News

NAF: Winter is the time for MAGIC!

Friday, 01 October 2021

As the nights draw in and the weather draws colder, our horses tend to become a little sharper or ‘fresh’, in particular with clipped skin and for those stabled for longer periods. For some of us, the winter means less riding due to work hours and available light, for those of us with the facility of lighted surfaces they have the added advantage of riding in the evening, however, the weather can be colder and the horse can be somewhat ‘cold-backed’ and take longer to work to their best.

While calmers may not be the first go-to, looking towards ingredients to help relax muscle tissue can help support all individuals throughout this period. Relaxing muscle tissue and working through a good warm up and cool down will help you to embrace the cold without encountering a frosty ride.

Feeding to support behaviour and helping to bring about a calm nature will help to provide a positive experience for both horse and rider. Feeding the right combination for the colder months will help us ride any storm. Naturally the horse was and still is a prey animal, they have a natural flight reaction shown through a stress response. Today the horse still reacts as they would have done pre-domestication, some 5000 years ago. It is this response that can often be misinterpreted, horses have to learn what is safe and it is our job to teach and reassure them. Giving them positive experiences throughout their careers is essential to build their confidence. Sadly, this is not always possible which can lead to flight reactions, which we perceive as spooking, napping, rearing, bucking or generally misbehaving. If the horse does not understand a situation or if they have had a bad experience previously they will react accordingly to avoid having to face that situation.

As riders we try to build confidence by taking steps to desensitise our horses so they understand the situation we are placing them in. With unsuccessful situations, horses don’t tend to forget and it can take a long time, if ever, to restore their trust.

With the added cooler conditions and variables we experience it can be beneficial to offer a helping hand, target their inner stress response and in turn help give them confidence to understand the task at hand. The benefit of including a bio-available high spec magnesium at the right levels, supports the muscle post contraction and therefore helps to induce a relaxed state and helps prevent premature contractions. As riders ourselves at NAF, we developed NAF Five Star Magic trialled and proven to improve trainability without having a sedative effect. The amalgamation of unique herbs combined with the right balance of vitamins and minerals on top of magnesium helps to effectively address and support their stress responses during the colder months.

Five Star Magic works like Magic – once they feel better on the inside, you will enjoy the more confident ride and feel confident to take on new challenges, in all weathers.

FEED Five Star Magic, proven to improve trainability, formulated to support the stress response in ALL weathers and used by riders worldwide!

Read about the double blind placebo controlled Five Star Magic trial here.

For further information, please contact us via our free nutritional helpline. Call us on 0800 373 106 or email us at info@naf-uk.com.