Equine Elixhirs/Platinum Performance/Random Other Favorites?

[Tini_Sea_Soldier1]

I do not think we’ve had one of these discussion in awhile, but truthfully, didn’t wade through the threads to check, so many apologies if it’s redundant… but that being said… every year there are new supplements, so it might be topical again anyway!

With so many opinions on supplements and so many on the market, I’ve noted that we’re stocked up big time in the supplement department at my show barn. Going to shift over to a private facility in a few weeks and figured it might be time to scale back some of the duds or add something that people have viewed as a gamechanger.

Figured I’d start polling the masses to see what people have really seen results in and what some of their favorites are?

For example, I’m a bit lover of Wheat Germ Oil. I had an old school racehorse guy that swore by it and never had one colic on him. Maybe he’s lucky, maybe he was onto something, but I did see a significant improvement in their coats and weight build for my hunters.

I’ve used Platinum’s hoof supplement and although I think it did some good, I wasn’t around enough to tell if it made a big difference. Interested if others have used it or found Crackdown or Biotin to be more of their go-tos?

Also started using Pro Sweat this summer when horse stopped sweating in the intense heat in south and noted that it’s almost identical to Equine Elixhirs’ version called Electrofresh.

Would love to hear some other “go-to”'s or supplements that you found to really have made a big difference in your horse’s general look or performance?

[kaya842]

There was a go to supplement (or maybe feeds) post in Horse Care in the last 3 months or so.

General responses: quality feed (concentrate/ ration balancer/ or VM supp with carrier) and hay are the “must haves”. Beyond that, most things are not so effective.

That being said, I did order the Equine Elixers Hulk supplement for my aged TB (who has Cushings) to see if it helps her put muscle back on (along with exercise of course). She already gets high quality alfalfa (10-30lbs per day depending on if she’s in or out with grass hay) and a high quality vitamin mineral supp with higher levels of the top 3 amino acids so I felt that a Gamma Orazynol supp would be the next step and Hulk has other aminos in it and is a good price for the amount of GO.

[trakehners]

My horse is on a bit of a cocktail, but:

• Alimend: this stuff is liquid gold and worth every penny I spend on it. If I had to stop feeding every supplement but one, this is the one I’d keep. I tried other ulcer preventatives before I started using it and the difference was noticeable.

• SmartHoof Ultimate: switched to this on recommendation from a friend who knows a lot about feet after CA Trace wasn’t quite cutting it. I needed something with no added selenium so that was part of the appeal as well. My horse’s feet have improved a lot since I made the change.

• Lubrisyn: technically for joint support but mostly to make me feel better, lol.

• Elevate Vitamin E: he wasn’t getting enough from his regular diet, confirmed with bloodwork and dosed accordingly, pretty self-explanatory.

• Ground flax: for the omega-3s. My trainer keeps asking me what I use on my horse because he is Very Shiny even when clipped in the dead of winter and I’m pretty sure this is the answer.

• Platinum Skin and Allergy: this isn’t an all-year thing, but something about the spring plants at our barn makes my horse break out in hives, so he’s on it from late February until I use up the tub (usually mid-summer). Works like a charm.

I fully own that this is a lot but he’s been doing so well since I landed on this combo that I’m afraid to change it. I also make up supplement cups every weekend that are identical so that any one of them can be grabbed and dumped for either meal, and then the Alimend and Lubrisyn are liquid pumps. I’ve had no complaints about this method at either barn I’ve been at.

[luvmyhackney]

ProElite GutBiome Gut Microbiome & Immunity Support Horse Supplement

My horse gets stressed out and gets loose poop occasionally for what ever reason. Perfect poops and he is no longer girthy since adding this supplement. He’s chilled out since his tummy doesn’t bother him.

Vitamin E in the winter and ground flax year round.

My cushings pony is on Heiro and I’ve been able to lower his meds dose to 1/2 a pill.

[Renn_aissance]

Assuming that the horse is already eating a diet that meets their macronutrient requirements…

Of all the stuff my horse eats, there are two supplements that have correlated with sustained positive outcomes in his life.

He has anhidrosis. He sweats on Platinum Refresh. Nuff said.

