20. Horse Nutrition Q&A: Free Faecal Water Syndrome, Fibre Diversity & Putting Weight on Thin Broodmares

Join professional equine nutritionist Dr Nerida and friend and horse industry colleague Orla for another engaging Q&A session. In this episode, we dive deep into free faecal water syndrome in horses—exploring fecal transplants, microbiome programming from dam to foal, and the crucial role of fibre diversity in gut health.Discover why paint horses are more prone to free fecal water, how stress impacts the condition, and whether gut supplements really help. We also tackle the sometimes controversial topic of feeding palominos to prevent smutting (and the possible health compromises involved).Plus, get expert advice on safely putting weight back on thin broodmares after weaning, including the best feeds, forage strategies, and how to avoid hindgut problems during the weight gain process.Key topics covered:Free fecal water syndrome causes and treatmentsFaecal transplants for horses and their effectivenessMicrobiome diversity and fibre variety in equine dietsPost-biotics vs probiotics for horse gut healthFeeding broodmares for healthy weight gainPalomino smutting and copper/zinc nutritionPasture-based feeding strategiesSubscribe to the Happy Horse Nutrition podcast for more expert advice on feeding horses for optimal health and performance.Discover and download the MyHappy.Horse app: https://www.myhappy.horseAnd ask your nutrition questions 24/7 with Dr Nerida AI: https://www.myhappy.horse/nerida-ai If you enjoyed this episode, please leave us a rating and review! It really helps us to get grounded, science-based information to horse owners… and it is their horses who benefit the most! ❤️