Equine America Better Bones (Equine)

Better Bones Pellets are a carefully researched combination of key minerals, vitamin D3, collagen and amino acids, to support correct bone growth and development in young, growing horses, including young racehorses and performance horses entering training, as well as broodmares.

The skeletal development and health of a young horse begins in utero, and ensuring the broodmare receives the correct intake of key nutrients will be critical to the growth of the unborn foal. Producing high-quality milk places a significant drain on the nutrient reserves of the mare, and maintaining mineral intakes during peak lactation is vital to ensure the foal receives the best nutrition to support the rapid skeletal development in the early weeks and months of growth.

Mineral and other nutrient imbalances in growing youngstock have been recognised for some time as a potential factor in the incidence and severity of developmental skeletal abnormalities, and although genetics and environmental factors can also play a significant role, breeders and trainers can exert a significant degree of control over the nutrition of the horses in their care, ensuring they receive optimum levels of key nutrients.

Young performance horses, such as racehorses, or young showjumpers, dressage or event classes taking part in age-restricted classes, are expected to train and race or compete where significant stresses are placed upon immature bones and joints. Whilst there are many factors than can result in skeletal problems in young performance horses, ensuring that the correct nutrients are provided to support maximising bone density will help ensure optimum bone strength and may reduce the incidence and severity of bone injury.

Better Bones can also be fed to horses on long term box rest, when the enforced inactivity can result in bone de-mineralisation, making the horse more vulnerable to further injury when work recommences. 

What are the benefits of Better Bones Pellets?

Calcium is one of the most important minerals in bone, and accounts for nearly 35% of equine bone, as well as playing key roles in muscle and nerve function. Calcium is provided from a combination of organic and inorganic sources, to ensure optimum bio-availability, including marine algae, calcium gluconate, dicalcium phosphate and alfalfa.

Phosphorus accounts for around 15% of bone, and also plays key roles in energy and fat metabolism.

Magnesium  - about 60% of the magnesium in the horse’s body is found in the skeleton (and around 30% in the muscles). Magnesium is provided from marine algae.

Vitamin D3  - plays a key role in the correct metabolism of calcium

Collagen and amino acids – Collagen is a protein, and along with other key amino acids, provides a structure for calcium, phosphorus and other minerals to add strength and harden the framework or skeleton.  This combination of collagen and minerals makes  bone both strong and flexible enough to withstand the stresses of normal physical exertion.

Copper, zinc, manganese and silicon – are key trace minerals, provided from a combination of organic and inorganic sources to help ensure optimum bio-availability, and they all play key roles in bone growth and development.