How to Supercharge Your Horse’s Immune System Naturally

The Powerful Role of Gut, Liver & Herbal Support

As equestrians, we know how remarkable a horse’s immune system is and how it literally works around the clock to keep them healthy, strong, and equipped to face the daily challenges of life. But over the years, we’ve learned that building a strong immune system isn’t just about immune cells alone, it’s also about the gut and liver, and when these systems are performing optimally, so do our horses.  

Why Immune Health Matters

Every day, horses face countless stressors like pathogens, parasites, allergens, travel, training, competition, and seasonal changes. We’ve seen firsthand how a strong immune system helps horses to recover quickly, maintain energy, and keep their skin and coat in top condition.

When immune function falters, horses become more susceptible to colic, respiratory infections, skin allergies, and other chronic issues. That’s why boosting immunity is about more than just preventing illness, it’s foundational to overall wellness.

The Gut: Your Horse’s Immune System’s Command Center

The gut is much more than a digestive organ; it’s actually where about 80% of a horse’s immune cells reside. The gut-associated lymphoid tissue (GALT) acts as the first line of defense, helping to protect the body while teaching immune cells what’s safe and what’s a threat.

The foregut, which includes the stomach and small intestine, is where enzymatic digestion takes place. The hindgut, made up of the cecum, large colon, and small colon, is where fermentation occurs and is an epicenter of microbes.

A balanced gut microbiome helps prevent harmful pathogens from taking hold, regulates inflammation, and supports immune education between cells. But when stress, poor nutrition, antibiotics, or parasites disrupt that balance, the lining of the gut can weaken, allowing toxins and microbes to enter the bloodstream; this can trigger inflammation and affect overall health.

Early Warning Signs:

• Digestive upset

• Significant changes in eating habits

• Skin sensitivities or frequent flare-ups

• Behavioral changes

• Recurring infections 

• Slow recovery

Recognizing these symptoms early allows for a prompt response that can prevent small issues from becoming chronic.

The Liver: A Vital Immune System Collaborator 

The liver is a powerhouse when it comes to immunity. After nutrients are absorbed, the liver processes and stores them, produces bile to aid in digestion, filters out toxins, and makes proteins that support immune defense.

When the liver is overworked by medications, environmental toxins, or an unbalanced diet, its ability to support the immune system diminishes. That’s why Twenty Four Carrots focuses on liver support as part of overall immune care, ensuring that our horses stay strong, healthy, and resilient.

Vitamins & Minerals: Foundational Immune Fuel

In addition to gut balance, liver support, and herbs, vitamins and minerals provide the foundation for a resilient immune system. 

Some essentials include:

• Vitamin A – supports strong mucous membranes in the respiratory and digestive tract, the body’s first defense against pathogens.

• Vitamin E – a powerful antioxidant that protects cells from oxidative stress, especially vital for performance horses.

• Vitamin C – while horses produce some naturally, additional support during stress, travel, or recovery can reduce inflammation and speed healing.

• B Vitamins – particularly B12 and folate, which fuel energy metabolism and support red blood cell production.

• Zinc & Copper – essential for immune cell function, skin integrity, and coat quality.

• Selenium – partners with Vitamin E to neutralize free radicals and maintain muscle and immune strength (though it must be carefully balanced to avoid excess).

While forage provides a base, soil depletion, heavy workloads, and stress can negatively affect a horse’s ability to consumer what’s actually needed. Supplementation enhances your horses intake to ensure their health and long term sustainability.

Natural Support for Horses

Horses often face stress from seasonal changes, medications, and dietary shifts that place extra demands on their liver, digestion, and immune system. Supporting these systems naturally helps maintain overall health and well-being.

Our Diamond Detox blend features herbs with well-documented traditional and scientific benefits. Milk thistle (Silybum marianum) contains silymarin, a compound shown to protect liver cells and promote regeneration through antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects (Federico et al., 2017). Dandelion leaf (Taraxacum officinale) supports liver and kidney function and acts as a mild diuretic, helping the body’s natural detoxification processes (Schütz et al., 2006). Burdock root (Arctium lappa) offers antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties that further support liver health and digestion (Yamaguchi et al., 2008). Additional ingredients like marshmallow root and stinging nettle soothe the digestive tract and assist in immune balance.

For horses prone to allergies or skin sensitivities, Pure Allergy Relief contains herbs that help modulate immune activity and reduce inflammation. This blend supports the body’s natural inflammatory pathways, helping to ease seasonal allergy symptoms and respiratory discomfort.

Pro Tip for Performance Horses

Performance horses face added challenges including travel, intensive training, medications, and exposure to unfamiliar environments. These stressors can elevate cortisol levels and burden liver and immune function. Common medications like NSAIDs increase liver workload, and energy-dense feeds can be more difficult to digest.

Using Diamond Detox after competitions, injections and during medication use can support liver regeneration and detoxification pathways, helping horses recover efficiently. Pure Allergy Relief is beneficial during show seasons and high-pollen seasons to calm immune responses and support respiratory and skin health.

Supportive Daily Immune Health Checklist:

• Feed for gut health: Quality forage, limited sugars and starches, occasional prebiotics and probiotics to support the microbiome.

• Herbal support: Incorporate The Diamond Detox during times of stress and Pure Allergy Relief during allergy season or for respiratory sensitivities.

• Minimize stress: Regular turnout, social interaction, and calm handling keep cortisol levels in check.

• Parasite control: Work with your vets on fecal-based deworming programs to prevent silent gut damage.

• Watch and adjust: Monitoring coat, energy, digestion, and behavior to adapt wellness plans as needed.

Building a strong immune system takes time. It begins in the gut, depends on healthy liver function and is strengthened through consistency. Taking a holistic approach to your horse’s health by identifying root causes and responding effectively, with high-quality herbal support, your horse can develop a supercharged system from the inside out.

References

• Federico, A., Dallio, M., & Loguercio, C. (2017). Silymarin/silybin and chronic liver disease: a marriage of many years. Molecules, 22(2), 191. https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules22020191

• Schütz, K., Carle, R., & Schieber, A. (2006). Taraxacum—a review on its phytochemical and pharmacological profile. Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 107(3), 313-323. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jep.2006.04.016

Yamaguchi, T., Katsube, T., Goto, H., & Nakayama, T. (2008). Antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities of burdock (Arctium lappa L.) extract and its constituents. Biological & Pharmaceutical Bulletin, 31(6), 931-936. https://doi.org/10.1248/bpb.31.931