Horse Probiotics is an independent information website for UK horse owners who want clear, evidence-informed guidance on probiotics, gut health supplements and the wider subject of feeding and caring for horses. We publish desk reviews, side-by-side comparisons, buying guides and health articles, written in plain English and checked against the published evidence. The site does not sell anything, and no manufacturer pays to appear on it.
Who we are
The site is researched, written and edited by the Horse Probiotics editorial team, based in Newcastle upon Tyne. We write for owners across the UK, from people with a single veteran pony on a livery yard to riders managing several competition horses. Our starting point is the questions owners ask at the feed room door: does this supplement do anything, is it worth the money, and how does it fit with what my horse already eats? We are not a veterinary practice, so we are careful to say where an editorial view ends and professional advice should begin.
Why the site exists
The UK supplement market is crowded, and much of the information owners see comes from the companies selling the products. Packaging tends to describe what a product is designed to do rather than what the evidence shows, and ingredient lists are hard to compare when one label gives inclusion levels and another does not. Many owners end up choosing on price, packaging or a recommendation from the yard. Horse Probiotics exists to offer a calmer, more transparent view: what is in a product, what is known about those ingredients, how much it costs to feed per day, and whether a supplement is likely to matter for a particular horse at all.
Gut health is a natural place to start. The horse's hindgut relies on a large population of microbes to ferment fibre, and changes in diet, travel, stress and medication can all affect that system. Probiotics, prebiotics and gut balancers are sold to support it, but they vary widely in formulation and in the strength of the evidence behind them. Our guide to equine probiotics and our hindgut health pages explain the background in more detail.
What we publish
Reviews
Our reviews are desk reviews. We examine the manufacturer's published information, including declared ingredients, inclusion levels where they are given, feeding rates, format and any BETA NOPS information, and set it against the wider evidence on the key ingredients. We do not feed, trial or laboratory test products, and every review says so. The full method is set out on our how we review page.
Comparisons
Comparisons put products or product types side by side so the differences are easy to see. Some look at individual supplements, such as our round-up of the best horse probiotics in the UK. Others compare whole categories, for example a feed balancer against a vitamin and mineral supplement, or a gut balancer against a gastric supplement.
Guides
Our guides explain how each supplement category works, what to look for on a label and how to introduce a new product sensibly. They are written to help you decide whether a supplement is needed at all before you decide which one to choose. Forage, a balanced diet and good management come first, and the guides say so.
Health articles
The horse health section and the blog cover gut health, travel and competition, older horses, youngstock and diet changes. These articles are general information. They describe warning signs and explain when to call a vet, but they are not a substitute for an examination by someone who can see your horse.
How we stay independent
Horse Probiotics currently has no affiliate relationships and no commercial partnerships. We do not accept payment, free products or advertising in return for coverage, and no manufacturer sees or approves a review before it is published. Links to manufacturers' websites are there so you can check the information for yourself. They are not affiliate links, and we earn nothing if you follow them.
If that ever changes, any affiliate link or sponsored content will be clearly labelled where it appears, and our affiliate disclosure will be updated before it happens. A commercial arrangement would never decide whether a product is covered, what we say about it or where it sits in a comparison. Our editorial policy explains the standards we hold ourselves to, including how we handle corrections.
Where we are based
The editorial team works from Newcastle upon Tyne. We write for UK owners, so we use UK feeding practice and terminology such as haylage, chaff and balancers, and we refer to UK rules where they apply, including feed labelling and the BETA NOPS scheme for competition horses. We do not have a shop, showroom or yard, and we do not offer visits or a telephone line.
What we are not
We are not a shop. We do not sell, stock or supply supplements, and we cannot help with orders, deliveries or returns for any brand. Questions of that kind are best sent to the manufacturer or retailer concerned, who will have the details of your purchase.
We are also not a vet. Nothing on this site is a diagnosis or a treatment plan, and supplements are not a substitute for veterinary care. Colic, persistent diarrhoea, unexplained weight loss, suspected gastric ulcers, laminitis and diarrhoea in foals all need a vet promptly. Our veterinary disclaimer explains how to use our content safely alongside professional advice.
Getting in touch
If you have a question, would like us to consider a product for review, or have spotted something we have got wrong, use the Ask the editorial team form at the top of any page or email info@horseprobiotics.co.uk. We read every message and reply by email. The contact page explains what we can and cannot help with.