You will often hear companies who manufacture supplements for horses talking about ‘health from within’ but what do we actually mean when we use this phrase?

Just like humans, the horse has a great number of requirements to remain in perfect health. This includes fresh air, plenty of exercise, free access to grazing and above all, a balanced diet. Just like a car requires the right fuel, oil, break fluid etc to function efficiently, the horse needs the right nutrients and lifestyle for optimum health.

There are times when all the horse’s needs may not be met. Perhaps his diet isn’t meeting his needs, or added stress to the body such as hard exercise or illness have increased requirements. Under these circumstances, the body will prioritise the major organs as without these functioning fully the body is in extreme danger. With the major organs such as the heart, lungs, brain and liver taking their supply of nutrients first, areas like the hooves, skin and hair may suffer if there are not enough nutrients to go round.

Experienced horse owners will know straight away if their horse ‘isn’t right’. As well as poor performance, they may develop a dull coat, dry skin, lack the sparkle in their eyes and have poor hoof quality over time. No matter how much grooming & hoof conditioner is used, their condition will not improve, as there is a fundamental issue on the inside causing their lack-lustre appearance. Many illnesses also display their symptoms externally. The horse is not able to tell us how he feels, but if he is coughing, we know he is fighting an infection or allergy. If he is lame or stiff, he could be in pain or be suffering from inflammation. If a cut or wound is slow to heal his immune system is under-performing. When we talk about ‘health from within’, the health of all the components on the inside of the body, are exhibited on the surface. If your horse is healthy on the inside you will be able to see it clearly on the outside.

Probably the most popular supplement for maintaining general health in horses is Garlic. Garlic has been traditionally used for centuries, for the respiratory system, blood, immune system and to ward off parasites. More recently, some research has highlighted the risk of Heinz body anaemia when feeding garlic to horses. This is caused by certain natural chemicals within the garlic which are toxic to some animals. Inno-Scent Garlic from Brinicombe Equine is a carefully manufactured garlic extract. It uses both water and oil fractions to create an almost nature-identical version of garlic, but the potentially toxic chemicals have been excluded. As a manufactured product, consistency is guaranteed with Inno-Scent – there is no seasonal variation, batch difference which could affect its nutritional content. Inno-Scent is a reliable, and safe form of feeding all the goodness of garlic with none of the risks.