Equilibrate Horsenutrition SA

02/12/2025

Borrowed little Welsh Section A, 14 year old mare, has contracted biliary. What a nasty surprise as she has been in the current environment for a year and is regularly treated with an anti tick spray. Thankfully it was caught early as I'm very hands on daily and noticed that she was "off". Eating her forage, but not with the usual enthusiasm. Initially I considered colic, but a friend who has long lived in the area, reminded me it was likely biliary. It hadn't entered ny mind because of the aforesaid. The vet confirmed with a slide having taken bloods for both biliary and theleria testing. Treatment was immediately initiated. I opted for Berenil that is less likely to provoke colic (per vet) and I have past good experience of it.
Because of its shorter action, it is often preferred as a first line of defense, as it gives the animal a chance to build its own immunity against Babesia bovis (Asiatic redwater), while providing temporary relief from the active infection.

Little Princess was also given pyroflam (flunixin) antinflammatory and painkiller. Her temperature was immediately reduced, but has fluctuated over the past couple of days, indicating that the disease is actively being fought.

Her diet consists of a variety of forages and a complete supplement, Equilibrate CHF, also containing nutraceuticals MSM, glucosamine and chondroitin. These ingredients are antinflammatory, analgesic and help maintain and repair the muscular skeletal system and support liver function.
I always feed something succulent daily, but have slightly increased her share of excellent and palatable fibre sources carrots, sweet potato and apples (pectin a type of soluble fibre that is a natural bulk forming laxative. It helps normalise bowel movements, relieving both constipation and diarrhea). to support digestion.
She is otherwise of good health and weight, though walking wounded as a consequence of a nasty injury, the result of a dark past.
She enjoys a stress free environment that is conducive to a rapid recovery. And because my horses, whatever their breeding and origins, whether Pavement Landings or Racecorse Royalty, receive my best care, the added support of medical grade CBD for anxiety, pain relief and stimulating appetite.

07/11/2025

I've written on this subject previously. The Power of branding and marketing.

Companies spent millions on the branding and marketing òf their products. Eliciting testimonials from famous people to endorse their products. Why? Because it's known to increase sales.

Before choosing a product, consider the claims for efficacy. Wide coverage of ailments and issues, and wild claims are unlikely to be true.

Consider price. Price is a factor but doesn't ensure quality. You may be funding the companies expensive branding, marketing and overheads.

The most important point to understand is to learn to read labels. Be discerning and knowledgeable about the ingredients. Read the analysis. Know what effective levels of the various ingredients are. Many are simply fillers, unnecessary but sound impressive.

If the information is unavailable on the packaging ask for assistance and or talk to the concerned company😉.

30/10/2025

Alwynsdal is where I'm so very fortunate to be able to keep my pony (thank you Sandra) together with her little loan companion, (always grateful Cilla, she's a darling). It's 6 hectares of fynbos and native grasses, which is absolutely excellent for easy keepers, with little fear of metabolic problems arising.
Alwynsdal is situated about 4km inland and at approximately 50m above sea level. Consequently strong winds are frequent, but this means that flies and midges are minimal. Sea winds mean that moisture laden with salt and iodine are deposited. Salt is invaluable and iodine is essential for thyroid function,
supporting brain development, aiding in energy production, and helping maintain a healthy immune system.
I have ever recommended that horses are managed outside whenever and as much as possible. And fed a roughage based diet. Long before the idea gained popularity. I've been accused of being extreme (out there) in my ideas of management and of showing off when I fed my Tb oats, preferring straights to compound feeds. Merrylegs being a pony and only lightly worked, ridden 2 to 3 times per week, (thanks Alta and occasionally other riding buddies), does perfectly well on a forage diet comprising oathay, teff and lucerne. She receives an oathay/lucerne chaff to deliver her supplement. That is my own Equilibrate CHF, comprising minerals, vitamins and nutraceuticals. In existence now for 20 years in SA and formerly similar in the UK.

My very rudimentary but servicable and adequate setup is a shadecloth wrapped shelter, with roof plates on top.
This provides a sturdy wind and rain proof shelter. Cool thanks to the shadecloth above which also reduces the noise of rain. The shelter is specifically designed for ponies and fronts a small container where I keep forage and other small necessities. This enables me to work in all weathers between shelter and the container.

Our water supply is piped in and of human quality, as supplied by the local Municipality. I have had a shadecloth structure erected over our water. This reduces evaporation and maintains a cooler water temperature while also reducing algea.

Merrylegs is ridden in a 16.5" Wintec Enduro that I love. It's supportive, safe and fits her like a glove. Her bridle is without a noseband. I've had it for 30 plus years. It formerly belonged to my 7/8ths Arab/Thoroughbred/ Welsh Cob and subsequently to my SA Thoroughbred who had a small head. Or perhaps Merrylegs has a big head.
Her bit is a loose ring mullen naithe. I prefer a bit because it provides a direct and precise contact rather than multiple, potentially confusing pressure points. It is quite useless when she has a variance of opinion to mine. Fortunately I have learned, after riding mostly geldings who are more guidable or gullible, to compromise. And most of the time we share each other's aims.

Merrylegs and companion Misty are seen by the dentist annually, have their feet trimmed every 6 weeks and routine antihelmintics.
Merrylegs, shy of 14 has never needed veterinary attention. I like to think this is due to her species appropriate lifestyle. And of course, Lady Luck.

30/10/2025

This is 6 weeks growth in winter. A full 1cm. Trimmed every 6 weeks. Barefoot, out 24/7 in 6 hectares of rough ground and ridden 2 to 3 times per week.
Quality mixed diet of oathay, lucerne and teff. And indispensable CHF.

29/10/2025

29/10/2025

24/09/2025

There's far greater awareness and acknowledgement of the needs of horses in terms of space, turnout, companions, feed and forage. Training is being scrutenised and there's been the advent of several variations of "natural horsemanship", whose objective is to provide kinder and more empathetic methodologies to hopefully, encourage better understanding and communication between horses and humans. And to ensure longer relationships and injury free longevity.

Unfortunately there remain trainers that operate "behind closed doors" who use exceedingly abusive training methods. Once again its the very exploited, vulnerable, recycled, otherwise discardable Thoroughbred who are in this production line.
We are not necessarily talking rolkur or rapping,
but tack that is inappropriately applied and harsh bitting that results in injuries and even deaths.
This is often happening under people's noses and locally ignored due to ignorance and perhaps for convenience and certainly because people who may observe, will not speak out.
Who will educate the next generation of riders and horse owners if those with the knowledge to recognise incorrect and abusive practices, signs of pain and discomfort will not come forward?
Areas of concern:
Yards or trainers that do not provide adequate
turnout, with sufficient forage/ grazing to keep the horses occupied and plenty of palatable water. It should not need to be said but apparently it does.

And who do not provide
stables of correct size, with clean bedding forage and methods of enrichment.

Who use tack incorrectly. E.g. ill fitting saddles, overtight nosebands, harsh bits or reversed bits, overused spurs and whips.

Who do not get timely veterinary interventions.

Who do not permit personal trainers or don't allow observation of their training methods is exceedingly suspect.

Please have the courage and the morals to defend those without a voice. Or share with someone who does.