Sand Ingestion

Living on the Central Coast has many perks including quick and easy access to the ocean. But one downfall is the amount of sand in the environment. Sand is wonderful at the beach but not in our horses gastro-intestinal system. Horses accumulate sand primarily from eating from the ground in a sandy environment, but some intentionally eat sand.

Sand accumulation can seriously affect your horse’s ability to absorb nutrients.Your horse may have a decreased body score, rough hair coat, lack of appetite and lethargy. Horses with large amounts of sand in their digestive system may suffer from colic and diarrhea spells. Some horses may die from excess sand ingestion due to a rupture of the colon.
Sand can be detected in your horse by collecting a sample of fresh manure in a baggie and adding water to liquefy the manure. Sand will sink to the bottom of the bag. Sand is heavy and sits on the bottom of the intestines so it does not always pass in the manure. Radiographs of the abdomen are the best way to detect sand, but only facilities with large radiographic equipment, such as The Equine Center, can perform this test.

Environmental management is crucial to decrease sand ingestion. There are numerous alternatives to decrease sand ingestion including but not limited to; place hay in LARGE feeders to decrease hay strands from being tossed onto sand, place feeders on rubber stall mats, feed cubes (no hay strands), and/or use two tubs together-one with numerous holes drilled into the bottom to sift out sand.

Adding psyllium to your horse’s diet is another important preventative measure. Psyllium in the intestine forms a gel to help AID sand clearance. There are a variety of psyllium products on the market. Some horses have a preference to different types such as the husk and pellet form. We have found that some experimentation is necessary to verify which variety each individual horse prefers.

Surgery to remove sand is reserved for colicy horses that are not responding to oral laxatives and IV fluids. It can be risky since the intestines are now very heavy and weakened, so special care is needed to prevent a fatal rupture of the intestines. Most horses recover well from surgery. But please remember that PREVENTION IS THE KEY. Please contact us at The Equine Center to discuss sand prevention and early detection techniques, we will be happy to assist you in any way we can.