Supplements you use that work?

[PNWjumper]

I have a base diet that all horses get: high quality orchard grass hay, LMF Super Supplement or LMF Showtime grain, and Platinum Performance supplement.

Most of my horses only get the above. But from there I add on things as necessary:

My older FEI jumper gets Platinum Performance CJ formula
My 2 stomach-y/ulcer-y horses get a flake of alfalfa, SmartDigest Ultra, and Apple Cider Vinegar top dressed
My young growing mare who needed more bulk recently went on Purina Super Sport (high protein)
And one of my ulcery horses recently also went on Purina Outlast (a gut support supp)

When I go to shows I also add in two Chinese Herbs; Stomach Happy (for the ulcery horses) and Body Sore

[nefferdun]

My experience of what supplements work comes from having Lyme Disease. I posted about my very lame horse and everyone who responded said to put him down. I was following vet’s orders giving him Prevacox, injections and then bute. Facing a terminal decision I decided to use what worked for me.

About four days ago, I just started him on Low Dose Naltrexone, which is very good for arthritis, pain, inflammation, cancer and autoimmune diseases. It blocks the opiate receptors to trigger the release of massive amounts of endorphins. This helps boost the immune system and has a calming effect. I am trying to find out the right dosage for him. I believe 10 mg once a day. He put a little weight on that foot today. I sure hope it helps him and if it does, I will let you know. It helped me when I was really sick.It also helped to regulate my thyroid. I am going back on it myself. My dog was just diagnosed with cancer and he is going on it as soon as my order comes. You can have a compounding pharmacy make it for you or just buy the 50 mg pills and mix it yourself (never give 50 mg!). People take 3-5 mg and small pets get .03 per pound of body weight but at the upper end of the weight, you give much less.

I give him HA, which benefited my joints and Methionine which helped my pain from tendonitis. Someone on LDN4Pets told me to use Boron, which I know nothing about so added just a pinch.

Today an abscess broke open and is draining. The vet and i had no idea there was an infection.

Another wonder supplement is magnesium citrate if you have a spooky or nervous horse. Work up to 1 Tablespoon. Do not use magnesium oxide, which is what they put in most feed, because it is cheap. It is just a stool softener.

If you have a horse with EPSM, acetyl L Carntine does wonders. Horses that have trouble going into the canter, holding their hind legs up for the farrier, have a short stride or buck when entering the canter might benefit from it. I gave a tablespoon with about 1/4 cup of corn oil.

Jiaogulan is helpful for a horse that has laminitis. Feed about one teaspoon on an empty stomach without food.

Chaste Tree berry is helpful when a horse first get Cushings disease.

[Cynical25]

Easy keeper is fat on Bermuda grass with no grain:

• SmartVite Thrive gives him a personality spark that he didn’t have before starting it, and he’s extremely shiny despite me rarely grooming
• Farriers Formula made a huge difference for his thin, tender soles
• AniMed Histall H stopped the snotty nose & runny eyes from pollen allergies, and appears to be minimizing his usual fly bite allergy reactions
• Smart Bug-Off for his bug allergy. He hasn’t had a serious bug bite reaction since I started feeding it 3 years ago, but not sure if that is from this supplement, the other sups, or that he just grew out of having said vet-needs-to-come-out reactions, but I’m too scared to stop feeding it.

[EmilyM]

Platinum performance Equine: I use it as a multivitamin. All of the horses on it blossom in their coat and in their weight.
Quiessence for calming: i think it works the best.