Milk thistle provides antioxidant support for horses. It can help support healthy liver function.
Mad Barn’s Milk Thistle is a dried, powdered form of the seed of the Silybum marianum plant. This herb can be added to equine diets to support healthy liver function and provide antioxidants.
Milk Thistle, also known as St. Mary’s Thistle, is a Mediterranean plant that contains various active compounds collectively called silymarin which include silybin. The main site of action of milk thistle is the liver. Silymarin is an effective antioxidant that is thought to support the liver in times of injury related to toxins, fat accumulation, and iron overload.
Milk thistle helps protect the liver from toxins in the environment, like those found in poisonous mushrooms, ragwort or red maple trees. If these are prevalent in your area, consider adding milk thistle to your horse’s diet.
Horses and ponies with hyperlipemia may have excess fat in the liver. Milk thistle supplementation may help to support their liver and its normal function. To include Mad Barn’s milk thistle in your horse’s diet, we suggest a dosage of 4 grams per 500 kg (1100 lb) of bodyweight per day. You may want to start feeding a smaller amount and increase gradually over several weeks to minimize avoidance. It can be provided as dried powder added directly to the feed or brewed into a tea that is poured over the feed.
Milk Thistle is generally well tolerated in horses. It has not been studied in breeding or pregnant horses so its safety in these animals can not be assured.
Always consult a veterinarian before altering your horse’s diet to include supplements. System Equine is not a veterinairian and cannot provide verterinary information or advice.