Water is the most important nutrient required by the horse, 60-70% of a horse's bodyweight is water and it is vital for homeostasis, to lubricate joints, transport nutrients around the body and is the main constituent of saliva and digestive juices. Horses can drink between 27 and 52 litres of water a day and may need more in hot weather. Drinking before feeding will wash undigested food through the system which could lead to colic and poor digestion. In winter, horses tend to drink less and are fed dry forages such as hay; adding soaked Alfa-Beet to the feed will increase the horse's water intake.

Parasitic worms live inside the body of a 'host' equine and survive by taking nutrients directly from the animal's tissues. As the worms reproduce and their population grows the animal will start to lose weight, lack energy and look generally unhealthy. Worms also cause damage through their physical presence within the body, a large number of colic cases are known to be related to worms in the digestive system. If a horse has had a heavy worm infestation there may be permanent damage to the lining of the digestive tract so absorption and utilisation of feed may be reduced. In cases like these, looking after the bacterial population in the hindgut using Natural Vitality Digestive Health Plus will improve efficiency and help maintain condition.