Peek in Our Paks: Dee L. & Luna
Ever wish you could take a sneak peek inside our horses’ SmartPaks? Now you can! Check out the supplements we love, for the horses we adore.
Get to Know Luna
- SmartPaker: Dee L. and Luna
- Department: Customer Care Team
- Horse: Luna, 20 year old Connemara cross
- Discipline: Dressage and Leisure
I was searching for a horse for myself and my daughter and found Luna at the Kentucky Equine Adoption Center through MyRightHorse in 2021. We were told she was an adult’s dressage pony, approximately 16 years old, whose owner could no longer keep her. We went to meet her in Kentucky, and a couple of weeks later, she was on her way home to us.
Luna was the perfect pony for us! She is big enough for me to ride, and small enough so that my then 8-year-old daughter would not be overwhelmed. Being an Irish mare, she was a little sassy, but we adored her! Teaching a beginner rider was not her favorite thing, but she begrudgingly taught that wobbly beginner rider how to post!
Get to Know Luna's Supplements
SmartGI® Ultra Pellets
Initially, Luna seemed to settle in well and made friends with our other two horses. However, after a few months, she began acting a little crabby when being asked to move forward. Working with our vet, we did a round of Omeprazole, scoped her, and ultimately determined together that we’d like her to have some kind of daily support for stomach health, too.
That’s how we landed on giving her daily SmartGI® Ultra Pellets. She has had SmartGI Ultra Pellets in her SmartPak since 2001 and hasn’t experienced any further instances of stomach upset! I love that this supplement is backed by research to support her whole GI tract! In the last four years, Luna has had a very busy schedule, which has included lessons, clinics, shows, and beach rides, but I know I can trust and rely on SmartGI Ultra Pellets are helping to keep her happy and healthy!
SmartOmega 3 & E™ Ultra
Unfortunately, we have limited pasture at our farm, so I knew I wanted a vitamin E supplement. The body uses vitamin E as an antioxidant, and it can be used in muscle support. Most horses don’t get enough vitamin E. The omega fatty acids are great for skin, coat, and hoof support. With 1,500 IUs of natural Vitamin E, SmartOmega 3 & E™ Ultra is one of my favorite supplements.
SmartFlex® Pellets
Luna does not have any joint discomfort, and we wanted to keep it that way. She and I do schooling rides, and my daughter has started to use her for Pony Club. Over the last few years, they went from just dressage to jumping two feet (and counting). Because she is getting older and working five days per week, I want to proactively support her joints the best I can. SmartFlex® Pellets include glucosamine, chondroitin, and MSM.
SmartBug-Off® Pellets (seasonally)
Luna is a grey and can be sensitive. I found that fly spray alone was not keeping the bugs off for very long. SmartBug-Off® Pellets does a great job keeping the flies away! This supplement contains apple cider vinegar and garlic to deter the bugs, as well as MSM and Omega 3s to help support the skin's inflammatory response.
Get to Know More
While not in Luna’s SmartPak, she also eats Sainfoin Premium Equine Forage Pellets. I noticed last year she was having a little trouble keeping weight on. First, I checked all the things that can cause a horse to lose weight. She had a dental exam and fecal test done to rule those issues out. Luna eats a forage-based diet, so I knew I wanted to look at forage first. I did a lot of research and decided to try the Sainfoin Premium Equine Forage Pellets. These pellets are low in sugar and starch and do not have any chemicals or pesticides.
When StableFeed says these pellets are palatable, they are not kidding! Luna is the only horse in our barn who needs them, but I give everyone else a small handful as a treat. When they see the bucket at feeding time, all three horses are very excited! Her topline has really benefited from the high-quality protein in the Sainfoin Premium Equine Forage Pellets.