Poseidon Digestive EQ 4kg

A complete fore & hindgut digestive product designed to support the digestive & immune systems of the horse with the added benefit of enzymes, amino acids & antioxidants.

Is your horse suffering from lack-lustre hoof or coat condition, excitable behaviour, restrictive movement, sour attitude, girthiness, or recurrent colic and laminitis?

These might be due to an unhealthy gut (both fore and hind). Digestive EQ is designed to support the digestive and immune systems of your horse. It's unique formulation is designed to assist with foregut and hindgut digestion, inflammation and immune challenges. It also contains a mycotoxin eliminator to negate mycotoxins and help get your horse’s gut healthy again.

Digestive enhancer dogestive enhancer & ph stabiliser
Dual action mycotoxin binder
Powerful prebiotic
Threonine & Glutamine
Added enzymes & antioxidants
Non Swabbable

How to use digestive EQ
Here are some quick tips to help you introduce Digestive EQ with your horse.
Feeding rates can be found on the label on your bucket or tub;
Do not exceed the recommended feeding rates;
Introduce Digestive EQ slowly;
For fussy eaters, you may need to reduce the dose and slowly increase;
Always put the lid tightly back on.
If you have any concerns or questions please contact us immediately.

FEEDING RATES DAILY DOSE STRESS DOSE
(g/day) feed daily feed as required up to 2 weeks maximum at a time
UP TO 200 KG 45 g 65 g
200 TO 400 KG 95 g 130 g
400 TO 600 KG 130 g 195 g
600 TO 800 KG 195 g 260 g

Feeding Instructions
One level scoop (supplied) is equivalent to 65 grams. For best results, divide and feed the daily dose into two or more equal meals per day (can also be fed in one meal).
Digestive EQ should be fed as part of a balanced diet with ample forage. Introduce Digestive EQ into the diet slowly over a period of 14 days.
Adjust the amount fed so it is appropriate for the horse’s body weight.

Nutritional Information
Minerals
Calcium - 187.3 g/kg
Magnesium - 34.6 g/kg
Iodine - 18.5 mg/kg
Non-structural carbohydrates (NSC)
Starch - 0.4%
Ether Soluble Carbohydrates (ESC) - 0.8%
Water Soluble Carbohydrates (WSC) - 1.3%

Ingredients
Marine Sourced Calcium, Lucerne Leaf Meal, Mycotoxin Eliminator, Threonine, Yeast Derived Prebiotic, Digestive Enzymes, Glutamine.

