# metamucil vs. sandclear



## nldiaz66 (Jul 27, 2008)

I have heard you can give a horse metamucil instead of sandclear to clean them out, is this true? and if so how much and how often?


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## Ryle (Jul 13, 2007)

All metamucil is is fiber. 

If you are feeding adequate hay, there is no need to buy other products to clean your horse out. A study was done a couple of years ago on moving sand through the gut that showed that hay worked as well as psillium. And having plenty of hay cuts down the need for concentrate feeds and helps promote good GI health.


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## Skippy! (Dec 18, 2006)

Wow, Ryle, thank you for that information! As the poster asked though.. would metamucil be comperable to Sand Clear? I know they both have Psyllium, and im not sure which one would be most cost efficient. I gave my horses metamucil for 6 months or so, and they hated it at first (orangy! LOL!) and i -think- the way i dosed it it was cheaper than Sand Clear. Sand Clear would have been much more efficient though.. not to mention im sure the good folks at wal mart were certain i had a HUGE bowel obstruction when i would go in and buy 7 containers of Metamucil, LOL!

I always had a hunch that a good fiber suppliment is... HAY! LOL!

Even if the horses are on dirt pastures/arenas they would need the extra Psyllium in their diet? Or is the amount of hay ingested greater than the potential amount of dirt ingested?


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## Ryle (Jul 13, 2007)

If you are feeding adequate hay, it will do as good a job as giving any sort of fiber supplement. However, that (nor fiber supplements like Sand Clear) will prevent sand colic if horses are kept in sandy conditions and fed on the ground. 

I'm not sure just how much metamucil you would need to give. You should compare the instructions and the amount of fiber in Sand Clear to the amount of fiber in Metamucil and try to dose so that you are giving the same amount.


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## sherie (Feb 10, 2009)

Since my new horse just came from a sandy area i asked my Vet about this. She said 1 cup of metamucil per day x 7 days. Then wait 3 weeks and repeat.


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## mls (Nov 28, 2006)

sherie said:


> Since my new horse just came from a sandy area i asked my Vet about this. She said 1 cup of metamucil per day x 7 days. Then wait 3 weeks and repeat.


Your vet's advice trumps any advice you will get from a website. Your vet can see the horse and know the situation.


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## nldiaz66 (Jul 27, 2008)

My horses get hay 24\7, I always have a round bail out there for them and they munch as they please, thanks for the advice.I just didnt know how much to give them, but I heard half a cup for 2 days then repeat every week.


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