He has Cushings. His ACTH levels were significantly improved on a marine-source omega 3 supplement. I feed Mad Barn W3 Oil, there are others.

He eats other supplements (joint, vitamin E, magnesium/chromium.) If I lost my job tomorrow and had to significantly economize on horsekeeping, I’d keep the Refresh and W3 Oil without a second thought.

[Foxglove]

I feed my older gelding Platinum Performance CJ at the strong recommendation of his orthopedic trained vet --that supplements ingredients and efficacy was also given a nod by a PhD Equine Nutritionist from ADM who spoke at my feedstore —he was early and I was waiting to ask him questions about the supplement. He sat with me while he waited for the rest of the people to come (OK I was the only non-Amish person there). He looked at the ingredients of Platinum Performance CJ, asked what ADM products I was feeding and looked at my hay analysis. He said the Platinum Performance CJ appeared to him to have “everything a horse would need,” and was a “good addition” to the ADM Prime Glo and hay I feed. He said that to buy everything separately that is in Platinum Performance CJ separately, would “probably” cost as much as the CJ itself. He said ADM did not have a product similar and he knew of no other product that was as complete.

The only downside to CJ is it’s cost-- $5/day per horse. But if I was feeding everything separately (look at the ingredients on line) I’d probably be about there anyway. And CJ comes in a really nice bucket. (eye roll).

[Belmont]

I hate their aggressive marketing & the people on the chat forum for the product drive me nuts (like no - this supplement isn’t going to magically unbreak your horses leg) BUT we’ve had excellent results with the 100x.

Both our horses are on Gut-X and Osteo-Max, I keep them on 2 pumps daily.

We got two free bottles from a sponsored trainer that was good friends with their rep, and we just decided to give it a try on my gelding. He did show great improvement with his coat, behavior, and his “snaps crackles and pops” weren’t there anymore. He moves better and is more playful under saddle now. So we started SOs horse on it when he came back from the trainer, and we had the same improvements (except he never snap, crackled, or popped - so I don’t count that one).

It’s expensive, but we really believe it worked for our horses. It’s not going to cure ulcers or permeant lameness, but its made our horses look amazing, shiny, and given them more comfort.

We feed ProVision Pro-Biotic tubes when on the road and showing, and we’re starting both horses on Elevate this year for a vitamin E boost. They also have access to salt constantly.

[spurofthemoment]

I’m trying to keep both my performance horse and senior on the simplest regimen possible. That said, I am currently feeding my OTTB performance horse Outlast. I am planning on eliminating the Outlast through feeding a higher quality grain with a gastric buffer in the formula and adding more alfalfa.

Neither of my horses have any special needs or have had veterinary recommendations for supplements, so I’m trying really hard to not get sucked into the marketing for some of these products.

[Limerick]

I read an interview with the founders of one of the new, prominent supplement companies. It was disturbing to me how into marketing they are and did not seem to care that they are selling untested ingredients for horses to consume! We are so careful about feed and barn routines and yet so many fall for the supplement marketing schemes.

[greysfordays]

The only gut supplement I would recommend and I’ve tried them all (Alimend, Assure Guard Gold, All the Smart Gut, platinum GI, Relyne GI, Ulceraser) is Protek GI.

It was developed by Dr Sykes who has probably done the most robust research on EGUS. He’s a great resource, the company is wonderful to work with. It’s expensive but so is everything else in the list above.

This is a good summary:

Equine vets recommend PROTEK GI and here’s why!

I’ve reduced supplements dramatically and focused on MadBarn Omneity, and Protek and my horse is going well.

[crackerjack]

I’ve been using the Arenus Aleira respiratory supplement for one of mine. He developed a constant cough a few years ago and after scoping and trying different medications, Aleira was the only thing that stopped the cough. My vet does recommend it. The downside is that it’s hideously expensive. I just ordered a container and it was $517.35 CA. There is 90 days worth if you use a full scoop but I’m thankfully able to use half.

I also like Buckeye’s 100 and Flax Appeal for my old guy who lost a lot of weight last year (long story but not to do with his health). I added these two products as well as other feed and my vet is very pleased with the 200lbs he’s gained. He’s shiny and well covered. I will be decreasing the Buckeye’s on the advice of a nutritionist as we don’t want him to get too round!!