Global Herbs - Yay or Nay?

heatherxbella

Active Member
Joined
27 January 2011
Messages
38
Location
Essex
Visit site
I have recently bought my sweetitch mare the Scratch Plus supplement and have be gradually increasing the amount I give her each time until I get to the reccomended dosage. The supplement has a nasty smell to it which she doesn't seem to be fond of as she has left a little scraping in the bottom of her bowl (bear in mind this mare usually eats anything and isn't fussed by what you feed her!). I was just wondering what peoples thoughts were about this brand and if anyone has used a product with them before, how do you deal with covering up the nasty smell? Garlic? Treacle water? Or using the liquid version of the product instead? Am only trying it out to see if it actually works as I have tried just about everything to try and keep her comfortable and it also has had very good reviews.

Let me know your thoughts/opinions for I will be very greatful if you do!
 

Clava

Well-Known Member
Joined
17 May 2009
Messages
1,590
Visit site
Personally I really don't like companies that do not say what is in their products and I have never seen any data relating to their product testing. If anyone has any I'd be happy to change my views.
 

EventingMum

Well-Known Member
Joined
9 September 2010
Messages
6,026
Location
The Wet West of Scotland
Visit site
I have found their products very strong smelling and several horses haven't eaten feeds with them in. The liquids do seem a bit more palatable but some horses still aren't keen on them. I have one on Mud X just now and in order to get him to eat I started adding peppermint cordial to his feed which worked well. I've now substituted this with NAF Mint which seems to be doing the job too. I have found their products generally are very effective (Mud X, Sarc X and Restore) but haven't used their sweetitch one - Naf D-Itch has worked well for one of ours.
 

starryeyed

Well-Known Member
Joined
12 October 2011
Messages
3,568
Location
Shropshire
Visit site
I've always found their supplements to work really well, if you can get them down the horses neck haha - luckily for me the one that really needs the supplements doesn't seem to mind what you give him so I haven't really had a problem with him - though I have heard the liquid versions aren't as bad. My boy gets the scratch supplement in summer, and another horse has rigcalm, and we mix them in with speedibeet, add a lot of garlic (split into 2 feeds a day) and they don't seem to mind it. I've also hidden medicines in apples / jam sandwiches before, but I suppose you'd need a couple of scoops of the GH so that might not be the easiest way to do it.
Hope you find a way to persuade her, they really are good! Just wish they didn't smell/taste the way that they do!
 

Rose Folly

Well-Known Member
Joined
29 June 2010
Messages
1,906
Location
North East Somerset
Visit site
I use their Laminitic-Prone on a regular basis for my mare - and suffice to say she has been laminitis-free for 10 months without a muzle and just careful feeding/grazing. Therefore, I'm pleased with the product. And I did find their helpline most helpful when I rang them. My mare doesn't notice the strong smell as she's a greedy pig and she always has carrots and apples in her feed anyway, which I guess masks any taste. So I'm pro Global Herbs!
 

Tammytoo

Well-Known Member
Joined
10 June 2011
Messages
1,633
Location
Yorkshire
Visit site
I've had really good results from Global Herbs' products. They used to print the ingredients on their pamphlet, but I don't know why they don't do it now.

The Skratch supplement is very effective, but you have to start very slowly, a pinch at a time to get them used to the taste. The Airways Plus is also brilliant - my neighbour couldn't ride her horse with chronic wind poblems if he wasn't on this.
 

Dubsie

Well-Known Member
Joined
26 January 2009
Messages
4,756
Location
The Edge of Suburbia, Berkshire.
Visit site
Yay AND Nay. Fly Free works really well for one (not so hairy, fine skinned arab x) but has no effect whatsoever on the amount of fly bites/midges in ears etc for the other (hairy NF). I think you will have to try it and see how you get on.
 

becca1305

Well-Known Member
Joined
11 March 2011
Messages
1,764
Location
Leicestershire
Visit site
I use immuplus with great success on my TB. He managed to get viral warts (age 10) on his sheath which are apparently usually only common in young horses whose immune system hasn't built up yet so is a sign of poor immune working. Since being on it his warts which had been present for quite some time disappeared rapidly and were soon all gone. I then tried to reduce his dose and upon doing so he got a bumpy skin infection, Ive increased his dose back again and he's now fine happy in himself with no issues :) very impressed with the product.
 

