Ask the Nutritionist: Dr. Getty's Forum for Equine Nutrition
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Dr. Getty
I have been told that Amiquell can help my horse to stop cribbing. You mention it is for ulcers, not to feed over extended time. Horse Tech claims it will stop his cribbbing, but I would think it must be continued to be fed over time to keep him not cribbing. I appreciate your input, thank you! K
Where are you from? California
How did you locate this forum? Horsetech/search internet for Amiquell
Hi Karen,
To my knowledge, Horsetech promotes AmiQuell as an antacid. Antacids are helpful for short term usage in preventing ulcers during stressful periods, performances, changes of environment, etc. However, stomach acid is essential for destroying microbes found in the soil and hays that could be damaging to the horse's health. So, their long term usage is not advisable.
Cribbing is often done to promote the production of saliva because saliva neutralizes stomach acid. So, if you feed an antacid like Amiquell, you neutralize the stomach acid. Hence, the need for cribbing is often diminished.
The best way to fix this problem is to offer hay 24/7. Horses should never be left for hours without some forage to nibble on. They are trickle feeders and are designed to be able to nibble and chew at all times, in order to produce the necessary saliva.
Thank you for writing.
All the best,
Dr. Getty
Where are you from? Bayfield, Colorado