Kentucky Equine Research (KER) bridges the gap between equine nutrition and exercise physiology researchers, feed manufacturers, and horse owners. KER research has led to the development of proven horse feeds and supplements. These products are utilized by top equestrians in numerous disciplines, from eventing to Thoroughbred racing.
Bridging the gaps in equine nutrition
KER also provides nutrition solutions for horses of every type, discipline, and age. In fact, some of KER’s greatest nutrition success stories are horses competing at the top levels well into their teens and even 20s.
As well as being the official nutritionist of the USEF, KER also provides nutrition solutions for horses of every type, discipline, and age. In fact, some of KER’s greatest nutrition success stories are horses competing at the top levels well into their teens and even 20s.
Endurance
Heraldic, an Arabian gelding owned and ridden by John Crandell III, won the Tevis Cup twice, as well as the Old Dominion and AERC Championship, and at the age of 13 won a silver medal in the Pan American Endurance Championships in Santo Domingo, Chile.
KER managed Heraldic’s nutrition throughout his career, providing both guidance and products to maximize his fitness. Crandell relies on EquiShure® hindgut buffer to keep Heraldic’s appetite up while traveling, as well as I.R. Pellet™ micronutrient supplement.
“KER nutritional support has been a vital part of keeping Heraldic competing at a world-class level well into his teens,” Crandell said. “Success in endurance is about mastering all of the many details of horse management at once. A horse and rider are only as strong as their weakest link. KER products make it easy to be confident those nutritional links of the chain are secure, and that allows me more time to focus on everything else.”
Now 16, Heraldic is still perfectly sound and actively conditioning.
Combined driving
In the world of combined driving, horses must demonstrate not only the discipline of dressage, but be fit for a grueling marathon phase, then come back with energy and attention throughout a precise cones course.
Driver Shelly Temple has dominated single combined driving with her Morgan pony, LR Ami B-Line, also known as Cooper. Capturing numerous titles, including USEF Horse of the Year and National Champion, Temple and Cooper also medaled at two World Pony Driving Championships. Now 16, Cooper recently earned his USDF Bronze Medal for ridden dressage.
Temple utilizes a variety of KER products with Cooper and her other top-level horses, including joint product KER•Flex®, slow-release electrolyte Restore® SR, bioavailable vitamin E Nano•E®, and antioxidant Preserve™ PS.
“I credit Cooper’s good health to good care and nutrition with excellent supplements from KER,” Temple said. “The KER line of joint supplements, electrolytes, selenium, and vitamin E supplements have been a major part of our program for years. Cooper loves having a job and is a hard worker. I’m grateful that he remains fit and sound for the challenging new job of dressage.”
Dressage
Brilliant movement and total focus on the rider are two hallmarks of international-caliber dressage horses. Sebastian, a 21-year-old Hanoverian owned by Deecie Denison and ridden by Grade IV para-equestrian Mary Jordan, recently displayed these talents in the CPEDI3* at Global Dressage Festival in Wellington, Fla.
Sebastian is fed KER products exclusively, including Ovation™ sport horse feed. His KER supplements include omega-3 fatty acids from EO•3™, joint support from Synovate HA®, and RiteTrac™ digestive support.
“Sebastian has never looked better,” Jordan said. “The Ovation is outstanding for him. He has been packing on weight and muscle and is dappled from nose to tail. Movement-wise, he is out-performing horses a third of his age!
“His hooves are great, his digestion is great, and he’s working six days a week,” Jordan said.
Western performance
International FEI reining competitor Lisa Coulter counts on KER nutrition and joint products, including EO•3 and Synovate HA, to support her horses’ hard-working joints.
“Joints are everything in our horses because we do so much stopping,” Coulter said. “Hocks are challenged all the time, so we’re always looking for ways to support the joints. Synovate’s allowing us that longevity.”
Across numerous disciplines, KER has an impressive track record of supporting equine athletes at the top of their game, demonstrating how real-world research into equine nutrition and exercise physiology leads to real-world results.