Frequently asked questions
Why should I use Digestive EQ?
Our horse’s digestive health plays a pivotal role in their overall health, wellbeing and performance, so it only makes sense that we need to keep this as healthy as possible. During times of stress or perhaps not managing our horse’ diets as well as we could be, we open the door for our horses to develop issues such as weight loss, behavioural problems, performance issues, laminitis, gastric ulcers and tying up. Digestive EQ aims to support optimal digestion by assisting to maintain a healthy gastrointestinal tract and eliminate common causes of upsets, particularly in the hindgut.
What is in Digestive EQ?
There are five active ingredients in Digestive EQ.
Marine source of highly bioavailable calcium and magnesium which acts as an immediate pH buffer for the stomach and also provides nutrients which may assist with improving bone density and reducing excitability in horses.
Added enzymes to aid the digestion of starch from grain based feeds in the small intestine, reducing the likelihood of undigested starch entering the hindgut.
Amino acids which aid in the protection and strengthening of the gut mucosa.
The powerful prebiotic feeds the fibre ingesting bacteria in the hindgut potentially increasing feed conversion from fibre sources within the diet and optimal production of B-vitamins and vitamin K.
Lastly, the dual action mycotoxin binder, whose role is to bind, deactivate and eliminate damaging mycotoxins, which can be found on grains and pasture
What makes Digestive EQ different from other supplements?
There are so many supplements on the market. One of the reasons Digestive EQ was formulated was due to our frustration that many similar products on the market had only one or two modes of action or contained molasses, grain by-products or other sugars not suitable for some horses and other products which you simply didn’t know what was in them.
To support the digestive system, both the fore and hindgut, previously required using multiple supplements which was ultimately expensive and time consuming.
We searched the world for what we believe to be the best products available and with consultation with a Professor of Equine Science and a Doctor of Equine Nutrition, and assistance with other animal and microbiologist specialists we put these products together saving the horse owner time and money. We believe there are no products currently on the market as complete or as premium as Digestive EQ. Unlike many other supplements, Digestive EQ is manufactured at an APVMA registered and approved site. We also use FIAAA approved ingredients, guaranteeing you a consistently high-quality product.
My horse has been on long term ulcer medication but I’m not seeing much improvement. Will Digestive EQ help?
Most ulcer medications prescribed by veterinarians aim to restrict hydrochloric acid production (known as proton pump inhibitors) in the stomach. A reduction of hydrochloric acid secretion allows the stomach environment to somewhat neutralise and allow ulcers to heal. These medications only target ulcers within the stomach therefore if you are not seeing any improvement in your horse’s symptoms which may include girthiness, loose manure, poor performance, dull coat, weight loss and colic, your horse may also have further issues in their hindgut which remain unresolved.
Digestive EQ aims to support all levels of digestive health from the foregut to the hindgut. Remember to always seek veterinary advice when concerned about your horse’s heath.
How soon will I see a result from using Digestive EQ?
Horse owners who are trying Digestive EQ are reporting seeing improved behavioural changes in as early as 4-5 days, with horses appearing calmer and more settled.
Another noticeable improvement can come in the way of improved consistency of manure. Some horses that have been scouring for months have reportedly formed solid manure within days of using Digestive EQ.
In as little as two weeks, horse owners are reporting noticeable changes in coat condition and beginning to see improved top line condition, particularly noticing filling out above the flanks around the loin area.
After 3-4 weeks people are consistently noticing significant behavioural, performance and recovery improvements, as well as improved feed conversion and a noted improved suppleness under saddle.
As your horse starts to get a better feed conversion, you may notice them putting on weight. You can then start to reduce the amount of feed you are giving them, which can lead to considerable savings in feed bills.
If you don’t see a result that quickly, don’t panic. Every horse is different with some taking longer to respond due to ongoing repair of mucosa and repopulation of healthy microbes, particularly in their hindgut. If your horse doesn’t have obvious outward symptoms of gastrointestinal upset, positive changes are going to be less obvious but can as subtle as improved hoof growth and increased immunity.
But remember, seeing the results is just the start. Supporting optimal digestion and the health of your horse’s gastrointestinal tract longer term with the correct diet in combination with Digestive EQ will ensure optimal health and performance into the future.
How does Digestive EQ work?
Each active ingredient in Digestive EQ has a specific role to play (see What is in Digestive EQ?). Collectively they aim to restore digestive health and support digestion.

Digestive EQ may act as an immediate pH buffer within the stomach. The addition of Digestive EQ to a small (500g) high fibre meal eg. chaff, beet-pulp etc. prior to exercise can assist gastric ulcers by minimising gastric acid damage to the unprotected portion of the stomach. For horses on high grain diets, it can also buffer the acidic pH due to bacterial fermentation of starch within the stomach.

Digestive EQ may also assist in improving the capacity of the small intestine to enzymatically digest fat, starch, and protein, preventing them from entering the hindgut undigested and negatively impacting the fibre fermenting bacteria. In particular, undigested starch which enters the hindgut undergoing rapid fermentation and the production of lactic acid. If in significant qualities, this can cause the pH to become acidic (aka hindgut acidosis) causing the fibre fermenting bacteria to die. This has several consequences, including decreased fibre fermentation therefore less energy and vitamin production. Secondly, the mucosa lining can become inflamed and damaged making it more permeable for endotoxins to enter the bloodstream causing systemic issues.

The prebiotic used in Digestive EQ feeds the fibre fermenting bacterial in the hindgut. This may result in effectively digesting fibre and converting it into energy (volatile fatty acids), B Vitamins such as B1 (appetite and calmness) biotin (hoof growth), B12 and Vitamin K.

