or pony to fill out a detailed intake form. This way, I already know more about things such as social interaction with other horses, workload, whether there is access to pasture, and what feed the horse receives." Ellen works with bioresonance. "The horse wears a special blanket containing precious metals. I connect the biotensor and my device to this blanket. This allows me to measure and treat using frequencies. I combine different approaches, partly holistic and partly Western. I look at the chakras, which indicate where any emotional stress may lie. If necessary, I can also address these. I also examine the organ systems, as is customary in Chinese medicine, and look for disturbances in the vitamin-mineral status. These three measurements together provide an indication of where problems may be in the body. The vitamin and mineral status of the horse is always a snapshot; my device indicates what the body needs at that moment. This is different from a blood test, but it is interesting to compare the results if the owner has already had blood drawn from the horse. Ultimately, I base my overall assessment on a combination of the measurement, what I observe and feel in the horse, and what the owner tells me."

Manure water and digestion

Ellen continues: "Several different factors may play a role in manure water. Sometimes I find fungi and/or mycotoxins in the intestines, an imbalanced gut flora, and many toxins. Sometimes I also find an imbalance in B vitamins. When I measure this in horses, it tells me something about the efficiency of the intestines because a healthy horse should be able to produce vitamin B on its own. If there is an increased need for B vitamins or an imbalance, it indicates something about the condition of the intestines. The liver could also play a role."

Resolving manure water: Roughage and management

"First and foremost, I look at the overall management of the horse," Ellen says. "What kind of roughage does it receive, what quality, and in what quantity? The quality of the roughage is incredibly important and is often underestimated. If the roughage is of poor quality, that needs to be addressed. Otherwise, the rest of your efforts will be in vain. I often advise horses with manure water to switch to dry hay. Not pre-cut or packaged hay. Then I assess the horse's concentrate feed and supplements. Other conditions are also important. Does the horse have access to pasture, how often, can it engage in social behavior? If these factors are not in order, stress can arise."

Ideal situation

Ellen talks about roughage: "In an ideal world, all hay would be analyzed so we know exactly what nutrients are present. This is often different from what one might estimate based on the appearance of the hay. For horses with manure water, you ideally want dry and low-sugar hay. Many stables are already doing very well, but I also come across situations where the quality of the roughage leaves much to be desired. Whether the ideal hay should be coarser or finer varies from horse to horse. Quantity is also important. In principle, horses should have constant access to roughage."

Concentrate feed and supplements

"The concentrate feed is also important," Ellen continues. "What type of concentrate feed does the horse receive and how much? And what is it made of? Starch or products from our waste industry such as cookie meal, wheat, or other 'crushed' products can contribute to manure water problems. I often recommend a vitamin and mineral balancer. The brand of balancer I choose depends on the horse's needs. Regarding supplements, I usually see that nothing is given specifically for manure water. Recently, I visited someone who had just seen the vet for the annual vaccine and asked what she should do about the manure water in her horse. The vet just said, 'It's normal,' but that is not true. Manure water is not normal and can almost always be resolved."

Supplements for manure water?

"Optimizing the roughage is the basis; in addition, I often recommend herbs such as hawthorn. Hawthorn is one of my favorite herbs for digestive problems and is a great herb for immune system support. Wormwood is also commonly used to make the intestinal environment less favorable for parasites like worms. Towards the end of winter, a supplement of vitamin E from natural tocopherols is beneficial. During that period, no vitamin E is found in the hay anymore, as it disappears several months after harvesting. Therefore, there may be an extra need for it."

Diversity for health

"After everything is in order, the horse is receiving good roughage, and there are no more manure water problems, I often recommend offering more diversity. Naturally, horses eat a wide variety of foods: herbs, bark, seeds, berries. But our domesticated horses usually do not have access to such a variety of food. Diversity is very beneficial for developing the gut flora. In my opinion, this is a gap in the nutrition we offer our horses. Of course, the foundation of digestion must first be in order or improved, but after that, it is enjoyable and, in my opinion, essential to offer much more variety than just grass hay. So, offer more of what they would eat in nature: berries, vegetables, wild spinach, nettle, dandelion, rose hips in winter, blackberry leaves in spring, herbs, bark, seeds, and a little fruit.

Ellen Wijnands is a natural nutritionist and therapist. You can find her at www.natuur-voedingsdeskundige.nl