Am I Feeding Too Many Supplements

[lea]

My mare is on winergy ventilate and naf calmer but due to a clicking joint I have started her on a joint supplement ... Just worried she is on now on too many. I feed it with a cool energy mix. Any thoughts?

 

[[69117]]

Yes, I would say that's too many. She would be better on a feed balancer that contains everything that the supplements do, but in the right amounts. In my opinion Blue Chip is the best to go for, have a look at it, or ring some feed companies and ask for advice.

 

[maggiesmum]

Not sure Blue chip is going to help breathing, keep calm and soothe joints, Its a feed balancer not a magic potion.

OP - How about swapping the cool mix for unmolassed sugar beet and micronised linseed, you might not need the calmer then?

My only concern would be either doubling up on any of the ingredients or them interacting badly, maybe speak to an independent nutritionalist?

 

[Firewell]

I think supplements are very easy to get in too as you start thinking they *need* them. I started feeding pink powder as a general purpose supplement as my horse only gets a handful of nuts. Then I added a joint supplement which actually has helped my horse no end so I'm keeping him on that. Then I added Codliver oil as it is good for their skin and joints and it is high in vitamins. Then Whoops, I am on loads of supplements again grrr.
Once the pink powder has run out i'll stop that and just keep him on the Joint supplement and the cod liver oil. I'm sure he won't die. When I first got my horse I on purposly fed him nothing other than nuts and alfa and he looked fabulous, but then I started on the slippery supplement slope again!
If I was you I would also swap the mix for something with no starch and get rid of the calmer. I tend to think calmers don't work anyway.

 

[[69117]]

Not sure Blue chip is going to help breathing, keep calm and soothe joints, Its a feed balancer not a magic potion.

OP - How about swapping the cool mix for unmolassed sugar beet and micronised linseed, you might not need the calmer then?

My only concern would be either doubling up on any of the ingredients or them interacting badly, maybe speak to an independent nutritionalist?

Obviously I don't think Blue Chip is a magic potion, and OP you may end up still needing something to help with breathing, but as Maggiesmum says, swapping the mix for something with a lower sugar and starch content may mean you no longer need the calmer. A lot of feed companies also make balancers specifically for veterans, which contain joint supplements too.

 

[PolarSkye]

My mare is on winergy ventilate and naf calmer but due to a clicking joint I have started her on a joint supplement ... Just worried she is on now on too many. I feed it with a cool energy mix. Any thoughts?

I went down this path . . . GreyDonkey was on a mix, pink powder, a calmer, a supplement for his feet and chaff . . . I decided to simplify his feed radically by cutting out the mix (horses don't need to eat peas ) and just give him an unmolassed chaff (molasses sends him off his head), Blue Chip as a balancer to provide him with support for his feet, joints and gut and nothing else. In the winter, when the weather's really cold, he gets Speedibeet just to top up his calories . . . but he also gets lots and lots of good quality hay . . . and that does him.

Simple is best. I'm not necessarily advocating Blue Chip per se (it works for my boy), but I would recommend you consider simplifying your mare's feed.

Good luck.

P

 

[Prince33Sp4rkle]

will go against the grain and say no.They are all very specific supps and i dont think any one balancer or supp will cover all those bases.

Star gets:
Egusin for his ulcers
DMG powder to help his EPSM
Joint Supp (prevention better than cure IMO)
Linseed for weight gain.
Magnesium to help his feet (he is BF) albeit a very small quantity and i may try him without this and see if its really making any diff.