Dosages
I wanted to discuss dosages with everyone to make it a little easier for people to understand.
There is not really one dose that fits all and I am happy to work out suitable dosages with anyone that needs help.
The dosages on the packets are a guide only, like us they may need adjusting as some horses may be maintained on a lesser dose than others and some may need a higher dose.
If you feel your horse just isn't quite right on recommended maintenance dose please message or call me and we can discuss an alternative.
At the bottom of this post I have put a guide to dosages for different sized horses.
Each supplement comes in its own package as getting the correct daily dose is very important. The reason I do not sell pre made mixes is because it is difficult to guarantee the correct dose of each. Putting a scoop in a mix and taking out 20 grams you can't guarantee there is 10 grams of one supplement, 5 grams of another and 5 grams of a third. Hence why I prefer customers to measure them out separately to ensure they get the correct daily dose to build up in their system and be effective.
Now on my labels is 3 different types of dosages:
✦ Loading dose - As these are supplements and not drugs they need time to build up in the horses body to be effective. The recommended time is 2 weeks on the higher loading dose before dropping back to the maintenance dose for the long term.
These supplements best work over long periods and are completely safe using long term. Only using them for a day or a week here and there will not be effective.
✦ Maintenance dose - This is your long term dosage to maintain the levels and efficiency of the supplements in your horse. They should be fed daily. This is best suited for prevention and horses that are sound with no issues present. If arthritis or other issues present then stress dose is more suitable.
✦ Stress dose - The stress dose should be used when your horse is sick or injured.
As the MSM is a natural anti inflammatory and pain relief it is very effective helping when your horse gets sick. Anything that requires some pain relief and inflammation which ranges from cuts, ulcers, skin issues, eye issues etc..... the list goes on.
When MSM is required on stress dose it is best to split the dose into morning and night feeds but if this is not possible once a day is fine.
The Glucosamine stress dose is best used when the injury is joint specific.
Stress dose is also used long term for horses that have a long term condition such as showing signs of arthritis or other possible ailments. Stress dose is also recommended long term for horses over the ages of 20.
Again discussing these conditions is best and working out the appropriate long term dose.
I myself weigh out all my feeds every morning with a cheap set of kitchen scales. With the supplements you can just weight them once at the start to see roughly how much your recommended dose fits into a scoop you may have and use that daily.
If you do not have scales though this may help to figure out how much to give.
Glucosamine is a lot finer than MSM so in teaspoons these are roughly 5 Grams
A level teaspoon is roughly 5 grams of Glucosamine
A heaped teaspoon is roughly 5 grams of MSM.
Dosages for Ponies
MSM:
Loading - 15g/day
Stress - 15g/day
Maintenance - 8g/day
Glucosamine:
Loading - 8g/day
Stress - 8g/day
Maintenance - 4g/day
Dosages for 500kg Horses
MSM:
Loading - 20g/day
Stress - 20g/day
Maintenance - 10g/day
Glucosamine:
Loading - 10g/day
Stress - 10g/day
Maintenance - 5g/day
Dosages for 600kg Horses
MSM:
Loading - 30g/day
Stress - 30g/day
Maintenance - 15g/day
Glucosamine:
Loading - 15g/day
Stress - 15g/day
Maintenance - 8g/day
Dosages for 700kg Horses
MSM:
Loading - 40g/day
Stress - 40g/day
Maintenance - 20g/day
Glucosamine:
Loading - 20g/day
Stress - 20g/day
Maintenance - 10g/day
A joint pack on maintenance dose will last:
Ponies - 250 days
500kg horses - 200 days
600kg horses - 133 days
700kg horses - 100 days
For your first time feeding and including the 2 weeks of loading dose minus 14 days off the above lengths.
Measurements:
I have had a lot of people lately ask about scoops and measurements. The reason I don't put scoops in packets is because its not one dose fits all.
The best way to get accurate is go to one of those cheap $1 shops, Kmart, Big W or some shop similar and they sell really cheap kitchen scales you can weigh your dosages out.
Though for some supps for example Mycosorb that has most on 10g daily I am looking into scoops.
For msm and glucosamine I did some measuring again of my own and including pictures so you can see the type of spoons I used.
MSM - heaped teaspoon - 5g
MSM - level tablespoon - 18g
Glucosamine - level teaspoon - 5g
Glucosamine - level tablespoon - 20g
Glucosamine is a finer grain so less in the spoon makes up 5g
Feel free to message/call with any questions or help required for dosages for your animals.
MSM and Glucosamine are available in store on their own or together in a cost effective joint pack
MSM available in store: Click here
Glucosamine available in store: Click here
Joint packs available in store: Click here