Phileo Equine - UK & Ireland

04/04/2025

📣 Not all yeasts are created equal...

There is a lot of talk in the equine world about the benefits of "yeast" or probiotics for the gut health and microbiome of horses. But did you know that there are many different types of yeast?

Yeasts are single cell organisms and are commonly used in commercial equine feeds or supplements. Within the market, there are several types or strains of yeasts used as feed ingredients, however there are key differences between them and how they interact with the horse’s digestive system...

The strain, stability and dose rate is critical in determining the effectiveness of a yeast product. Our flagship product Actisaf® Sc47 is a patented, probiotic strain of live yeast of the species Saccharomyces cerevisiae and has been rigorously researched and tested for effectiveness and stability.

Learn more on our website: https://phileoequine.com

28/03/2025

Much of the horse’s bodily functions like performance, behaviour and immunity are impacted by their hindgut, which includes their caecum and their colon. This section of their digestive system is home to trillions of microbes that supply their power, health and nutrition.

Learn more about these mighty microbes on our website:

More than 2,000 years ago, Hippocrates is purported to have said ‘all disease begins in the gut’. Today we are starting to understand he may have been right.

21/03/2025

The effectiveness of Actisaf® live yeast probiotic (or any yeast-based feed additive!) largely depends on the strain of yeast and the rate at which you feed it. If your horse or pony doesn’t receive enough Actisaf® every day, you are not likely to see any effect.

Phileo recommends feeding at least 10g per day as a base, and perhaps more if the horse or pony is experiencing increased stress (e.g. change in routine, additional time stabled, spring grass or in rigorous training).

Actisaf® must be fed via a commercial feed or supplement, so if you want to know how much your horse will receive per day you can contact the manufacturer directly.

06/01/2025

📣 NOT ALL YEASTS ARE THE SAME! 📣

Yeast has become a bit of a buzzword these days, and the term encompasses a huge range of products with varying modes of action and levels of effectiveness. From brewer’s yeast to probiotics, you might think these are ‘much of muchness’ but that is not the case.

No other yeast on the market has the same impact as Actisaf® Sc47 live yeast probiotic. Like many live yeasts on the market, Actisaf® comes from a species of yeast called Saccharomyces cerevisiae BUT is a specific strain that is unique to us. Its patented structure also protects the precious live yeast cells and ensure they survive the feed manufacturing process and make it to the hindgut intact and ready to do their job.

Be sure to ask for Actisaf® by name when speaking to your feed or supplement manufacturer because not all yeasts are created equal 💪

30/12/2024

❄️ As we move through the changing seasons, it’s important to remember the significant impact these transitions can have on your horse’s gut health. Seasonal shifts, particularly in temperature, forage availability, and feeding routines, can cause stress and disrupt the delicate balance of the equine hindgut microbiome.

Learn more about this imbalance, known as hindgut dysbiosis, in our latest blog post ⤵️

As we transition from autumn to winter, our equines can experience a wide range of physical, metabolic and mental challenges that can cause microbial stress within their hindgut microbiome.

23/12/2024

🎄 Wishing all of our followers, customers, supporters (and their horses and ponies!) a very Happy Christmas and festive New Year.

✨May your holidays be filled with joy, love, and plenty of peaceful rides. Here's to a happy, healthy New Year for you and your equine partners!

16/12/2024

🤔 Actisaf® Sc47 live yeast is used in a wide range of feed and supplement products, but did you know that the rate at which it is included can vary from product to product?

To see the full potential of Actisaf’s impact on your horse or pony, it should be fed at a rate of 10g per day. Your feed or supplement manufacturer can confirm their specific inclusion rate.

22/11/2024

A balanced gut microbiome is vital for a horse’s digestion, immunity, and overall well-being. But winter changes—like diet shifts, increased stabling, and stress—can disrupt this balance, leading to microbial dysbiosis. Spotting early signs can help prevent more serious health issues.

Signs of Dysbiosis to Watch For:
💩 Diarrhoea or Loose Stools: Changes in faecal consistency often point to an imbalance.
⚖️ Weight Loss or Poor Condition: Despite normal feeding, dysbiosis can affect nutrient absorption.
🍎 Reduced Appetite: A decline in feed intake or interest in feed can be an early warning of gut discomfort.
✨ Sensitivity Around the Girth/Abdomen: Pain or sensitivity when grooming or tacking up may indicate digestive distress.

