KATE’S COLUMN


ASK KATE –MAKING AN ANGEL OF YOUR MARE by Kate Hore


RNutr (Animal).Snr Nutritionist at NAF


Anyonewhoownsamarewill knowit can bring itsownunique challenges –sweet and lovely one day, ears pinned back and uncooperativethe next!Ifshe is experiencing seasonal problems the last thing on her mind isworkingwell,sohowdoweregain control? Theveterinaryapproach of using hormones is far fromideal being expensive, difficult and potentially dangerous to administer yourself. Before yougiveupand go out and buy a gelding it isworthconsidering the issue fully. Duringseasonal stress the ovariesmay


becomepainful.Situatedrelatively high up,behind wherethe saddle sits,itislittle wonder thatshe becomes sensitiveto grooming,tacking up or pressureduring riding.Soreness can also affecther abilityto use her quarters and lengthen strides to their maximum. So even if she is concentrating youmay find that herworkisnot as good as normal.The other issue,ofcourse,is lack of concentration if she’s the type to be distractedbythe boys,ortrying to ascertain her placeasalpha mareinthe pack. In the wild the marecould supplement


herowndiet with specificherbs,but in these days of uniformpastureshe relies on us to supplementher diet accordingly.Look forblends thataddress both comfortand behaviour.Naturally sourcedantioxidants can help to flush out the free radical toxins associatedwith soreness,working with key herbs such as Crampbark, which is named forits traditional use formuscle cramps.


18 APRIL 2017


Theinclusion ofmagnesium is oftenuseful heretoo as lack ofmagnesium has been associatedwith muscle cramping in horses. It’s not just Crampbarkwherethe herbsname tells us the action. Consider‘Chaste’Berry, also knownas‘Monks Pepper’. It historically gained this latternameas it looks like pepper, tastesabit like pepper,andwastraditionally used to keep monks concentrating on their bibles,rather than mindswandering to less scholarlymatters! So the rightchoiceofherbs to steady her behavioural whims is strongly recommendedalongside those forcomfort. Although itmaynot be obvious,there


is an association withmoodymares and weighttoo.Research has shownthatexcess weightcan adversely affectbehaviour.So if your grumpymareiscarrying toomuch ‘condition’then getting her fitand trim will not only help her general health, but should improvehermoodswings too. Therightherbal blend can help heretoo, by supporting healthymetabolism. In conclusion, by providing the right


combination of natural antioxidants, key herbal supportand bio-available magnesium youcan supportyour mare comfortably through her seasons,giving youyour sweet,concentrating mareback. SuitableNAF Products: Oestress • Oestress Liquid • Slim Forfurther information or adviceplease call theNAFFree NutritionalAdviceLine on0800373106 or email info@naf-uk.com


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