Q: Wondering if Maganese is in your product? Is that necessary for the supplements to absorb and work correctly? thanks
A: I do not put extra trace minerals or vitamins in the supplement because I do not want to have owners compound products to potentially toxic levels. I do not know what is in your horse’s ration, so by using my supplement w/mag. and maybe some others, you may be giving your horse potentially dangerous levels of certain vitamins and minerals. Trace mineral by definition is just that – only 1/1,000 of a gram, about the size of a grain of sand – not even. You horse may be getting sufficient levels of manganese already in your feed and forage. Absorption can be highly individual, and has more to do with metabolism and digestive efficiency. There are other factors that will influence absorption that you should look at that cost nothing above normal good care. Check the teeth. Digestion begins in the mouth with the enzymes found in saliva. If your horse’s ability to chew is limited, he will not salivate as much and your off to a bad start. Dental problems can be present even in young horses. Clean water needs to be fresh and available at all times. It exposes more of the matter to the intestinal lining and allows bacterium and other enzymes the chance to do their jobs. In cold weather, a cold horse will drink small amounts so as to not lower his core temperature. Offer luke warm water. Worm loads interfere with absorption more than lack of manganese. They also leave scars in that lining, leaving even less surface area available for absorption. High amounts of starchy grain has been found to block absorption, make sure that your horse’s ration comes primarily from a natural fibrous source. Again, trace minerals like manganese will probably be present already in the amounts needed. Especially if your horse gets regular turnout to good pasture. First check teeth, water, worm load, and ration to make the most out of your supplementation dollar. Sarah
Q: Hi, is the dose for a yearling the same for a larger or older horse? Thanks
A: I wish I could get more people to use it on younger horses. Literally an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Unless there is an injury, you can use 1/2 scoop and skip the loading phase. Metabolic rate is not a factor as it is in older horses (uptake affected by worm loads, ulcers, and obstructive tumors)so take advantage of that! Increase the dose to 1 scoop as your horse starts to work hard for you. If you find that you can’t for money reasons, keep it to 1/2 scoop because a little bit consistently spread over time is more effective than stopping for months and then having to start loading again at three scoops a day… especially if there is an injury or strain. Hope this helps, Sarah