USING NATURAL THERAPIES FOR HORSES
HORSE HUSBANDRY
Nutrition:
Hi Form products create balance and harmony, by harnessing the power of natural therapy, using non genetically engineered tissue salts, amino acids, trace elements, vitamins and organic or wild crafted herbs – this is the key to their success. Utilising only superior quality ingredients allows maximum absorption and utilisation to occur within the body.
Feeds such as Lucerne and red clover are considered as herbs, and while some herbs have useful medicinal action, be aware - other herbs can also be toxic in high doses.
One of the major arguments for the advocacy of natural medicine for both animals and humans is the overall safety and low toxicity of natural substances.
There has been much argument among doctors, vets, dietitians, nutritionists, trainers, etc. regarding the need for vitamin and mineral supplementation. Some argue that a nutrient dosage as found in a ‘good’ diet or in a standard ‘racing feed regime’ is enough because it meets the Recommended Daily Allowances (RDA’s) of vitamins and minerals needed for optimal nutrition and health. At the same time it is generally accepted for example, that mineral electrolyte supplementation is necessary for horses during and after heavy exercise stress and sweating.
Often horse owners and professionals are using supplements in an unsystematic way, without a clear understanding of their therapeutic uses.
Recommended Daily Allowances for horses do not take into account the individual specific needs and circumstance or the individual stress, disease, injury or genetic status. This is known as biochemical individuality and there is a huge number of instances where an increased dosage, ie. A therapeutic dosage, of a vitamin, mineral or amino acid is efficacious.
Some examples are genetic status, temperament, stress, diseases and injuries
At Hi Form Australia there is an emphasis on natural substances.
No synthetic chemical substances are used in Hi Form Australia formulas, ie. All ingredients can be found in Nature, in the human and animal body, or in food and plants. However, some of our biochemical ingredients are produced in a laboratory including vitamin C, several B group vitamins, and the amino acids. There is a focus on the whole combination rather than the individual ingredient... Synergy.
There is a focus on the anergic biological activity of each ingredient and the form in which it can best be absorbed by the gut, rather than on crude but often pure high gram doses, eg. ... Hi-Form microsalts™, minerals which have been microfined by ultrafine grinding and dispersed through a lactose carrier (known as trituration).
It must be noted that pure chemical substances are often not as well absorbed and metabolised by humans and animals, compared to many organic complexes containing actual lower concentrations of a specific mineral. Perhaps this is because the minerals and vitamins found in human and animal food are not found in a purified form, but rather in complex organic molecules or complex solutions.
There is a focus on prevention before treatment. It is now clear that if a horse experiences stress whether facing a possible viral infection, competing too heavily as a two year old, about to travel on a long float trip, or is just very nervous...... either way, therapeutic nutrient dosing can prevent problems before they occur.
This involves achieving optimum nutrition for the individual. Optimum nutrition means achieving the right mix and amount of nutrients necessary for peak health and stress prevention. This is an ideal, and obviously difficult to access since it varies with the individual and specific circumstances. However, clinical biochemists are now suggesting some Recommended Optimal Allowances (ROA’s) instead of RDA’s.
The whole idea of natural therapies is to treat the whole horse not just the ailment and to treat by using preventative measures, on a long-term basis. To achieve OPTIMUM HEALTH is the key to a longer life.