Learn more 👉 https://phileoequine.com/our-blog/how-the-change-in-season-impacts-the-equine-microbiome

18/11/2024

🍀 Showjumper, photographer and social media influencer Equii Ally shared the story of how Actisaf® and Safmannan® helped make her horse (and co-star!) Parker more comfortable and settled in his training. She is so pleased with how he's doing that she said she'll never take them out of his diet again...

Get the full story here:

A combination of Actisaf® live yeast and Safmannan® premium yeast fraction have helped show jumper Ally Wilson make her horse Parker more comfortable and set...

13/11/2024

❄️🦠 Winter feeding often involves more preserved forages like hay and haylage, which can vary in quality and sometimes contain mycotoxins. These fluctuations can disrupt the gut microbiome, destabilising the balance and creating an opening for pathogenic bacteria to take over.

Learn more 👉 https://phileoequine.com/our-blog/how-the-change-in-season-impacts-the-equine-microbiome

08/11/2024

🔎 When trainer and breeder Victoria Teuton of Shannaghmore Irish Horses began looking for a product to support her horses' gut health, Actisaf® and Safmannan® were just what she needed. She saw amazing results in her performance horses as well as her breeding herd, but don't take our word for it - hear her tell the story below...

When trainer and breeder Victoria Teuton of Shannaghmore Horses began looking for a product to support her horses' gut health, Actisaf® and Safmannan® were j...

04/11/2024

Winter brings shifts in routine, diet, and time spent stabled for horses, and these changes impact the gut microbiome significantly. From colder temps, increasing grass sugars to more time in stables, each factor can cause stress to the hindgut microbes that thrive on consistency. This stress may lead to microbial dysbiosis – where the delicate balance of gut microbes is disrupted.

For those managing equine health, supporting a stable, gradual transition into winter routines is key to maintaining a resilient microbiome. Learn more:

As we transition from autumn to winter, our equines can experience a wide range of physical, metabolic and mental challenges that can cause microbial stress within their hindgut microbiome.

05/09/2024

As athletes, sport horses have additional energy and nutritional requirements, with racehorses and 3-day eventers requiring up to two times more energy compared to leisure horses. Feeding forage like hay and haylage alone cannot meet these needs, so it is necessary to feed concentrates or hard feed to make up for shortfalls.

How do these diets impact the microbiome, and what can we do to manage this? Read our latest article to learn more...

As athletes, sport horses have additional energy and nutritional requirements, with racehorses and 3-day eventers requiring up to two times more energy compared to leisure horses. Feeding forage li...

29/08/2024

🏇Research published in the Journal of Equine Veterinary Science reviewed work comparing traditional high starch diets (e.g. oats, barley and maize) to those high in fibre (e.g. haylage, sugar beet pulp and soya hulls) when fed to elite performing racehorses.

💡Compelling results showed that horses fed high-fibre diets were better able to handle the mental and physical demands of high performance. The all-fibre diets resulted in a higher number of OTUs, making up nearly 15% of the overall microbiome, instead of 5% for a diet that contained starch. Put more simply, the high-fibre diet resulted in a more stable, optimally balanced microbiome with enhanced metabolite production.

🦠This also resulted in a healthy environment for beneficial microbes to flourish (reducing lactic acid build-up) and showed faster recovery rates in the horses.

21/08/2024

🍀 Showjumper, photographer and social media influencer Equii Ally shared her story of how Actisaf® and Safmannan® helped make her horse (and co-star!) Parker more comfortable and settled in his training. She is so pleased with how he's doing that she said she'll never take them out of his diet again...

Get the full story here⤵️

A combination of Actisaf® live yeast and Safmannan® premium yeast fraction have helped show jumper Ally Wilson make her horse Parker more comfortable and set...

25/06/2024

🧐💡When it comes to equine nutrition, we know how hard it is to find reliable, scientifically sound information, so we are sharing our knowledge to help you make the best decision for your horses and ponies.

We will continuously upload to our blog as we discuss all things related to the microbiome, the impact of this amazing ecosystem and what you can do to make sure it’s working at its best.

When it comes to the equine nutrition, we know how hard it is to find reliable, scientifically sound information, so we are sharing our knowledge here to help you make the best decision for your ho...