It’s cold outside. The weather is playing havoc with my older horse. She’s uncomfortable and not moving around like she should. I’m debating whether I should give her some bute or not. It usually makes her more comfortable in weather like this, but I hate to keep her on bute all the time.
I would prefer natural supplements, but I’ve tried Devils Claw in the past and it just couldn’t get the job done. What are my choices?
Devil’s Claw: This may still be an option. In the past, I’ve used the ground plant. Recently, I’ve read that the ground whole herb, devil’s claw, can have between 0% and 4% harpagosides. Perhaps the Devil’s Claw that I purchased in the past was from a plant that had little harpagosides in it. If that was the case, a product like My Best Horse Devil’s Claw 4:1, which is a concentrated form, would have a greater concentration of harpagosides in it.
Ultra-micronized PEA (palmitoylethanolamide): This is a newer supplement for helping a horse. As a natural substance that the body already makes, it was first discovered in the 1950’s. However, it was too expensive to make in quantities that would make it useful. Technology has now made this possible.
One of the drawbacks of PEA is that it is poorly absorbed. Studies have shown that you can increase absorption with a smaller particle size, but not all the PEA available on the market is the small size. The larger particle size is cheaper, readily available, and not as well absorbed. Additionally, labs only test for the presence of PEA, not the size of the particle. I may think that I’m purchasing the ultra-micronized, when in fact, it’s not. My Best Horse Ultra-micronized PEA is the small particle size.
Ultra-micronized PEA still can’t get the job done? Supercharge it with the addition of Mov-Ease. This proprietary bioflavonoid pairs well with the PEA to supercharge its effectiveness.
There are other choices available too. For instance, high potency Turmeric EX or Resveratrol 98% are also great products to help with nutritional support of chronic issues.
There are more natural options available than ever before. This means that you have more choices on products to help your horse.
This is not veterinary advice, and you should always defer to the advice of your veterinarian.