I need some nutrition help. I have a 5 year old mare that is an easy keeper but has constant gas and loose-ish stools. Not diarrea but definately looser than it should be. She is on grassy/alfalfa hay and a loose mineral with the rest of the bunch.  I haven't had her scoped for ulcers yet as she is such an easy keeper and doesn't have the other symptoms (cinchy, irritable).  Should I be rethinking that?  

I would put her on Forco.

I would stop feeding the alfalfa for a week and see if that helps, I know some horses cant tolerate to much alfalfa, but pulling it would be a start. 

Edited to add Forco is a good ideal too.

Thank you, I have thought about Forco. I need to get some coming.  Good point about Alfalfa. I'll get some grassy hay, she will not be happy with me for sure!  :) 

I had a mare many moons ago and she just could not tolerate alfalfa hay, would really mess her tummy up. Everybody else was fine on it, so she would just get a little bit when I fed it, I dont keep my horses on it as its too expensive here so its more of a treat for them, so just a flake a day for them and the rest of the time they are out on pasture and when penned at night they get grass hay along with their normal feeding with Forco added. 

Get with Nevertooold on here--she will take good care of you on Forco!

Thank you!  I will!

I had a mare that did the same thing.  Loose stools and gassy.  You need the get her hind gut to functioning properly.  She is not digesting her feed as well as she should.  I would get her on renew gold.  That will help with the hind gut. Also give Alfalfa Hay.  She needs Hay in front of her 24/7.  I would use the grass Hay for that.  You might try 1flake of each morning and night.  I would also treat for ulcers.  Both fore and hind gut.  Dac Cool gut will treat both.  

I wanted to come back to this thread and let you know of the results I had with taking your advice.  I am trying one thing at a time to see if there is any change.  I went first with a switch to grassier hay as we have it available.  There was a noticable difference. She is an EXTREMELY easy keeper...fat.  That hasn't changed any.  I then was able to get my hands on Forco...not so easy to find around here it turns out. I had to order it out of California.  The combination of grass hay and Forco was amazing. Gas is for the most part gone, and no more loose stools.  I will keep the hind gut advice in mind if we have a relapse. But so far so good.  

Thank you so much for the advice. This board has really helped me over the years with the management of my families horses. 

You really need to get with Kathy Bitzer shes Nevertoold on here and she can have the Forco shipped to you, shes who I get mine from, in fact its about time for me to order some more from her. 

Its great to hear that you'ur mare is doing so much better. PM me if you need her #.

I use Kathy also and I now get the Forco in a bag and put it in the container that it orginally came in.  It cost a little less that way.

Got my latest shipment in from her last week; we love our Forco and Miss Kathie!!!

So glad your girl is doing better!!

I'd like Kathy's contact info, please.

Brother Dave may benefit from Forco..

He just finished 30 days Gastroguard.

I'm looking for something to help his poor ulcered tummy.

Giving Probios now..

Thanks to everyone for the kind words.??

My current horse was very gassy when I first got him back in 2007. He had dry manure. 

My other gelding was gassy with loose manure.

Both horses would have frequent colic episodes. The horse with loose manure was treated with GastroPlus, the other was not. Both were put on FORCO and the gas went away and the manure density was good on both.

FORCO balances out the gut and aids in proper digestion and horse's are able to use the nutrients from their feed.

Theough the years, I have changed their feed. I use to feed Coastal and then went to a combo of coastal and alfalfa. Then to straight Alfalfa to Alfalfa cubes to Alfalfa cubes and coastal and now back to Alfalfa. Their gas and manure consistency stayed the same with feeding the above. I quit feeding grain years ago and replaced and feed Renew Gold when I can get it.