David has owned 10-year-old, Irish Sports Horse, Roger for four years and is an experienced horseman having ridden for over 40 years, starting as a child on the family farm near Darlington.

The pair regularly spent their winters hunting, often twice a week with the Zetland Hunt on the border between North Yorkshire and County Durham.

But over time David found that Roger was lethargic, often unwilling to jump, and regularly showed signs of mild colic.

This culminated in Roger suffering a severe case of colic, resulting in a week-long stay in the equine veterinary hospital. During an endoscope vets discovered a severe case of stomach ulcers.

Although Roger recovered, David was left with expensive veterinary bills and was keen to make changes to ensure Roger didn’t suffer another debilitating attack, which could be fatal.

On the advice of an Alltech nutritionist, David decided to try Roger on Yea-Sacc®. The nutritionist explained that the concentrate feed that David had been feeding Roger in an effort to meet the energy requirements needed for a day’s hunting was actually contributing to the problem.

The high acidic levels in the stomach were aggravating the ulcers causing Roger considerable discomfort.

Concentrate rations consisting of more than 3-4g (possibly less) of starch per kilogram of body weight per meal can lead to starch overload, where starch that escapes digestion in the small intestine will overflow into the hindgut, particularly the caecum which can affect the microbial balance.

This disruption of normal hindgut function can result in more acidic conditions.

David was delighted with the rapid change in Roger after introducing Yea-Sacc to his diet: “Roger was no longer lethargic; instead I had a much happier, forward going horse. We have enjoyed many memorable days out hunting, jumping hedges and fences that would never have been possible prior to being fed the Yea-Sacc,” he said David.

Yea-Sacc® is a live yeast culture based on Saccharomyces cerevisiae, a yeast strain specifically selected for its influence on animal performance. One of the first and most highly researched ingredients formulated in equine feeds with a low inclusion rate and proven performance responses, Yea-Sacc® stimulates good bacteria in the hindgut and buffers acidity to maintain healthy digestion.

For further information regarding Yea-Sacc or any of our other equine products please email ukreception@alltech.com or visit www.lifeforcehorse.co.uk

Pictured: David Anderson and Roger enjoying a day out with the Zetland Hunt.