Probiotics – hip or hype?

Posted by Beryl on Oct 14, 2009 • (5)

Horse supplement types seem to be as susceptible to fashion as mini skirts. The current ‘magic’ supplement is the probiotic. But what are probiotics? How do they differ from prebiotics? And does your horse really need them?
Probiotics are a group of ‘friendly’ bacteria (literally, “pro life,” indicating that they are bacteria and yeasts that help [...]

Is your horse a vegetarian?

Posted by Beryl on Aug 17, 2009 • (6)

There is a question on Wikipedia: “Are horses meat eaters or are they vegetarian?” I’m no genius, but this sounds to me like a really stupid question. Meat? Horses are traditionally grass eaters. And grass is not an animal. Therefore horses are vegetarians. Right?
Seriously, although this sounds like THE most obvious statement ever spoken, a [...]

Thiamine, a Contradiction

Posted by Beryl on Apr 25, 2009 • (0)

Thiamine, otherwise known as Vitamin B1 is an interesting vitamin from the standpoint of horses. It is used in the horse world for two main reasons, which may appear at first glance to be contradictory: providing energy and calming.
Energy
During exercise, a compound called pyruvate is formed. Now, pyruvate can end up as lactic acid, which [...]

MSM – Magic?

Posted by Beryl on Apr 22, 2009 • (3)

MSM has become extremely popular amongst horse owners. Amongst other claims, MSM is believed to:

moderate allergic reactions,
calm upset stomachs,
correct mineral imbalances,
kill some parasites,
relieve pain and inflammation, and lastly,
be a natural antimicrobial and antioxidant.

Double Blind Trials
Now, being a natural sceptic myself, this looks to me like some supplier of MSM claiming to have discovered a “wonder [...]

Why 5-HTP is better than Tryptophan

Posted by Beryl on Apr 22, 2009 • (0)

How do your nerves communicate with each other? How is a message passed from one area to the next? Your brain uses chemical substances called neurotransmitters. One of which is called serotonin.
Studies in animals and humans have revealed that serotonin is responsible for feelings of well being, calmness, relaxation, confidence and concentration.
What happens if you don’t have enough [...]

Proteins and Amino Acids

Posted by Beryl on Apr 22, 2009 • (0)

What is Protein?
Your horse’s body is made up of more than 100 000 different proteins. There are proteins in hair, in eyes, in blood, in muscle, in every single cell of your horse’s body. Protein actually makes up about ¾ of the dry weight of most living cells. They are involved in many of the [...]

Biotin – no foot, no horse

Posted by Beryl on Apr 22, 2009 • (0)

Biotin is part of a group of vitamins called “water-soluble vitamins”. These vitamins are exactly that – soluble in water. Biotin is the only water-soluble vitamin that has brought about obvious visible changes in horses thought to be perfectly healthy.The problem with biotin is twofold:

It occurs in natural feedstuffs in very small amounts
Sometimes, even when [...]