How To Get the Most Out of Your Supplement Consult
As horse parents, we are always looking for the best of everything. The best tack, the best clothing, the best products, and the best ways to support our horse’s health. We might not always eat healthily ourselves, but we will always want to make sure our horse’s diets are well-rounded and supported by the best supplements available at SmartPak.
Not only do our awesome Customer Care Representatives join our team with years of hands-on experience as riders and owners themselves, but did you know that they also go through extensive horse health training courses? And that our team is constantly seeking out the latest and best research and ingredients for our supplements? We are horse owners, riders, and overall equine enthusiasts just like you, and we cannot wait to put our SMARTS to your service.
That all sounds great, but you may be wondering, where to even begin? Taking a comprehensive look at your horse’s health needs can seem overwhelming at first, but that’s exactly where we come in. We want to learn all about you and your horse so that we can make the absolute best recommendations to help you reach your goals, whatever they may be. Whether you're looking to support your trusted, steady show horse or an excitable trail horse you're looking to develop, we're here to find the right solutions and have a great time doing it!
So then, what do we need from you? Simple! We need you to be ready to answer questions (lots of questions) so we can get to get to know you and your partner and break all the information down into manageable sections. Don't worry, though, this conversation will never feel like an interview. We're excited to get your information, but we're also just excited to talk to a fellow rider and horse lover, so you're not talking to an interrogator, you're talking to a friend in the barn.
About Your Horse
One of the first things we'll probably ask you: what breed is your horse? Understanding your particular horse’s breed will help us get a feel for where to start. Certain breeds tend to be more prone to particular health conditions and traits.
Maybe we’re looking to support a nervous OTTB who is embarking on their second career with some calming supplements such as SmartCalm Ultra or Perfect Prep Training Day Pellets. Perhaps your sweet Quarter Horse is dealing with uncharacteristic hoof wall cracking, and you’d like to know if there's a difference between trying Farrier’s Formula Double Strength or SmartHoof Ultimate Pellets.
A horse's breed can't tell us everything, but it's definitely one of our favorite places to start!
About Your Partnership
Next up, we'll ask what you and your horse do together and what are your goals? Depending on your equine partner’s workload, we have various levels of support. From a cherished retired senior to the reliable, casual trail horse, to the newly minted 4* Eventer, we want to know what type of couch potato (pasture potato?) or elite athlete is in your life.
Not only do we SmartPakers love to chat horses with our customers all day long and hear about your adventures, but we also want to hone in on particular ingredients as well as what level of that ingredient can offer the best support for the situation. We’re also always looking to the future, and able to plan steps ahead to help your pony achieve that shiny coat you’ve always admired or that outstanding topline you thought you’d never see.
About Your Horse's Lifestyle
From there, the real SmartPak Supplement Nerd might make an appearance in our conversation. The SmartPaker you're talking to might ask things like, 'What is your horse’s diet and lifestyle like?', 'Is your horse out on grass 24/7 or stalled with limited access to turnout?' as these situations may require quite different dietary needs.
If you're able to gather that kind of information ahead of time, we might also ask how much hay and grain does your horse eat on a daily basis and if you'd consider him an easy or a harder keeper. Before making a firm recommendation, it's important for us to first take a comprehensive look at your horse’s current diet. This helps us understand what foundation your horse is starting with and find any gaps that are easy to fill before moving on to anything more specific.
About Your Horse's Needs
Getting closer to the end of the consultation we'll start to get into the nitty gritty and find out what areas you're looking to support. From forelock to tail, we want to know about every issue your equine partner may be having. Are they itchy in the summer? Cranky being girthed? Even if your instinct was to call about a mood balancer, we might be able to help you uncover other possible concerns that will help address the problem and not just the symptoms.
Something we'll always recommend is working with your vet as well, since they know your horse best. If your veterinarian has provided suggestions or direction, we'd love to work with that as a team effort! Or, if you're just getting started with us, we're happy to recommend one of the many options we carry that work well in addition to veterinary care.
It's at this point you might hear some additional questions that may or may not be related to the rest of the conversation. Questions like 'How are your horse’s joints holding up?', or 'What do his hooves look like?', 'Is his coat nice and shiny?', and 'Has he had any struggles with digestion?' can help us paint a full picture and ensure we're not missing anything pivotal. (Did you know dull coats can sometimes tie back to digestive upset?) We’ll make some solid recommendations for you based on this information.
About Your Budget
Lastly, as horse parents, budget is always part of the equation. (I’m always asking my horse to seek employment, but somehow that never happens!) It's not meant to be an uncomfortable question, any SmartPaker will gladly suggest the options that will fit within your budget because we understand where you’re coming from. We make our supplement recommendations as affordable as possible so that you can have peace of mind in supporting your best friend without breaking the bank.
Did you also know that we offer several great programs and guarantees for our awesome customers and their horses? During your supplement consultation, we’ll be sure to mention our incredible Happiness Guarantee, our Guaranteed to Work program, our Barn Saver Shipping Day service, as well as the many products that qualify for free shipping and our discounted SmartPerks price!
Having a conversation about helping your horse live his best life can be simple yet impactful, and we hope you’ll reach out to us soon!