Calming Formula for Horses

Horses can become tense for many reasons, but when it stems from a shortfall in the levels of certain key nutritional ingredients, then Equine Relax can provide the answer to achieving a more sensible and attentive animal.

Equine Relax contains the full range of actives that can be low in the horse’s diet. Firstly, it contains Vitamin B1 and Vitamin E, both these vitamins can help nervous horses to settle, as well as being advantageous for muscle problems.

It also contains Magnesium, some horses may suffer from a lack of available magnesium in their diets and these horses become hypersensitive, even in their normal stable environment.

2% Biotin: 1 gram = 20 mg biotin

Balanced Equine 2% Biotin is a premium grade concentrated biotin, 20000 mg/kg.

Check the levels of biotin in other products, this product is far more concentrated and will be far more economical. Price has gone up recently due to the significant increase in the price of Biotin, more than doubled since Covid-19.

Recommended feeding rate is between 10 to 20 mg biotin per day.
½ level teaspoon holds approximately

NEW! Now with iodine, and the large size is 4.9 kg (rather than 4.85 kg).

HoofXtra mix (formerly known as Laminitis Rescue) is a nutritional mineral supplement with copper and zinc, iodine, magnesium, selenium, the B vitamins biotin, pyridoxine and folic acid to help maintain optimal hoof, coat, hair and immune system health. Formulated to provide the most commonly deficient minerals – copper and zinc based on thousands of pasture and hay laboratory tests. HoofXtra is a highly bioavailable mineral mix containing proven premium mineral and vitamin sources based on equine research.

UlcaBuf – Stance Equilibrium

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UlcaBuf is an all-natural, non-medicated, supplement with specifically curated ingredients to support long term digestive function. Safe to use in horses with gastric ulcers and hindgut acidosis.

Benefits:

Supports proper pH under occasional gastric distress
Helps support protective layer in the bowel
Contains prebiotics and live probiotic for intestinal health
Ingredients:
A proprietary blend [Curcuma xanthorrhiza, Powdered coconut oil, Seaweed derived calcium, Actigen®, Yea-SaccTS® (Saccharomyces cerevisiae), Sodium alginate]. 40g

TRM Good as Gold Paste 3 x 35g
SKU: V11718
Good as Gold Paste is an effective, natural, and convenient feed supplement, specially designed for nervous, hot or stressed horses.

3 x 35gm tubes.

Stress Paste Packs - Extra Support Poseidon Health.
A concentrated non-swabbable nutritional formula designed to support horses in times of high exertion or stress. Such times may include when competing, travelling, or in extreme heat and humidity.

Stress Paste contains ingredients selected to support the horse’s gut and muscle physiology in a way that helps them deal with the effects of stress. This action is designed to reduce the impact of your horse's stress on their performance, behaviour and recovery.

Saccharomyces Products – which one do I feed?

Digest-Rite or Diamond V XPC, do they do the same job?

Digest-Rite www.hvhoofandequinehealthcareproducts.com/product-page/digest-rite-sport-2kg is a fungal toxin binder and diamond v www.hvhoofandequinehealthcareproducts.com/product-page/balanced-equine-nutrition-diamond-v-xpc-2-kg is a prebiotic to support robust gut function (microbial fermentation). The question I’m asked is do you need any of these?

First of all, what is Saccharomyces cerevisiae?

Saccharomyces cerevisiae is a single-celled eukaryote (yeast/fungi – brewers yeast) that is frequently used in scientific research and has many applications. The advantages are that its genome has been sequenced, its genetics are easily manipulated, and it is very easy to maintain in a lab. Historically it was mainly used in the production of food and winemaking and is believed to have been originally isolated from the skin of grapes. Studies with S. cerevisiae have contributed to our understanding of important cellular processes such as the cell cycle, aging, and cell death, protein purification and the study of DNA repair mechanisms and other cellular processes related to Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases.

I’m not sure of the exact number but there are so many products that are made from Saccharomyces cerevisiae and they all have different jobs, as they are different strains. The difference can come from the different substrates for the fermentation by S. cerevisiae, what these ‘critters’ are fed. Some are patented like Diamond V XPC (Diamond V) and Sports-Rite. Diamond V XPC is a prebiotic which means food for gut microbes, to boost their populations. Sports-Rite is a fungal toxin binder. These two products, even though it’s the same species of yeast, they are not the same as they are different patented strains.

The Medina et al study showed that S. cerevisiae strain/preparation helped prevent colonic acidosis in horses on crazy high grain diets. The Newbold et al study on S. cerevisiae showed how different strains were effective for sheep.

So to sum up, the different strain or type of S. cerevisiae product can have different jobs/activities.

Do you need these products?

Yes to Sports-Rite if you are concerned about your hay being mouldy or are experiencing a fungus outbreak in your pasture, for example, Paspalum ergot fungus or certain strains of endophyte perennial Rye grass, consider a toxin binder. These plants and others are renowned for causing photosynthesisation, signs are sunburn and blistering on pink skin on faces and pasterns (generic term, greasy heel or mud fever). When an animal consumes a plant or chemical containing these pigments (eg. polyphenolic), the pigments circulate to the skin where they are exposed to UV light, fluoresce and cause oxidative injury to the cells of the skin. Liver damage in a horse might not be noticed until the animal develops photosensitisation.

There are clay type toxin binders available based on bentonite or zeolite but the major disadvantage is that they are known to bind minerals like copper and zinc. This is why vets may recommend short term use if your horse has acute infectious diarrhoea, may prevent intestinal absorption of toxic minerals. Best to consult your vet. Another disadvantage is these clay based products are very high in iron (dirt in a bucket). Montmorillonite is the primary clay type in bentonite. An example of a study looking at this was done by Tomasevic-Canovic et al, link below.

