When Psyllium Husks combine with water or other liquid they form a gel-like gelatinous mass. This can move through the digestive system - by the process of peristalsis (wave-like muscle contractions of the intestine walls which move matter forwards) - soaking up any toxins that can then be flushed out of the body in the stools.
Psyllium Husks for horses can be a useful way of dealing with sand colic - a condition that arises when horses have been grazed on sandy soil leading to sand getting into their gut. In the UK sandy soils are found in South West and South East England, East Anglia and parts of the Midlands and South Wales.
A test to see if your horse has sand in his gut is to take some fresh manure from the top of a recent pile, so it has not touched any sand on the ground, and put it in a jar and add a lot of water. Shake the jar until the manure has virtually dissolved and then leave it to stand and settle. Any sand should settle first meaning you will clearly see a layer of sand in the bottom of the jar. The more sand there is, the more sand your horse has inside his gut.
Too much sand would eventually cause a blockage, so Psyllium Husks for horses can shift this sand out of the gut. It would be wise not to administer Psyllium Husks for horses at the same time as any medication as the properties of the husks would reduce the absorption of the drugs.
If a horse is suffering from diarrhoea, Psyllium Husks for horses give the stools bulk which enables them to stay in the intestine longer.
Psyllium husks do not contain any gluten and they may also be useful for lowering cholesterol levels.
Ayurvedic medicine - a system of alternative medicine native to India - recommends Psyllium husks for cleansing the colon, regulating the bowels and cleansing the blood.
The Psyllium seed’s flaky, pale husk has been used by herbalists for many years in the treatment of constipation, and haemorrhoids as well as ulcers, high cholesterol and other health conditions. It has virtually no smell or taste.
The Psyllium plant, or Plantago ovato, is native to India, but it also grows in parts of Asia, North Africa and the Mediterranean regions where soil contains silt and sand. The plant is widely cultivated in Pakistan and India.
