A SOUR SOLUTION?

Some veterinarians recommend adding a cup of apple cider vinegar to a horse’s grain twice a day to increase the acidity in his gut. “We haven’t proven that the vinegar helps prevent stones, but it does have an impact on the pH,” says Diana M. Hassel, DVM, PhD, of Colorado State University.

However, others question whether the practice is beneficial and warn that it may contribute to other problems. “Feeding apple cider vinegar is somewhat controversial, and we don’t recommend it,” says Tyler Elliott, DVM, of San Luis Ray Equine Hospital in Bonsall, California. “There is no guarantee it will acidify the gut to the degree that stones won’t form, and it might not be a good idea if the horse is prone to ulcers.”