Additionally, damaging mycotoxins (invisible moulds) which can be present on feed stuffs may be eliminated through the use of a dual action mycotoxin binder. Dual action means it combines the ability to bind mycotoxins with the ability to also break them down and deactivate them. Simplistically, the majority of toxin binders have one mode of action, targeting what we call polar molecules including aflatoxins which can be found on grains and cereal hay. For horses on forage-based diet ie. grazing pasture, this type of toxin binder is not effective in binding the mycotoxins of concern (non-polar molecules) which can be present on grasses and legumes. It is also important to note that there is no evidence to suggest that Digestive EQ toxin binder, binds vitamins and minerals.
Lastly, Digestive EQ supplies amino acids which act to maintain, protect and repair the integrity of the gut mucosa. The gut appears to have a large requirement for particular amino acids, and these may not be supplied adequately by the diet or the body may not be producing enough or due to increased demand (during periods of illness) cannot cover the requirements.
What evidence do you have that Digestive EQ is effective?
As part of our research and design phase of Digestive EQ’s development, we undertook a trial with numerous horses across various disciplines. The results were overwhelming with consistent reporting of improved condition, topline, behaviour, manure consistency, performance, appearance and the ability to cope with stress.
We also undertook a field study with a further cohort of randomly selected horses with Professor Andrew Dart (BVsc PHD,Dip ACVS, Dip ECVS) in an attempt to measure observable outcomes.
Every single horse in the study showed a remarkable increase in feed conversion with some horses increasing their weekly weight gain by up to 9 times.
“It is difficult to dismiss the relationship between weight gain and the addition of this supplement” commented Prof Dart.
There was also improvement in manure consistency, coat and body condition.
All horses found Digestive EQ palatable.
Additionally, the hundreds of testimonials speak for themselves.
What should I feed my horse if I’m feeding Digestive EQ?
The majority of horses will maintain weight and perform best on a forage-based diet, including those with high energy requirements. Horses have evolved to graze constantly on fibrous feedstuff and how the gastrointestinal tract is designed and functions reflects this.
The bulk of your horse’s diet should be forage, including pasture or hay. As a rule, your horse requires a minimum of 1.5% of their body weight in forage per day to maintain normal gut function. Due to the nature of pasture and hay, both long stem fibre sources, horses are required to chew these for longer compared with alternate forage sources like chaff, hay cubes etc which are comprised of short stem fibre. Increased chewing encourages more saliva production, naturally buffering the stomach and its contents. Increased time spent chewing long stem fibre forage sources also maintains a steady flow of feed into the stomach for a longer period. These long stem fibres also contain what is known as effective fibre, which is fibre that remains undigested as it passes through the gut. Effective fibre is important for allowing the horse to produce manure and shift unwanted material like sand out of the hindgut.
Forage, which is comprised mostly of fibre, provides a major source of energy for your horse. While your horse itself cannot digest the fibre, the billions of bacteria in its hindgut do the job for it. During fermentation of fibre, volatile fatty acids (VFA’s) are produced which are absorbed by the horse and utilised by the body to form energy. As well as providing the horse with energy, important vitamins like B1, biotin and vitamin K are produced during bacterial fermentation of fibre in the hindgut.
If you’re providing adequate high quality forage and your horse and desired body condition is not achieved, you can increase your horses energy intake further with various ingredients.
High energy fibres
Including soybean hulls, copra meal and sugarbeet pulp. These feedstuffs are similar to pasture and hay, however the fibre they contain is more readily digested by the bacteria in the hindgut meaning they contain a similar amount of calories as cereal grains. These feeds are particularly well suited to horses that become excitable and hyperactive when fed grain based feeds.
Cereal grains and grain based feeds
Cereal grains are well known as being high energy feeds and are useful in the diet of horses that have increased energy demands such as horses in heavy exercise, broodmares in late pregnancy or early lactation and some growing horses.
However, some grains and grain based feeds are more suitable than others. When selecting grains to feed it is critical that the starch within the grain (which is the high energy component) is digested in the small intestine. Grains that are digested in the small intestine will provide your horse with more calories and ensure your horse avoids problems with hindgut acidosis. To ensure the starch is digested in the small intestine, select grains or grain based feeds that have been cooked/micronized/extruded.
Cereal grains should not be used in the diets of horses with Cushing’s disease or those susceptible to laminitis.
High fat feeds and oils
