Sunday, January 19, 2014

Natural Horse Supplements Provide an Alternative to Synthetic Pharmaceuticals

Natural horse supplements are a major growth component within the equine industry. The trend of horse owners and trainers to use natural and herbal supplements in health maintenance has continued to increase at an average rate of approx 5% per year. Despite being an unregulated market segment, some horse lovers have found that natural supplements have been providing many benefits to their horses. Informed consumers and several professional organizations are helping to promote a more natural solution which is closer to the horse’s natural needs as an alternative to synthetic pharmaceutical offerings.

Many horse owners have turned to natural horse supplements for a number of reasons. Natural horse supplements began to grow in popularity during 2007 when there was a serious situation stemming from tainted animal feed products imported from Asia.  Adding to the ease of choosing natural supplements has been the growth of information sources on the internet, especially with online forums hosted by professional veterinary and nutrition organizations. This has resulted in a more informed consumer with a lot of discussion about various supplements and their performance.

Natural horse supplements come in many forms, for many purposes and are believed to offer several advantages in contrast to synthetic formulas. To begin, supplements are used to supply the vitamins and minerals which may not be present in the hay currently being fed to many horses. Horses typically receive the bulk of their nutritional needs from their hay, yet hay is a very regional matter and much depends on the local soil and acidity. Each horse’s metabolic and digestive system is unique and some horses will need more of one substance than another. Balancing the need for enzymes, fatty acids and replacing mineral and nutritional requirements that are not found in the hay being supplied is essential to the full health program of a horse.

Natural supplements eliminate the preservatives and additives of synthetic products that can adversely affect digestion and which may also do harm to the intestinal tract of horses.  Synthetic supplements carry the burden of additives and preservatives and ingredients that may often have side effects. Synthetic bonding agents often carry into the horse’s system undesirable chemicals and metals that potentially can have serious adverse effects.

One proud member of NASC is Cheryl Price of Emerald Valley Natural Health (http://emeraldvalleyequine.com), a supplier of many high quality natural supplements and located in Exeter, NH. She states that "the NASC seal provides consumers with the assurance they are buying a product from a reputable company that has successfully completed a facility audit. NASC members must agree to adhere to NASC’s quality standards, which include submitting to an independent audit to ensure conformance with quality system requirements." Emerald Valley is a member of the National Animal Supplement Council and certified to display the NASC Seal of Quality. She further adds "Our products are manufactured with purified water, under strict batch control and quality guidelines, in a licensed facility. This is the important difference in the quality, effectiveness and reliability of our products. There is no alcohol in our solutions, only the natural herbs that help invigorate the horse in your life, naturally."

According to the American Botanical Council’s HerbalGram, in spite of the difficult economy, sales of herbal supplement sales increased by 5.5 % in 2012 (HebralGram Issue 99 p.65). This certainly demonstrates a growing preference for natural supplements by consumers.

In general, natural supplements are regularly used to address such health issues as digestive support and intestinal problems as well as horses with joint and bone maintenance conditions that require additions to their diet either from age or training regimens. Increasing the effects of missing vitamins and minerals lacking in hay is also a prime consideration for use of natural supplements. Almost all horses will benefit from high quality nutritional aids for hoof and coat health. Horses may also gain protection from virus and other ailments with natural supplements that focus on providing immune enhancement. Horses with behavioral issues from previous training or handling experiences, hormone imbalance, metabolic disorders, and those in need of weight gain are also beneficiaries of natural and herbal based supplements.

The use of vitamins and minerals for a specific problem or deficiencies in the horse’s diet is an important part of natural horse care. Using only a proper amount as an additive and monitoring results provides insurance against over dosage and toxicity.  These natural substances are used to compensate for loss during stress, exercise or training. Use of natural supplements at the onset of a problem in digestion, hoof care or weight maintenance may help eliminate the need for pharmaceutical therapy later on and at greater expense.

There have been a number of studies about the health benefits of certain natural supplements for various ailments and the results, in some areas, indicate a positive outcome.

As with any supplement, a prudent horse owner or trainer will consult with their veterinarian, follow the latest information from organizations such as the National Animal Supplement Council (NASC), and purchase only from reliable vendors who are not making exaggerated claims.
Emerald Valley Natural Health
41 Industrial Drive, Units 11 & 12,
Exeter, NH 03833
888-638-8262
info@emeraldvalleyequine.com
http://emeraldvalleyequine.com

Article Source: http://www.newswire.net/newsroom/financial/00079296-natural-horse-supplements.html

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