My best friend came to me the other day and told me that she was considering buying a few horses and training them to race. A jockey herself, she thought it would be a good idea as she slows down now at the end of her career. She's been around horses, but actually raising them is somewhat new to her. And since I grew up on farm and helped my parents raise horses (among a long list of animals) she came to me seeking advice.
Over lunch we discussed why she wanted to take on this endeavor. She said that she wanted to have the full experience. I jokingly told her she'd need plenty of horse calming supplements on hand since some equines can be a little rambunctious. She'll need some large helpings of patience as well. In all seriousness though, raising horses is very rewarding and fun, but there are times, like raising children, that you just want to go take a break and go away for a while.
It's harder to communicate with horses. They can't use words (obviously). They don't apologize when they misbehave or just calm down because you tell them to. They really do try your patience. So it actually is a good idea of to have horse calming supplements on hand.
Our conversation then turned to general health for horses. She knew that she'd have to invest in equine supplements. But I cautioned her from just going shopping. She should discuss diet with her veterinarian. Each horse is different and some may need more of one supplement than others. Feed can also be enhanced per the vet's guidelines.
There are many types of supplements besides calming. Joints, for instance, can become very painful, especially for equine athletes. There are joint supplements out there that are very effective in reducing inflammation along with pain. Hoof problems are also a concern. There is a product out there called Kombat Boots sold at performanceequineusa.com that does a great job of healing hoof injuries. Another common problem is ulcers. Like humans, horses' bodies can only take so much. It's important to keep ulcers in mind because your horse can't tell you when he or she has one. So I told my friend to make sure the supplements she decides on reduce ulcers. Most of the supplements at Performance Equine do that.
Other than supplements, the best advice I can give my friend and anyone thinking of owning a horse is to exercise. She of course knew this, but it's a good reminder. Luckily for her, she has plenty of land to let the horses get as much exercise as they need.
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