Are the highest energy feedstuffs you can give a horse. Fats and oils hold two major advantages over high energy fibrous feeds and cereal grains. The first is they are energy dense meaning you don’t have to add large quantities to the diet.
The second advantage of high fat feeds and oils is they don’t tend to make a horse as hyperactive as the same quantity of energy supplied in the form of cereal grains. In addition, they do not carry the risks of digestive upsets that accompany cereal grains.
Lastly, make sure your horse’s diet is balanced from a protein, vitamin and mineral perspective. We recommend using FeedXL Horse Nutrition Software or seeking independent nutritional advice to help balance your horse’s diet. Additionally, always read the labels of any feed or supplement you are using, so you know it is suitable for your horse and tells you exactly what you are putting in your horse’s mouth
Why haven’t you used a probiotic?
Digestive EQ has a powerful prebiotic included. We have not included a probiotic as the research is not conclusive about the efficacy of probiotics in horses. Despite widespread availability and use, scientific, peer-reviewed evidence behind commercial probiotic formulations in horses appears limited.
When should I use a veterinarian approved gastric ulcer treatment?
If you suspect your horse has gastric ulcers, call your veterinarian. They should be able to properly diagnose stomach ulcers via a gastroscope and determine if your horse requires treatment with a prescription medication. Once your horse has been successfully treated for ulcers, Digestive EQ can be used (alone or in conjunction with treatment) to assist with maintaining a healthy pH in your horse’s stomach and supply nutrients to support repair of the mucosa. Many of our customers are reporting that they have successfully weaned their horses off long term use of gastric ulcer treatments, saving them considerable money and more importantly that their horses are performing better.
What is the difference between Digestive EQ and a gastric ulcer treatment?
Effective gastric ulcer medications work through inhibition of hydrochloric acid from proton pumps in the glandular region of the stomach. Digestive EQ works instead to buffer the pH of the stomach, promoting an optimal stomach environment. While inhibition of hydrochloric acid release through medication aids in the quick healing of gastric ulcers, longer term maintenance doses may impact digestion of some nutrients. The mostly acidic environment caused by secretion of hydrochloric acid is essential for digestion of feed including activating the enzymes that break down protein and fat, separate minerals from their complexes allowing absorption in the small intestine and help protect against many microorganisms in feed.
It is important to remember, that this is only one of many functions Digestive EQ has.
What is the feed rate and how long will a 4kg tub last?
A horse weighing up to 200 kg has a daily dose of 45 gm per day which equates to 89 doses;
200-400kg has a daily dose of 95 gm per day (42 doses);
400-600kg has a daily dose of 130 gm per day (31 doses);
Horses over 600 kg have a daily dose of 195 gm per day (20.5 doses)
What is the stress dose for and how much do I use?
Research has shown that events such as travelling, competition, worming and other such events can impact your horse’s gut bacteria in a negative way. You have the option of giving your horse a stress dose of Digestive EQ to help buffer the impact of such events. Many of our clients have reported the benefit of doing just that and have now decided to use the stress dose as part of their competition preparation.
The label tells you the recommended stress dose for your horse.
What does Digestive EQ look like and how do I feed it?
Digestive EQ is a powdered feed supplement that is added to your horses normal feed. It is a green powder. You can mix it with any oils or add your wet feeds such as beet fibre or mix through your feed and wet down.
Does the Toxin Binder bind any other nutritional or health products?
Mycotoxins in animal feed are a serious issue worldwide, causing widespread losses in animal production.
Mycotoxins cause innumerable negative effects in all animals including horses, ranging from serious liver damage to reproductive issues and behavioural changes. Mycotoxins are insidious, in that if you get more than one mycotoxin in feed, which is common, they tend to have a cumulative negative effect as one mycotoxin magnifies the effect of another. This allows them to cause issues even when each mycotoxin is present only at low levels.
For decades now feed manufacturers in the pig, poultry and ruminant industries have been adding toxin binders to feeds to essentially trap or cut up these mycotoxins and stop them from affecting animals. And to date it is still a very effective strategy at reducing the negative effects of mycotoxins on animal health.
Quality toxin binders have a specific mode of action and while they are very effective at binding the mycotoxins they are designed to work on, they won’t randomly bind nutrients like vitamins and minerals nor will they deactivate medications. With vitamin and mineral nutrition having very real and measurable effects on animal production in intensive animal industries, the manufacturers of toxin binders have long been concerned with ensuring their products don’t bind nutrients.
