The Herbal Horses

Posted by Beryl on Jan 26, 2010 • (4)

We offer sponsorship to horses who we consider to be special. Not necessarily horses at the top of their game. Not riders who are international superstars. Just riders like you and me. And horses with a particular personality, with something special about them, who are loved and enjoyed and who work with enthusiasm and energy. [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

To Supplement or Not?

Posted by Beryl on Apr 22, 2009 • (0)

Ideally, none of our horses should need any supplementation to their diets. In a perfect world, our horses would have a constant supply of good grazing and the concentrated feed that we give them would be tailored specifically for their own particular needs. But we don’t live in this perfect world and our grazing quality [...]

Natural Medicine Explained

Posted by Beryl on Apr 22, 2009 • (2)

There are two main types of natural remedies that are administered orally (by mouth) to horses: herbal and homeopathic remedies. People often get confused between the two. I’d like to briefly explain the differences between the two.
Homeopathy
Homeopathy is a form of medicine very difficult to describe. This is because no one, not even the best [...]

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 [...]

Ginseng, Power Herb

Posted by Beryl on Apr 22, 2009 • (1)

Ginseng is a herb that has been attributed many, many powers. Many years ago, wars were fought defending ginseng lands. These days, products still line the shelves of pharmacies, promising all sorts of things – from virility to improved brain power. Some of these claims have been scientifically substantiated, others – well, they are just [...]