Peek in Our Paks: Nancy B. & Donovan
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 Donovan
- SmartPaker: Nancy B.
- Department: Office Coordinator
- Horse: Donovan, 7 yo Curly Mustang gelding
- Discipline: Western Dressage/Ranch Riding/Versatility
When Donovan came into my life, I was not officially looking for another horse. I had recently lost my pony after many years together, and my Quarter Horse gelding was in his 30’s. So while the idea was there, the action was still a ways off. Or so I thought.
Donovan, aka "D", was a 3-month-old colt when he found me. My pony had been a Bashkir Curly, and given that I loved the breed, I subsequently found a community of fellow Curly aficionados on social media. D’s breeder is a friend of mine from this group who always has the prettiest pinto foals, and one day, as I was scrolling Facebook, I saw that she had posted pics of that spring’s babies. There were 7 of them. His picture was in the middle and he immediately caught my attention. It became instantly clear in that moment that the next chapter of my horse life was about to begin.
He arrived in Massachusetts, from Kentucky, just before the 2020 pandemic locked the country down tight. At that point, he had recently been weaned at 10 months old. He arrived semi-feral and not sure how he felt about this sudden shift his life had taken, but he adapted quickly and has continued to grow and amaze me every step of the way. At the moment, we are still in the initial training process. Some life upheavals (mine, not his) have slowed our progress a bit, but we are ever closer to achieving our biggest goals, and the hope is that we will excel in my favorite western disciplines!
Get to Know Donovan's Supplements
SmartDigest Ultra
From the beginning, I knew that when I started his SmartPaks, I would put D on SmartDigest Ultra (it comes in pellets, too!). My Quarter Horse had been on it with great results, and I wanted the added benefit of ColiCare, as well. My Quarter Horse had experience some tough digestive issues, mostly due to age, but this supplement made such a big difference in his comfort level and quality of life, to which I’ll always be grateful. So there was no question I would immediately start my young horse on it, too.
SmartVite Thrive
D has been on a ration balancer since he arrived here, but I still wanted to make sure he had all the vitamins and nutrients he needed to have a well-rounded diet and not miss out on the most vital ones. I reached out to our Customer Care Team to help me determine what might work best for him, given his age and circumstances, and they brought up SmartVite Thrive as a good option for that. He’s been on it from day one and really likes it.
Smart & Simple Garlic
Like most horses, D is not fond of bugs. I wanted a supplement that was a simpler solution to fending them off, that would also be beneficial in other ways, and so far, Smart & Simple Garlic has been living up to my expectations (and it smells amazing!). He also tends to be rather itchy, and this has helped soothe the irritation he feels. I also like the added benefit of respiratory and immune support, and, given that it’s my favorite seasoning (I’m Italian so it runs in my veins, I swear!), I was aware of all the human benefits to it and find it fascinating that it’s just as good for horses, too.
Elevate Maintenance Powder
Living in the Northeast can be challenging for a lot of reasons. One is a lack of Vitamin E, so this was just as important to me to have D on as the SmartDigest. The 1,000 IUs of bioavailable natural Vitamin E in Elevate Maintenance Powder helps maintain healthy nerve and muscle function, as well as support a healthy immune system. And while fresh, green grass is a good supplier of it, here, that’s hard to come by. So finding a supplement that acts as a natural alternative was top of my list.
Get to Know More
Donovan’s most favorite thing in the whole world is when I put Mrs. Pastures Original Cookies into his Shires Treat Ball. He chases that toy around like a kid at recess, and heaven help anyone that gets in his way or attempts to remove it (even when empty!). He also loves Peppermint Equi Treats and prefers his hay to be in a SmartPak Slow Feed Hay Bag. This boy loves to eat!
While his introduction to my life was an unexpected surprise, I am so grateful for every moment I get to spend with him. As a lifelong horse lover, who had two wonderful geldings that I grew up with, then witnessed them age before seeing them gently to the other side, starting over with a weanling has been quite an experience. But it’s been such an amazing one that I wouldn’t change a minute of. I have learned so much in these 6
+ years and look forward to all the dreams he and I will continue to fetch on this wild adventure together!