The toxin binder in Digestive EQ is a proprietary formulation that has been designed to bind and then deactivate harmful toxins. This active that we have chosen has research that shows us this work had been done and we are satisfied that our product won’t be having a negative effect on a horse’s vitamin and mineral nutrition nor compromise any worming activities.
What else do I need to know?
Digestive EQ was initiated by a passionate, dedicated horse owner who was frustrated with the amount of money and time she was spending on feed supplements that weren’t working to the level she wanted. A consulting team consisting of a Professor of Equine Science, an Equine Nutritionist who completed her PhD on starch digestion in the horse, an Animal Scientist and a Microbioligist helped make her dream to create Australia’s most complete and affordable gut supplement come true. Poseidon Equine is committed to helping horses become the healthiest they can be, allowing them to perform at their optimal level
How Should I Introduce Digestive EQ Into My Horse’s Diet?
It is best practice to introduce all new feeds and supplements into a horse’s diet over a period of 14 days. This is particularly important for horses prone to digestive disturbances like colic and diarrhoea. With Digestive EQ, start at ¼ of your horse’s Maintenance Dose and build it up gradually, over 2 weeks, to the full Maintenance or Stress Dose.
Can The Full Digestive EQ Dose Be Fed In One Meal?
Yes, but…
It is best to feed Digestive EQ in two feeds per day. Doing this gives your horse longer periods of buffering in the stomach and may allow for better absorption and utilisation of the nutrients it contains. BUT, we get that sometimes feeding twice per day is not possible. If this is the situation you are in, you can feed the full Maintenance Dose in one meal per day. If using the Stress Dose, it should be divided and fed in two meals.
Is Digestive EQ Safe For Laminitic Horses?
Digestive EQ can safely be used in horses with laminitis and does not contain any ingredients that may cause laminitis. Just, as with all things with laminitics, introduce EQ slowly, as a ‘just to be on the safe side’ measure. They can be unpredictable, so slow is always best when adding something new to their diet.Laminitis is caused by carbohydrate overload (undigested starch and fructans entering the hindgut) can be triggered by a shift in hindgut pH which then destroys good bacteria. These then release damaging endotoxins which enter the bloodstream and can trigger laminitis. Digestive EQ aims to reduce the likelihood of this happening with improved digestion of starch in the small intestine and promotion of a strong population of good bacteria that minimises the impact of shift is pH within the hindgut.
BUT here is our ‘but’…
Laminitic horses are sensitive to (almost) EVERYTHING. It is like once the cascade of inflammation associated with laminitis starts their entire system goes on red alert for anything else that may add insult!
So, what we would recommend is this… if your horse is actively laminitic and you aren't currently using Digestive EQ, get that under control first. Get them off whatever it is causing the problem (pasture, hay or feed you are using) and onto a safe hay. Then once everything settles and they are sound at at least the walk, THEN you can start to slowly introduce Digestive EQ into the system.
For any horse with active laminitis or prone to laminitis, strict dietary management is essential. Always seek veterinary advice if you’re unsure of the best management.
Does Digestive EQ Help Gastric Ulcers?
Digestive EQ is not designed to treat existing gastric ulcers and we direct owners to consult with their veterinarian about treatment with a registered gastric ulcer medication if their horse has confirmed ulcers. The veterinarian should be able to properly diagnose stomach ulcers via a gastroscope and determine if your horse requires treatment with a prescription medication. Once your horse has been successfully treated for ulcers, Digestive EQ can be used (alone or in conjunction with the treatment) to help to reduce insult of gastric fluid on a healing or recently healed gut. It also provides the nutrients the gut itself needs to repair the gut wall and the nutrients to produce mucous so it can protect itself naturally.
The prebiotic is designed to improve gut health by supporting the fibre fermenting populations of bacteria, while the enzymes are there to improve digestion of starch and sugars in the small intestine to stop them flowing into the hindgut where it will upset hindgut bacterial populations.
Digestive EQ is designed specifically to help the gut keep itself healthy. Of course, you can’t just throw caution to the wind and feed a diet that will predispose a horse to hindgut issues or gastric ulcers, but, Digestive EQ will support normal gut health, which is something we know is sorely lacking in many horses, despite the best intentions of their owners.
Interestingly, the registered gastric ulcer medications simply cut the acid production in the stomach, to create an environment that allows the ulcers to heal. They generally do not have any role in actually healing the ulcers nor in making sure the gut is robust and healthy enough to not have an immediate relapse back to the condition they just recovered from.
Many of our customers are reporting that they have successfully weaned their horses off long term use of gastric ulcer treatments, saving them considerable money and more importantly that their horses are performing better.