this entirely depends on the supplements you’re using now
not all places that recycle, will recycle the SP containers
Without commenting on the state of the world and how that impacts any company’s ability to maintain their supply chain and production schedule…
I use some SmartPak supplements but have never used their pre-pack system because I have my horse on other suppliers’ products also. I pre-pack in reusable containers with screw top lids.
I have been really pleased with quality and customer service from MadBarn. (I feed W3 Oil.) Platinum Performance (Refresh) has been communicative when there were shipping and production delays. FarmVet has always been good to work with so I try to give them my business.
I prefer to buy big buckets because I can’t have a garden in my yard- the deer eat it. So I use the biggest supplement buckets I can find as planters on my deck. Next year I want to grow more kale than I had room for this year, so my horse needs to eat up.
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Just a thought: maybe the trace residue of the supplements is adding a little extra something to your veggies!
Maybe this could be a new, niche product: Kale that provides a small dose of joint supplement (better for you than you knew!), or tomatoes that provide feed-through fly management! I see a market opportunity (just kidding of course!).
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The thought had occurred to me. That’s why I have food growing in buckets with joint supplement and flax, not any vitamin or mineral supplement that could be problematic if oversupplemented to humans. 
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Biofortified crops FTW: https://allianceforscience.cornell.edu/blog/2018/06/unfairly-demonized-gmo-crops-can-help-fight-malnutrition/
That’s what I do as well. Also, SP has started shipping my supps in a cube bag instead of a bucket. No more plastic pails!
I do this for my barn too. Next month the barn is moving to self-care and I’m going to continue doing it the same way. I keep my big containers of supplements at home in my “storage room” (back extra bedroom) and I usually do about 12 little containers at a time. I put them in an old SmartPak drawer. That’s four supplements, a tablespoon of salt, and an Equioxx pill in one container to dump rather than dishing all of that out every morning. MUCH easier!
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Did we ever find out what supplements the OP is looking to replace?
I’d like to stop my Smartpak supplements and go back to just my own little tubs.
Any ideas for a substitute for SP’s “Smart Gut” pellets?
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I forget which ingredients SP’s Smart gut pellets have, but you might look at Horsetech’s Amiquell:
One big difference, though, is that it isn’t pelleted, so if your horse only will eat pellets, then it will be a no go.
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I use the original Outlast product and have used the treats as well (prior to being ridden). It is a nice product.
People moan that the directions call for 3-4 feedings per day. I feed it in 2 feedings only, morning and night, and still see success. Maybe this can replace the SmartGut?
I did feed the treats prior to being ridden or lunged, as directed, to bring his Outlast up to 3 feedings a day. I did not notice a big difference by adding the treats, so I have gone back to the old treats. I typically treat AFTER being worked, groomed, etc.
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I have had decent luck with Valley Vet for supplements/vitamins. I had been using Chewy but Valley had better pricing and the same autoship set up ability. I try to buy in quantity when I can, but with three horses and two being large!, quantity doesn’t actually go much beyond the month’s budget.
The 3-4 feedings is if you want more full-time support. Not all horses need that, and a lot of people do as you do, 1-2 feedings, and even just 1 feeding an hour or so before work.
That’s just a different type of support, as while SmartGut does have some Mg and Ca to help buffer the stomach acid (I hate that they, or anyone, uses the term “neutralizes” because it doesn’t do that), it also contains some ingredients that help support healthy mucosal lining, which Outlast doesn’t do.
There are lots of products now that have ingredients to support the gut lining
@Paint_Party you can even look right on the SP site to compare gastric supplements and look at how SmartGut compares to some non-SP brands. You can check SmartGut, all the non-SP products, and leave off all the other SP brands to reduce how many you’re looking at. Compare ingredients, then narrow down by cost.
Horse Gastric Health Supplement Comparisons - by SmartPak (smartpakequine.com)
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Where did you find 3oz twist lids? I have been using larger ones from Dollar Tree. In four years I’ve only had a couple break, but smaller ones would be nice.
Some prescription pill bottles are quite large and will hold a few ounces of powder. I actually use smaller ones for my horse’s liquid herbal supplements; they’re not totally leak-proof, but they would be fine for holding powder or granules. The larger bottles usually have the lids that pop or twist off.
we have a small coffee grinder that its only use is to grind pills into powders
I bought them online. There’s a ton of different ones available. This is close to what I have:
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Thanks for the suggestions regarding other options for SmartGut from SP. Bought this horse last winter and didn’t want to change what he’d been on with breeder/seller. So I kept with his SmartPak doo-dads. But if I can get similar (or better!) products at a lower price and more convenient delivery system, it would be nice.
In a competitive market economy, if you can’t provide the advertised goods/services, you’ll eventually loose your clients to the competitors.
The negative feedback is absolutely justified imo. When you rely on getting those medicines and supplements, ordered on Sat with an expected shipping date of Mon, as stated by SP themselves, and then you hear nothing for the next 2w+ counting…the company is basically blatantly lying to you! you’ll be foolish not to revise your consumer choices for your next purchase.
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Holy cow, Smartpak has gone way downhill. The last two times I called it was a 30 or 60 minute wait. They used to answer almost immediately with little to no wait time. There is no email contact option, and they offer text and chat but then tell you text isn’t working and to call. They sure do seem to bill on time but can’t get regularly scheduled supplements out the door. My horse has run out a few times and granted, he will survive, but I’m not sure SP will unless they make some serious improvements. They used to be top notch! Even would come on the forums to address issues. This is what happens when companies get sold or change ownership…
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