The Trend from Social Media: Flushing Out Microplastics?
These days, anyone scrolling through social media inevitably comes across short videos and reels tackling a pressing question: how do we get rid of the microplastics that build up in our bodies? The tips on offer range from intensive sauna sessions to special diets built around particular foods. The idea behind them is to flush the tiny particles out deliberately, through sweat or through the digestive tract.
But what does this actually look like for our horses? After all, they too are constantly exposed to various sources of plastic in their daily environment — in the stable, out in the field, and through their feed. Can we simply apply the methods from these viral videos to the stable, and which biological mechanisms actually come into play here?
The Science: What Works in Other Species
To understand whether targeted feeding can help a horse bind and flush out microplastics, it's worth looking at the scientific research done in other species. Studies in rodents and fish have examined how certain dietary components affect the excretion of synthetic particles.
These show that fibre-rich feed and swellable substances can play an important role. Similar to the classic sand colic prevention routine, where psyllium husks are used to carry sand deposits out of the horse's gut, these mucilaginous substances can also enclose other foreign particles. When psyllium husks swell in the gut, they form a thick gel. This gel can bind fine particles in the digestive tract and support their excretion through the manure.
Direct proof that this removes every last plastic particle a horse has ingested is still missing. Still, supporting natural gut activity with high-quality fibre is a well-established approach. Our in-depth blog article Hidden Threat: Microplastics in Horse Digestive Tract – and How It Affects Your Horse's Nutrient Absorption tells you more about how these particles can block the absorption of important nutrients in a horse's body.
Does Sweating Help Remove Plastics?
In people, sweating in a sauna is often mentioned as a way to get rid of toxins and plasticisers. Horses, too, have a pronounced ability to sweat, but in their case this process serves almost exclusively for thermoregulation — that is, cooling the body during exertion or heat.
Horse sweat primarily releases water and important electrolytes such as sodium, potassium and chloride. Current scientific understanding shows no meaningful transport of solid plastic particles through a horse's skin glands. This means that a sweat-inducing workout is not a suitable way to relieve a horse of internal plastic loads. On the contrary: excessive stress and fluid loss place additional strain on the body.
The Real Solution: Consistently Avoiding Microplastics in the Stable
Since removing microplastics from the body afterwards is only possible to a very limited extent, the key lies in avoidance. If we want to drive microplastics out of the stable, we need to identify the sources and consistently eliminate them.
Where does the plastic in the stable actually come from? A large share comes from the abrasion of synthetic textiles. Fleece rugs, polyester saddle pads and synthetic straps shed tiny fibres, invisible to the eye, with every movement, every roll and every wash. These fibres settle in the dust of the stable aisle, end up in the hay, and are inhaled by horses or eaten along with their feed.
A particularly effective way to break this cycle is a deliberate choice in favour of pure natural fibres. Where no synthetic materials are in use, no artificial abrasion can occur either.
Handmade Quality from Hamburg: Natural Fibres by CHVX*N
At Chevaux Nature, we consistently rely on materials that come straight from nature. Our products are handmade in our Hamburg workshop and stand for classic, timeless design made from pure natural fibres. For our rugs and saddle pads, we use exclusively 100% natural fibres such as boiled wool, merino wool and cotton.
If you want to reduce the amount of artificial fibres in your horse's environment, it starts with the everyday items of tack and equipment. A rug made from pure wool offers proven functional properties — the fabric itself releases no synthetic particles into the environment.
Our "100% Wool Sweat Rug" is made from pure wool. It helps your horse dry off perfectly after training by channelling moisture effectively to the outside, without ever feeling wet. This style comes in more than 70 different colours and can also be custom-made for your horse on request.
For especially fine preferences, we offer the "100% Merino Wool Sweat Rug." Made from fine merino wool, it offers an especially soft structure and a comfortable feel for sensitive horses. This style is also made in Hamburg. It combines functionality with the durability of genuine natural materials.
Conclusion: Prevention Beats Flushing Out
While social media often promises quick fixes for complex problems, the reality in the stable shows that prevention is the more reliable path. Targeted feeding with swellable fibres such as psyllium husks can support the gut, but the most direct route remains minimising contact with plastics in the first place.
By avoiding synthetic rugs and switching to handmade products made from pure wool, you make a concrete contribution to a cleaner stable environment. Discover our range of rugs and saddle pads made from 100% natural fibre, and reduce the artificial abrasion in your horse's environment this way.
You'll find our 100% Wool Sweat Rug directly at chevaux-nature.com/products/abschwitzdecke-100-wolle in the shop. If you're interested in the fine merino wool version, you can go directly to chevaux-nature.com/products/abschwitzdecke-100-merinowolle — the 100% Merino Wool Sweat Rug.
