HackUp Bespoke for Respiratory & Pollen - is it worth the money???

[Laurx]

Hi,
Just wondering if I could have some opinions and experiences of using HackUp bespoke products?? Specifically respiratory related ones if possible!

My mare suffered from a viral infection a few years back that really took hold in her windpipe and must of settled a bit on the lungs too. It was an absolute nightmare to fully budge! A year of constant vet bills later it finally went but it’s had a lasting impact on her: so I think now she may have a bit of RAO or COPD as a result as she’s now very sensitive to anything that could aggrevate the airways and makes her cough and cough and cough.

She always has a little warm up cough now, 2 coughs and she clears it out and then is absolutely fine. But sometimes say if the pollen count is high or there’s a bit more dust than usual in her shavings or something etc etc it can set it off and it takes a while then to get rid of it and it stops her ability to be ridden properly.

Anyway I feel like I’ve tried everything but a friend on the yard has a similar issue with her horse and recommended hackup bespoke and swears by it! I’ve done the forms and they’ve formulated me a bespoke but it’s pretty pricey! And as I’ve tried and spent a lot on lots of products over the years I just wondered what people’s opinions were.

theyve done me a bespoke for respiratory and pollen for £44.99 for 1kg, 79.99 for 2kg and it includes:

• MSM
• Tumeric
• Boswellia Serrata
• Ginger
• Peppermint
• Garlic Granules

They’ve also recommended that I use their Liquid Air £39.99 1Ltr, Linseed Oil £21.99 for 5Ltr £25.99 and Liquid Electrolytes for 3.8Ltr alongside it for energy and essential oils, clear airways etc.

So all in all it’s quite pricey! If it works and it’ll help my girl then I’m all for spending the money but if a lot of people find it’s more of a gimmick and it’s no better than something I could just get out of a saddlery then I’m sure there’s something out there that will work better for her, just don’t want to waste loads of money that could’ve gone on something right!
Thank you everyone!

 

[holeymoley]

I have no first hand experience with respiratory issues however from the ingredients listed, peppermint seems to be the only one that sticks out to me that would be any good for breathing issues. Have a look at natural horse supplies, they have herbs and natural products, if you contact them they may be able to make you a blend or infusion that’s more likely to help. (Some of them smell great, you add hot water to them!)

 

[holeymoley]

I’ve just had a look at natural horse supplies. Their Easy Breathe mix of herbs would be much more beneficial than any of what’s been listed above imo.

 

[Laurx]

I’ve just had a look at natural horse supplies. Their Easy Breathe mix of herbs would be much more beneficial than any of what’s been listed above imo.

Thank you!! That’s what I was thinking.. when reading the recommendations from them it sounded like liquid air would be more useful than the bespoke product itself.. I’ll give that a look at! Thank you!

 

[mavandkaz]

I use Hack Up and like their products. Their head shaking one made a huge difference (have also used a joint/hoof one but hard to tell with that one).
The liquid air is quite good, but be aware that it is strong smelling and neither of mine would eat it, so I have to syringe it in if I want to use it.
You do not need to buy everything they suggest, it's their general range of products that they advise, and it just stays on your profile if you want to use them at any point.
The prices seem steep but actually all of mine work out cheaper as I seem to go through it slower then they predict, despite feeding at recommend doses. My head shaking one is cheaper then Pollenx, and more effective. And if you buy regularly you can get onto their order system which takes it down a fair bit, and you can split payments.
As with any supplement, you will hear good and bad about them. But I will say their customer service is fab - I've spoken to Alex (the owner) late evening and on weekends before to adjust my supplement. Also, if you want something in your bespoke changed, you can ask them to make it up how you want ( what you have been assigned will be the 'standard' and then you can adjust it as you wish)

 

[meleeka]

I really liked the concept of it , but I found I could get the separate ingredients much cheaper from natural horse supplies. I used the mobility one for a while.

 

[HappyHollyDays]

Never used Hack Up but after a few people on here recommended Science Supplements RespirAid I tried it on my pony who is pollen affected and coughs all year round. I can’t actually believe how well it has worked, I haven’t heard him cough once for weeks and he is now on half dose because he is doing so well. We changed straw recently and two of the horses have coughed like mad even with Ventapulmin and he hasn’t so it really has been worth every penny.

 

[Kat]

I really rate the equimins resporatory multiblend. Nice and cheap so you haven't lost much if it doesn't work but seems quite effective.

 

[Laurx]

Thank you everyone! That’s super helpful. It can be such a minefield when you’re trying to find something that works for your horse??‍

 

[ownedbyaconnie]

I noticed when my mare had a puffy eye last year from flies/pollen she would practically drag me to the nettles by the gate. So this year I put her on nettle powder and she has been head tossing (from pollen allergies) a lot less than before. A few respiratory supplements seem to have nettle in so makes sense, I think it's anti-inflammatory? I'd also recommend echinacea. I'd steer clear of anything with too much garlic in, I never realised how runny my mares poos were until I took her off garlic.

 

[GoldenWillow]

The thing that stands out for me in the ingredients is garlic, I've actually found garlic to be a trigger both with breathing and causing itchiness as well as affecting gut flora.

 

[TPO]

I had similar with my boy. Long story about neglectful liveries and my horse caught their cough/virus. He was seen immediately by a vet and treated etc but hes been left with mild asthma (apparently everything is asthma these days and theyve done away with RAO/COPD).

I use a very low dose of ventipulmin. He averages 1 scoop a day. The prescription amount is 2 scoops twice a day but they can build a resistance. Vet is happy with how horse is on 1 scoop and said resistance is unlikely at such a low dose.

I just (via this forum) bought ventipulmin from petdrugsonline for £45 a tub. I bought three and including the prescription charge from (£16)
it works out around £50 per tub. So that's £1 per day all in.

If that's suitable for your horse I'd speak to your vet and go that route. At least that way you are using something medically proven.

I've spent a fortune over the years on supplements to use when he was to have a break from ventipulmin. Science Supplements Respiraid was the best out of them all for me. It's £45 per tub and I was feeding 2-4 scoops a day so it lasted between 23-45 days, averaging a tub a month.

 

[bubsqueaks]

A bit of a curved ball but the best thing Ive done for my pony with COPD is buy a 2nd hand hay steamer & maximize turnout.
Im very skeptical of supplement benefits especially at that price sorry.

 

[TPO]

A bit of a curved ball but the best thing Ive done for my pony with COPD is buy a 2nd hand hay steamer & maximize turnout.
Im very skeptical of supplement benefits especially at that price sorry.

Yeah just to second this, I made management changes too. Whilst in the yard where he contracted the virus they had to stay in at night year round he is now out as much as possible. I bought a hay gain and swapped from dust free shaving to Nedz Pro bedding. Also swapped the other horse to Nedz from wood pellets and MUCH less dust in the atmosphere

 

[ester]

I wouldn't feed garlic so that would be a no for me.

 

[Tiddlypom]

Garlic??? Noooo....

 

[tatty_v]

Yeah just to second this, I made management changes too. Whilst in the yard where he contracted the virus they had to stay in at night year round he is now out as much as possible. I bought a hay gain and swapped from dust free shaving to Nedz Pro bedding. Also swapped the other horse to Nedz from wood pellets and MUCH less dust in the atmosphere

I would also second this. The best thing for respiratory problems is usually management changes - steam/soak hay, dust free bedding, stable with fresh air (indoor barn type stabling can be tricky), no shared air space with horses on bedding that can trigger (eg straw), maximum turnout. We had a horse on our yard who went from pouring green snot and coughing all the time to no issues at all once we made these changes. Failing that, ventapulmin is effective but pricey.