Zeolite can absorb aflatoxin but *not* other toxins. It can absorb molecular minerals with a positive charge but they must be in dissolved form and it will bind the nutritionally important minerals as well as toxins.

Diamond V XPC is a prebiotic, supporting the growth of intestinal bacteria as it’s used as a food source. If your horse is exhibiting a hay or grass belly OR have a degree of diarrhoea then Diamond V XPC may well help. The XPC means it’s 4x more concentrated than Diamond V. Best to consult your vet as there are veterinary conditions that cause diarrhoea.

What is brewer’s yeast?

Brewer’s yeast, what you can often buy cheaply at stockfeed suppliers is known as ‘spent’ S. cerevisiae. When sold as a dietary supplement it is typically spent/dead and fed primarily for B vitamins.

Note: If your horse has robust gut function and is not on a crazy high grain intake then probably not necessary to consider B vitamin supplementation as horses gain B vitamins from what they eat (grass/hay) and gut microbes produce all the B vitamins. The best source is green grass.

If you think your horse needs more biotin, Balanced Equine has biotin in the HoofXtra Mix www.hvhoofandequinehealthcareproducts.com/product-page/balanced-equine-hoof .And the high concentrated single ingredient Balanced Equine Biotin. www.hvhoofandequinehealthcareproducts.com/product-page/balance-equine-nutrition-biotin-450-g

Medina B, Girard ID, Jacotot E and Julliand V (2002) Effect of a preparation of Saccharomyces cerevisiae on microbial profiles and fermentation patterns in the large intestine of horses fed a high fiber or a high starch diet J. Anim. Sci. Oct;80(10):2600-2609
https://academic.oup.com/jas/article-abstract/80/10/2600/4789345

Nerlich HK, Koler R, Powell E and Williams TL (2018) 498 Saccharomyces cerevisiae supplementations effect on fiber digestibility in equine J. Anim. Sci. Apr;96(2):266
https://academic.oup.com/jas/article-abstract/96/suppl_2/266/4967520

Newbold CJ, Wallace RJ, Chen XB and McIntosh FM (1995) Different strains of Saccharomyces cerevisiae differ in their effects on ruminal bacterial numbers in vitro and in sheep J. Anim. Sci. Jun;73(6):1811-1818
https://academic.oup.com/jas/article-abstract/73/6/1811/4632862

Tomasevic-Canovic M, Dakovic A, Markovic V and Stojsic D (2001) The effect of exchangeable cations in clinoptilolite and montmorillonite on the adsorption of aflatoxin B1 I. Tech. Nuc.
http://en.engormix.com/MA-mycotoxins/articles/the-effect-exchangeable-cations-t95/p0.htm

Zeolite information
https://www.mskcc.org/cancer-care/integrative-medicine/herbs/zeolite

Time-Released Hindgut Balancer

EquiShure promotes normal digestive function by aiding in the maintenance of an optimal hindgut environment and is designed for horses suspected of suffering from or that are at risk of developing hindgut acidosis.

Many horses have hindgut disturbances and EquiShure’s unique encapsulation technology ensures targeted release directly in the hindgut.

The demands placed on horses, as both athletes and breeding animals, dictate that substantial quantities of energy–rich feeds be consumed.

Disturbances in the normal hindgut environment are thought to result from overconsumption of either high–starch concentrates or pasture grasses rich in fructans (sugars).

EquiBind
A balanced nutritional supplement to aid equine health in horses on New Zealand pasture, Equibind is formulated with Elitox®, magnesium, calcium, antioxidant Vitamin C, and B-group Vitamins.

For best results, feed with Digestive EQ for extra gut support. If your horse is fed an unfortified diet, consider feeding Digestive VM for vitamin and mineral balance. EquiBind must be fed as part of a balanced diet with ample forage. EquiBind is safe for laminitic horses and ponies.

Digest-rite – Sport toxin binder
Description

Equine Athlete Digest-Rite Sport Formula is a nutritional supplement formulated for both sport and pleasure horses whose diets are based on pasture and some hard feed.

Digest-Rite provides a combination of scientifically proven pre-biotics, digestive enzymes, toxin binders and rice bran, all enhance digestion and at the same time help maintain a healthy digestive tract. It also helps prevent the absorption of harmful toxins and acids resulting from the digestion of some grasses and grains.

Horses are browsing animals with very selective grazing habits. Their digestive systems are well adapted to handling grass and forage based diets. The quality and quantity of pastures that horses have access to in New Zealand are generally quite different from those of a natural habitat.

in-sandout - Intestinal Sand Removal Pellet

Intestinal sand removal pellet solution for your equine partner.

in-sandout is the new intestinal sand removal solution for your equine partner. Sand ingestion leads to devastating issues in horses. Sand can be consumed inadvertently by horses that are maintained on sandy soils, short pasture or fed hay or grain in sandy areas. This sand then accumulates in the large colon. Problems associated with sand accumulation include chronic and intermittent diarrhoea, weight loss and colic. It may further impair gut health due to irritation and obstruction of the intestinal tract.

Metabolize. Equine metabolic supplement
Science-based and vet-approved formulation with a unique mix of three flavonoids plus our prebiotic and post-biotic blend.

All natural MetaboLize® is highly palatable and has a low daily serve of 3 to 6 grams, so for a 400kg pony a 90 gram sachet should last around 30 days

Saccharomyces Products – which one do I feed?

​

First of all, what is Saccharomyces cerevisiae?

Do you need these products?

What is brewer’s yeast?

Further reading: