point of view
Love the Product – Join the Company
by Michael and Nathalie Pollard of Georgia, has a blossoming career which includes fifth place in October at Fair Hill International CCI3* and two runs at the Rolex Kentucky CCI4*. Along with the Thoroughbred Wonderful Will, the couple together has a string of 14 competition horses and seven broodmares, and they breed event horses by mixing Thoroughbred with Belgian and Holsteiner lines. For the Pollards, Wonderful Will is a special horse
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that they have to manage carefully since he has always been prone to ulcers and digestive problems. Will’s finicky eating habits combined with his hefty competition schedule left Michael struggling to get Will to eat while they were competing in Europe last summer. “We tried everything; lots of carrots, more molasses, whatever he wanted, but nothing was working,” says Michael. Will was going downhill. Since Nathalie’s family is from Belgium, they
contacted Peter Bollen, founder of Cavalor, a Belgium- based feed and supplement company. What attracted the Pollards to the Cavalor feed were its high quality, low processed, low molasses all-natural characteristics. Peter worked with Michael and recommended a specific feed program for Will, and soon they were amazed at his transformation. Not only did Will like the new feed, but after a few weeks he was banging and begging for his grain—something he had never done before. Better yet, Will’s muscle tone developed so much that other people at the training center in Germany began inquiring about what feed he was on. Coincidentally, the Pollard’s had been on the lookout
for investing in an equine-related business. As fate would have it, the young North American division of Cavalor needed help, and the Pollards were up to the task. They struck a deal and late in 2010, Michael and Nathalie became partners in the business. Michael is now CEO of Cavalor Inc. (
www.cavalor.us) and Nathalie serves as Managing Partner. Their goal is to spread the word in the United States, Canada and Mexico about this unique high-end, highly digestible feed, designed for performing sport horses. In fact, half of the horses at the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games were fed
66 May/June 2011 by Liz Cornell
he pressure of competing internationally at three- and four-star three-day events can take its toll on any horse. Top event horse Wonderful Will, owned
sport horse snippets
Michael Pollard competing Wonderful Will in Europe. Photo by Leslie Threlkeld
Cavalor. The Cavalor product line has been popular in Europe for over 20 years and is not as well know in the states, so the Pollards have their work cut out for them in the competitive nutritional market. “Because we use the products with our own
performance and breeding horses and have had such great results, we are excited about educating the Americans about the benefits of Cavalor,” states Michael. “Americans in general are in a health food craze right now, as they should be. I see that trend transferring into what they feed their horses, and we believe Cavalor fits that need.” And as for Wonderful Will, Michael admits, “He still
looks forward to his meals. He constantly reminds us why joining the Cavalor team was the right decision. He’s in top form, and I’m excited to continue his eventing career at the three and four- star levels.”
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Michael and Nathalie and their three children, Sebastian, Phineas and Sterling. Photo courtesy the Pollards
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