Trust Your Gut: How the Equine Microbiome Impacts Health and Performance

Trust Your Gut: How the Equine Microbiome Impacts Health and Performance

May 6, 2026 · 1h 2m

About this episode

Dr. Mary Beth Gordon discusses the equine microbiome and its impact on horse health and performance.

Are you making the right choices for your horse’s digestive health, or is their internal ecosystem suffering in silence? In this episode of Ask an Expert, Dr. Mary Beth Gordon, Senior Director of Equine Technical Innovation for Purina Animal Nutrition, demystifies the equine microbiome and explains how it impacts every aspect of your horse’s well-being. Episode Highlights: 9:04: What the microbiome actually is, why it matters, and how it functions as your horse’s hidden health driver 18:24: Real-world warning signs your horse’s microbiome may be out of balance and key links to behavior, immunity, and colic risk 25:31: How fiber, feed, stress, and even travel or medications can shape the gut 30:18: The difference between prebiotics, probiotics, and postbiotics - and how to spot products that actually work Meet the Expert, Dr. Mary Beth Gordon Dr. Mary Beth Gordon is the Senior Director of Equine Technical Innovation at Purina Animal Nutrition, where she leads research focused on equine nutrition, exercise physiology, and digestive health. She earned her Bachelor’s degree in Animal Science from Delaware Valley University and her PhD in Animal Science, with a focus on equine…

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Guest: Dr. Mary Beth Gordon

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Sponsors

Connaway & Associates

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Purina Animal Nutrition

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