WEEKEND BLOGS ARE DEVOTED TO HEALTH AND HEALING, FOR BOTH OURSELVES AND OUR ANIMALS. THIS ONE WAS WRITTEN BY MY GOOD FRIEND STEPHANIE — THE ZEN COWGIRL — WHO HAS NEVER MET A HORSE SHE COULDN’T WRANGLE, AND WHO HAS REHABILITATED QUITE A FEW, INCLUDING BUNCHES OF MUSTANGS IN POOR HEALTH. GO STEPHANIE!
There’s nothing this zen cowgirl likes better than mixing up home remedies at the kitchen table, especially when it comes to my horses. At the same time, though, I’m a busy gal and my holistic horse health care is usually centered around nutrition that “covers all the bases.” This is especially true if I’m going to be out of town and need someone else to do my chores for me. I find my neighbors get less and less willing to do my horse chores if I make it too difficult for them. Hence, I’ve created a nutritional “goo” that works for just about any horse.
Horse Health Care = Good Nutrition
One of the “shortcuts” I’ve found for keeping my variety of horses healthy (and I have a bunch) is to mix up a nutritional “goo” at the kitchen table. This goo is made of whole food supplements that have proven to build horse health while remaining inexpensive. I calculate that it costs about $30-$40 per month to feed, per horse … not bad when you consider the benefits, which I’ll define in a moment.
But first, what is this strange goo … or is it a strange brew? I have to warn you that this goo does not look appetizing (see the picture in this post) but smells great, and the horses love the taste. I mix:
– 1 bottle XanGo mangosteen juice (750 ml)
– 7 packets Simplexity Essentials (each packet has 1 each acidophilus, bifidus, alpha sun enzyme, omega sun enzyme, and 2 enzymes)
To mix the goo is simple:
1. Drop the capsules from the 7 packets of Essentials into some spring water, enough to cover all the capsules (do not use chlorinated water as this will kill the nutrition in the capsules). I put it all in a large Mason jar to make the next step easier.
2. Allow the capsules to melt. When melted, shake the mixture thoroughly.
3. Add 1 bottle of XanGo mangosteen juice.
4. Store in the refrigerator. Shake before feeding. Add 15-30 ml of this mixture to your horse’s feed, or syringe into the mouth. Give extra at horse shows, when trailering your horse, or when your horse is working hard.
The Horse Health Benefits of This “Strange Brew” Goo
As strange as this goo ends up looking (kind of brown and soupy), the horses love it and the results are quite impressive. Over the years, I have found that this nutritional mixture to have the following effects:
- provides antioxidant protection when a horse is working hard (because of the algae and mangosteen, both of which are antioxidants)
- builds healthy gut bacteria (thanks to the acidophilus and bifidus) and decreases the incidence of colic
- improves digestion for horses that are “hard keepers” (thanks to the enzymes, acidophilis, and bifidus)
- supports healthy skin, along with promoting mane, tail, and hoof growth (since the probiotics promote biotin production)
- reduces the reaction to fly bites and other skin irritations
- increases stamina and daily energy during heavy work (thanks to the algae)
I adjust my horses’ diets accordingly during the different seasons and depending on working conditions, but this “goo” forms the base of my horses’ holistic nutritional program. I feel the cost is inexpensive compared to the cost of dealing with illness, colic, inflammation, and low energy. The best testimonial for this goo, though, is the fact that my horses are progressively healthier, happier, and more competitive than when I brought them home.
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