By Dr Erin Roddy, DVM
Chief Veterinary Officer, Poseidon Animal Health
How often do you examine your horse’s manure?
As veterinarians, we are trained to look closely, not just at the obvious signs of illness, but at the subtle changes that tell a deeper story about a horse’s health.
Sometimes that story is written in bloodwork.
Sometimes it’s written in behavior, performance, or posture.
And very often, it’s written in the manure pile.
For many horse owners, manure is something to clean up and move on from. It’s rarely discussed unless there’s a crisis, diarrhoea, colic, or acute illness. But from a clinical perspective, manure is one of the most consistent, accessible indicators of what is happening inside the gastrointestinal (GI) tract.
Changes in manure are rarely random. They are information. And yet, in my years working as a veterinarian across both Australia and the United States, I’ve seen manure concerns routinely dismissed as “normal,” “just how that horse is,” or something owners are told to live with.
Loose manure.
Inconsistent piles.
Free fecal water.
Manure that looks fine one day and completely different the next.
These patterns are common, but they are not meaningless.
This is why we created A Sh*t Show: Let’s Solve Your Manure Problems, a free, live educational webinar bringing together leading veterinarians and equine nutritionists from around the world. Our goal is simple: to change the way we interpret manure, and to give horse owners and professionals the knowledge to act earlier, smarter, and with confidence.
Digestive Health Is Not a “Side Issue”
At Poseidon Animal Health, our mission is grounded in one core belief:
If the digestive system is not functioning optimally, nothing else matters.
The GI tract is responsible for far more than breaking down feed. It governs nutrient absorption, immune activity, inflammatory balance, hydration, and even behavioral expression. When digestion is compromised, the ripple effects are extensive, from poor coat quality and reduced performance, to discomfort, irritability, and chronic health challenges.
Modern horse management has changed dramatically from what horses evolved to tolerate. Limited forage diversity, fluctuating pasture quality, high starch feeds, lack of herd contact, confinement, travel, competition schedules, and environmental stress all place pressure on the digestive system.
Manure is often the first place we see pressure show up.
And yet, many well-intentioned owners do “everything right”, changing feeds, adjusting forage, adding supplements without resolving the issue. This can be incredibly frustrating and disheartening.
One of the most important messages we aim to share through this webinar is this:
“If manure problems persist, they are not a failure of effort, they are a signal that the underlying drivers haven’t been fully addressed.”
Why Manure Matters More Than We Think
Healthy manure is the visible end result of effective digestion, stable microbial populations, adequate fibre fermentation, proper water handling, and a well-functioning GI environment.
When any part of that system is disrupted, manure quality often changes before more serious clinical signs appear.
In practice, manure abnormalities may reflect:
- Imbalances in fibre type or intake
- Disruptions to the GI microbiome
- Poor nutrient utilisation
- Stress-related changes in motility or secretion
- Environmental or dietary challenges that overwhelm digestive resilience
What makes manure such a powerful diagnostic tool is its consistency. Horses defecate frequently. That gives us repeated, real-time insight into how the digestive system is coping. The problem is not that owners aren’t paying attention. The problem is that they haven’t been taught what to look for, why it matters, or what to do next.
That is the gap this webinar is designed to fill.
Why We Brought This Panel Together
One of the most rewarding aspects of my role at Poseidon is working alongside professionals who are deeply committed to education, evidence, and real-world application.
For this webinar, we intentionally brought together veterinarians and nutritionists who approach digestive health from different but complementary perspectives. Each speaker brings extensive clinical experience and a strong grounding in current research, but also understands the realities of horse ownership.
This is not a theoretical discussion.
It is a practical, science-based conversation designed to help attendees:
- Understand what normal manure should look like
- Identify early signs of digestive imbalance
- Recognise the common causes of loose manure, firm manure, and free fecal water
- Appreciate the role of the GI microbiome in digestive stability
- Understand why feeding and nutrition often have a greater impact than expected
- Learn when and how targeted digestive support may be appropriate
A Global Conversation, Relevant Everywhere
Although this webinar is hosted live from the United States and features international experts, the information shared is globally relevant.
Digestive physiology does not change by postcode.
Whether you are managing horses in North America, Australia, New Zealand, or elsewhere, the principles of digestion, microbial balance, and dietary impact remain the same. Environmental conditions differ, forage sources vary, and management styles shift, but the underlying biology is consistent.
This is why we are so passionate about making this information accessible to horse owners and professionals worldwide.
What We Hope You Take Away
At the end of this webinar, my hope is that attendees will no longer see manure as an inconvenience or an afterthought.
Instead, they will see it as:
- A communication tool
- An early warning system
- A reflection of digestive resilience
- A guide for smarter management decisions
Digestive health is not about chasing perfection. It is about supporting stability, comfort, and long-term well being. it starts with paying attention.
Join Us Live
A Sh*t Show: Let’s Solve Your Manure Problems is a free, live educational webinar designed for horse owners, veterinarians, and equine professionals who want to understand digestive health more deeply and practically.
If you have ever wondered why manure problems persist, why feed changes don’t always work, or what your horse’s manure is trying to tell you, this webinar is for you.
You can learn more and register here:
https://webinar.poseidonanimalhealth.com.au/manure
I look forward to welcoming you to what promises to be an honest, informative, and transformative conversation.
Because when we understand digestion better, we do better for every horse in our care.
Dr Erin Roddy, DVM
Chief Veterinary Officer
Poseidon Animal Health