jenz87

Well-Known Member
Joined
22 June 2009
Messages
1,055
Location
Yorkshire
Visit site
Nay, i used the immuneplus supplement to which my vet snorted saying theres nothing valuable in it (even though the product goes to great lengths to state it is approved by vets) and it stank to high heaven!! Seemed full of ash and didnt state what was in it, but the vet seemed to think nothing of any use!!
Didnt make a difference either!
 

heatherxbella

Active Member
Joined
27 January 2011
Messages
38
Location
Essex
Visit site
So far so good with only one person saying their products haven't worked! I seriously would go out of my way to stop her sweet itch for it is awful to see her scratch herself sore. She has been on various products, creams and remedies most reccommended by the vet and not one of them has worked bar their 'Switch' ointment but you only get a little squeezy bottle and it doesn't last her the whole year and is very expensive! She also has a bug rug which does do the job but once it is off the midges just fly at her!! She has had tablets which I am very pleased to say did the job but unfortunately I used to forget to give them to her when needed but at least her supplements are staring at me in the face so I can't forget :p I'm really really hoping this will work and that I can encourage her to eat it all! Will get a load of garlic and try to disguise the smell with that!

Thank you all. x
 

Nagling

Well-Known Member
Joined
16 February 2011
Messages
195
Visit site
I've had amazing results from sarc-ex with one of mine and started my itchy one on scratch in the Autumn (she was looking good anyway I was more checking that she wouldn't have some funny reaction to it). She has the shiniest coat from it but I guess the real test will be in a couple of months - seems good so far though. I do have problems with her eating it as she often won't finish it but as she is in overnight its normally gone by the morning - if she was just out in the field I might have more problems! I have heard though to be carefull feeding garlic to a horse with sweet itch as it can actually make the itching worse. Good Luck - definatly worth a try, just start it early enough in the new year!
 

Silmarillion

Well-Known Member
Joined
14 March 2010
Messages
1,757
Location
UK
Visit site
I agree with Clava - I've never seen an ingredients list, so I wouldn't feed them. That says to my suspicious mind that they have something to hide.
 

criso

Coming over here & taking your jobs since 1900
Joined
18 September 2008
Messages
11,659
Location
London but horse is in Herts
Visit site
I agree with Clava - I've never seen an ingredients list, so I wouldn't feed them. That says to my suspicious mind that they have something to hide.

I have at various times fed Restore and Immunoplus with reasonable results and both had the ingredients on the side.

Mind you when I googled the ingredients it wasn't hugely helpful as they all seemed to be fairly obscure and couldn't find out much about them.
 

heatherxbella

Active Member
Joined
27 January 2011
Messages
38
Location
Essex
Visit site
Mine has the ingredients on the back of the pot and they all seem to be these funny herbal things spelt in a scientifically latin way that I don't understand. But yes, ingredients are there :)
 

Clava

Well-Known Member
Joined
17 May 2009
Messages
1,590
Visit site
Mine has the ingredients on the back of the pot and they all seem to be these funny herbal things spelt in a scientifically latin way that I don't understand. But yes, ingredients are there :)

That's good to hear, which tub is it as there wasn't any on the pollen-x I had. I think there is a lot of trust in these supplement companies without any real evidence sometimes or scientific testing (if that is possible). It often gives the impression of some magical concoction that we should just believe works, but maybe I'm just too cynical.
 
Last edited:

heatherxbella

Active Member
Joined
27 January 2011
Messages
38
Location
Essex
Visit site
That's good to hear, which tub is it as there wasn't any on the pollen-x I had. I think there is a lot of trust in these supplement companies without any real evidence sometimes or scientific testing (if that is possible). It often gives the impression of some magical concoction that we should just believe works, but maybe I'm just too cynical.

Was on the Scratch Plus tub :) on a white label at the bottom x
 

Gingersmum

Well-Known Member
Joined
24 August 2010
Messages
312
Visit site
Apologies for bumping a 10 year old thread :)
I have recently started using Airways plus to soothe a hay cough and while I think it is helping, horse has recently gone quite spooky.
Coincidence ? or anyone found similar ?
Any herbalists who can advise on ingredients ?
 
Top