Re: Re: Re: Supplimenting endurance horses

["Susan Garlinghouse" <suendavid@worldnet.att.net>]

> I am planning on competing my gelding shoeless. He has had one set of
shoes
> in his life(he's 5) and has no hoof problems.  I
> want to put him on a hoof supplement and joint supplement as "preventative
> maintenance". Any recommendations?


If he already has good hoof quality, I'm not sure you would see much
improvement, but assuming the diet quality is already good, you could put
him onto a biotin supplement as a "won't hurt" supplement.  It doesn't help
every horse, but seems to improve horn quality in a lot of horses.  I happen
to like Paragon Biotin Plus as being the most bang for your buck, but it
does also contain yucca in small amounts, which technically could test
positive as salicylates.  Withdrawing it a few days before a ride should be
enough.

As for joint supplements, there's increasing data that the molecule *is*
absorbed by the gut to at least some extent and ends up where it's supposed
to, but there's still alot of question about how much is absorbed and how
much isn't (and therefore wasted).  Since the stuff isn't cheap, my
suggestion is to stick with the injectable forms (ie, Adequan and/or
Legend).  The cost per dose is considerably higher, but it does have real
data that utilization is *much* higher, and therefore ends up being the more
cost effective of the two.

JMO.

Susan G