The importance of prebiotics in managing colic in horses: focus on Akkermansia muciniphila and its anti-inflammatory potential

Colic remains one of the most frequent and costly causes of equine morbidity and mortality, with significant welfare and economic implications. Disturbances in the gut microbiome are increasingly recognized as an important contributing factor. In recent years, prebiotics, non-digestible substrates that promote beneficial microbes, have emerged as promising microbiome-targeted strategies. Akkermansia muciniphila ( A. muciniphila ) has gained attention for its unique ability to degrade mucin, maintain epithelial integrity, and exert potent anti-inflammatory effects. Although its benefits are well established in humans and rodent models, little is known about its abundance, function, and therapeutic potential in horses. This review evaluates current evidence on prebiotics and A. muciniphila in equine gut health and outlines their translational potential by examining biological mechanisms, feasibility of therapeutic application, and implications for equine colic prevention. Importantly, this review is intended as a hypothesis-generating synthesis rather than evidence of causality. Proposed mechanisms and therapeutic implications are based primarily on extrapolation from non-equine models and limited equine observational data, highlighting critical knowledge gaps and the need for controlled, hypothesis-driven studies in horses.