The modern-day equine feed supplement market is awash with products. Professional and amateur horse trainers alike, are understandably baffled by the various options available.
Some of the nutrients used in horse supplements.
It is a minefield to navigate the details of feed and feed supplements, and, what is good, what is just average, and what is subpar, takes a certain level of understanding.
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For most of us professionals, we like to think of ourselves as reasonably knowledgeable and experienced in horse feed and forage. The reality is that some of us don’t really know how to read a grain feed bag and calculate what percentages mean, or what we should be seeing on the tag.
There is an element of blind trust – and when you think about it, given all the other aspects that as professional horse folks we delve into to discover the best options for our horses, that is a bit surprising though understandable.
We’d rather be cantering a course or learning to do tempi changes than reading up on feed sack labelling and for some horse folks chemistry and biology weren’t their strong suite at school.
A Liberal Sprinkling of Fairy Dust
Claims that feeding a particular grain will provide a complete and balanced formulation of every amino acid, vitamin and mineral you horse needs everyday are sprinkled with a fair amount of fairy dust by grain manufacturers.
What do we know as horse caregivers about inorganic versus organic minerals? Are we aware that ingredients ending in ‘ate’ or ‘ide’ (like zinc oxide for example) are not well-absorbed by the horse they are just the cheapest versions of minerals that manufacturers include in their formulations? In total when it comes to feed we probably know very little.
Yes, it is a minefield to navigate and going ‘macro’ or ‘granular’ on the details of feed and feed supplements and what is good and what is just average, and what is subpar, does take a certain level of understanding.
While as busy horse trainers we don’t have a lot of extra time to take in long lectures on the equine feed topic or for many trainers that I know quite frankly, have much interest in that scale of attention to ‘dry matters’ that don’t involve actual hands-on working with horses, we should also be aware that what we don’t know can hurt us.
And not just us and our chances of success in training our horses to reach their full potential and come out on top of the competition. But also the hard work of day-to-day schooling of our horses that can be negatively affected by our partner losing focus or suffering with digestive or other concerns that limit their ability to understand or complete a request due to wellness issues.
You likely know that horses are composed mostly of water, and second to that is protein. And what builds protein? Yes we know, amino-acids. But how and where does that happen and specifically what does your yearling colt need diet-wise versus your equine senior statesman? Should you go with just the label that says, “Senior”? Is sweet feed really the best option as a carbohydrate resource?
Like me you probably enjoy watching a quick ‘reel’ on social media. But rather than entertainment alone. Why not take just a few minutes a day and absorb a new level understanding from a knowledgeable professional in the horse world? No. Not about how to perfect those tempi changes or teach a horse to handle bounce or drop fences in rhythm or how to shave seconds of that run. But about what the supplements and grains we all buy to feed our horses are all about.
What’s On Your Auto-Ship List?
I love an auto-ship program. But convenience aside, the auto-ship practice is one we can slip into too quickly for all the wrong reasons. A cheaper product, a knock-off product that offers abundant fillers or lesser quality ingredients, or the latest ‘hot’ product touted by well-funded pharma sometimes finds its way onto our auto-ship list and stays there without us necessarily examining its true value or content.
Similarly our grain deliveries and dry forage supplies arrive, get unloaded ( hopefully by someone else), and appear almost by magic each month and we often don’t give a hard look at what might have changed for better or for worse in what we have purchased. We are creatures of habit.
Aside from the obvious issues of manufacturing standards and provenance of ingredients ( ones that are not contaminated with equine life-threatening constituents are a major concern for starters), what do you really know about the formulations you are feeding your horses and why?
Perhaps it’s time to examine and to obtain a trustworthy explanation of what is in that bag, tub, pot, paste or potion.
Reel In Your Knowledge
Enjoy quizzes plus bite sized and highly digestible insight into everything feed supplements in the informative “Supplement Savvy” series hosted by Grand Meadows President Nick Hartog. As Hartog explains:
“ I started this series because frankly I was fed up with all the misinformation and lack of understanding that I found surrounds the industry. When I co-founded the NASC {National Animal Supplement Council} decades ago, it was because I truly cared that feed supplements were providing the help for the horses’ well-being that they were supposed to do.
Similarly now, with the availability of a one-on-one quick burst of attention on social media, I can offer keen insights and help to horse owners far and wide learn about things they need and frankly, should know, about what they are feeding their horses. At the end of the day we are the guardians of our horses and I sincerely believe that many horse owners will be a bit surprised at what they learn.”
By taking just a few minutes every day, you can follow along and learn so much you likely don’t know about how feed supplements work. You can easily ascertain what you should and should not rely on. Nick Hartog offers us all a wealth of information, and that includes helpful insights that pertains to many horse owners’ number one current concern right now regarding the digestive health in their noble beasts, gastric ulcers.
It’s all there for the viewing. Get involved. I think you’ll love it.
About Grand Meadows
Founded in 1989 by visionary Angela Slater, Grand Meadows is a leading horse health product and equine supplement manufacturer driven by the guiding principle of providing affordable, extremely high-quality science-backed horse products to help ensure horses look and feel their best.
For the past 35 years the company’s mission has been honored and developed further, by President Nick Hartog, who among other accomplishments is one of the founding members and current board member of the National Animal Supplement Council (NASC), an organization that has a profound impact on the safety, transparency, and legitimacy of the animal supplement industry.
Grand Meadow products are widely used and trusted across the entire horse community from Olympic medal winning competitors and successful horse racing trainers to backyard horse owners. Their equine supplements are highly regarded for their excellent quality resourced ingredients and completely accurate labelling and effective formulations. Learn more at https://www.grandmeadows.com/
About Nikki Alvin-Smith:
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