Risk factors for faecal sand excretion in Icelandic horses.
Authors: Husted L, Andersen M S, Borggaard O K, Houe H, Olsen S N
Journal: Equine veterinary journal
Summary
# Editorial Summary: Risk factors for faecal sand excretion in Icelandic horses Sand-related gastrointestinal disease remains a significant concern in equine practice, yet the specific risk factors driving sand intake have been poorly characterised until now. Husted and colleagues examined 211 Icelandic horses across 19 Danish studs, collecting faecal samples and analysing soil types, pasture conditions, feeding practices, age, sex and body condition to identify which variables correlated with sand ingestion (measured via faecal sand sedimentation test). Over half the horses (56.4%) showed detectable sand in their faeces, with 5.7% exceeding the concerning threshold of 5 mm sand accumulation. Rather than soil type acting as an isolated risk factor, the research revealed critical interactive effects: sandy soil combined with either very short (1–5 cm) or long grass significantly increased sand intake risk, whereas clay soil showed the lowest risk even in these conditions; feeding directly on the ground compounded this problem when grass cover was poor or absent. These findings underscore that sand intake prevention requires simultaneous consideration of multiple paddock variables—practitioners should evaluate soil composition alongside pasture management and feeding strategy rather than addressing these factors in isolation, and further investigation is needed to understand why certain horses exhibit higher sand loads and whether this reflects genuine differences in grazing behaviour or mechanical factors.
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Practical Takeaways
- •Pasture management is critical—maintain adequate grass cover (>5 cm) to reduce sand intake, particularly on sandy soils
- •Avoid feeding hay or grain directly on the ground in paddocks with poor grass coverage; use feeders or troughs instead
- •Clay-based paddocks present lower sand intake risk than sandy soils, informing paddock selection and management priorities
- •Monitor horses on sandy soils with marginal pasture quality more closely for signs of sand-related colic
Key Findings
- •56.4% of horses studied showed sand in faeces, with 5.7% having more than 5 mm sand
- •Soil type alone was not significant but showed important interaction with pasture quality
- •Short or long grass combined with sandy soil increased sand intake risk, while clay soil had lowest risk
- •Ground-level feeding increased sand intake risk in paddocks with short (1-5 cm) or no grass