Every review on Horse Probiotics is a desk review. We assess a product using the information its manufacturer publishes, together with the wider published evidence on its main ingredients, and we check the two against each other. This page explains what we look at, what we do not do, and how reviews are kept up to date.
What a desk review is
A desk review is a structured reading of the information that is publicly available about a product. We start with the manufacturer's official product page, the label details it publishes and any technical or feeding information it provides. We then look at peer-reviewed research and reputable veterinary and welfare sources on the key ingredients. We do not feed, trial or laboratory test products, so our reviews cannot tell you how a product performed for a particular horse. What they can do is show you clearly what you would be feeding, what is known about it and what it is likely to cost per day.
What we check
Declared ingredients and inclusion levels
We record the ingredients as the manufacturer lists them and note whether inclusion levels are given, for example the amount of live yeast in colony forming units (CFU) per day or the grams of a prebiotic fibre per serving. A product that declares quantities lets you compare like with like. Where amounts are not given, we say so, because it limits how far anyone can judge the formulation. For probiotics we also look for named strains, since results from research on one strain cannot be assumed for another.
Label transparency
We look at how easy it is to understand what is in a product and how to use it. That includes whether the full composition is published, whether analytical constituents are shown, whether feeding instructions cover different bodyweights, and whether storage advice and a clear manufacturer contact are provided. Supplements sold in the UK are complementary feeds and must carry certain statutory label information. We note where a manufacturer goes further than the minimum and where key details are hard to find.
Evidence for key ingredients
For the main active ingredients we look at what research in horses shows and how strong that evidence is. We give more weight to controlled studies in horses than to studies in other species, and we say when evidence is limited or mixed. A well-researched ingredient is not proof that a particular product works, especially when the dose is different or undeclared. Our guides to equine probiotics and prebiotics and postbiotics summarise the background.
Feeding rate and cost per day
Pack price alone is a poor guide to value, so we use a cost-per-day method. We take the manufacturer's maintenance feeding rate for a typical 500 kg horse, work out how many days a pack lasts, and divide the pack price by that number of days. As an illustration of the arithmetic, a 3 kg tub fed at 30 g a day lasts 100 days. We also note loading doses, different rates for ponies or larger horses, and whether a measuring scoop is supplied. We do not publish prices, because they change often and vary between retailers; the method lets you check the current figure yourself.
Format and practicality
Powders, pellets, pastes and liquids each suit different horses and yards. We consider how a product is likely to fit a normal routine: whether it needs a bucket feed to carry it, how fussy feeders may cope with it and how easy it is to measure accurately. Our comparison of powder, pellets and paste covers the trade-offs in more depth, and our guide on how to feed a probiotic covers introduction and timing.
BETA NOPS information
For owners who compete, we record whether the manufacturer states that a product is made under the BETA NOPS scheme, which is designed to reduce the risk of feeds and supplements being contaminated with naturally occurring prohibited substances. The scheme lowers risk but does not guarantee a product is free of prohibited substances, and riders remain responsible under their governing body's rules. Our travel and competition pages explain more.
Manufacturer claims against the evidence
Finally, we compare what a product says it is designed to do with what the evidence on its ingredients supports. Where they go further than the evidence, or where the wording suggests a supplement can treat or prevent disease, we point that out plainly.
What we do not do
- No laboratory testing or feeding trials. We do not analyse products or feed them to horses, and we never describe a product as tested by us.
- No paid placements. No manufacturer pays to be reviewed, to be included in a comparison or to be placed higher in a list.
- No star ratings from testing. We do not award scores that imply hands-on testing. Our verdicts are editorial judgements based on published information, and each one explains its reasoning.
- No pre-publication approval. Manufacturers do not see or sign off reviews before they go live.
How reviews are updated
Each review shows the date we last checked the manufacturer's information. Formulations, pack sizes and feeding rates change, so we revisit reviews periodically and whenever we learn of a change. If a product is reformulated, we update the review and the checked date. If it is discontinued, we say so on the page or remove the review, and comparisons such as the best horse probiotics UK round-up are updated to match.
Corrections
If you think a review contains an error, tell us using the Ask the editorial team form at the top of the page or by email. Manufacturers are welcome to point out factual mistakes, ideally with a link to the published source. We check every report, correct factual errors promptly and note significant corrections on the page. Editorial opinions are never changed in exchange for payment or any other benefit. Our editorial policy sets out the wider standards behind this method.