SmartPak Horse Health Profiles: Immune Support

A complex, highly coordinated system of cells and molecules, your horse's immune system works to defend the body against potentially detrimental organisms. To help support immune system function, it's important to understand that the system’s strength and ability to combat disease-causing organisms varies from horse-to-horse. Different factors and different horses require different solutions. 

SmartPak's immune health supplements are varied and it may seem complicated to find the right type of support. That's why we've put together a few horse health profiles to help you better understand how each formula offers support for key areas of your horse's immune system. 

Senior Support with Rook

Just because Rook doesn't act like a senior horse doesn't mean his body doesn't handle stress like one. At twenty-six years old, this handsome boy still has a lot of life to live, but his owner knows that immune function may start to decline in older horses. This can result in increased inflammation and a reduced ability to respond to vaccines. 

Along with working closely with their veterinarian, who knows Rook's lifestyle and needs, Rook's owner has been feeding  SmartAntioxidant® Pellets. This formula contains potent and cost-effective antioxidants like vitamin C, vitamin E, grape seed extract, super oxide dismutase and citrus bioflavonoids to provide excellent support for both senior and performance horses. 

Rook's feed room also keeps a constant supply of Smart & Sneaky™ Pill Treats on hand to be ready for medications Rook may need as he ages with grace. 

Good Grays with Norman

Once dark and dappled, Norman is now sweetly freckled. He's spent many happy years under the summer sun teaching riders the ropes as a beloved lesson horse. He has also taught a number of new riders about the progression of grey coloration in horses. While being a flea-bitten grey isn't actually a concern for fleas, it can be a concern for lumps and bumps known as melanoma. 

A few years ago, Norman's regular lesson rider noticed a new bump close to his tail and his barn manager immediately conferred with Norman's veterinarian to determine what it could be. Melanomas are skin tumors that are typically raised, round, black, and firm nodules that can be found in various areas of the horse’s body. About 80% of grey horses develop melanomas by the age of fifteen, although these tumors can form in horses of any coat color.  

Norman has been eating  SmartGrey Defense™ Pellets ever since! This formula was designed with specialized antioxidants and ingredients to promote a balanced immune response, support cellular health and normal cell growth, and help fight free radical damage. This antioxidant-rich formula is an ideal complement to support immune health and homeostatic functions. 

Show Ready with Brad

Beautiful Brad is legging up for his very first show season with a new rider! He's been working hard on fitness and straightness and his rider has been thinking a lot about how to make sure Brad is supported as they travel to chase points this summer. With stressors such as training, trailering, and showing looking like constant factors in Brad's upcoming months, his rider is worried about his horse feeling worn down or being more susceptible to health challenges. 

He looked at the immune supplements offered at SmartPak and found SmartImmune™ Mushroom, a tasty powder of organic mushroom extracts in their purest form for maximum potency. Since a strong immune system is important to keep Brad feeling and performing his best, he's got a new supplement added to his easy-to-travel-with SmartPaks! 

Seeing Clearly with Monet

Monet is a perfectly healthy 8-year-old gelding with his eye on moving up to Preliminary out on the cross-country course this year. The trouble is that last summer he retained a small scratch on his eye. His rider worries about the possibility of that scratch turning into a chronic issue, and conditions such as uveitis (moon blindness), corneal ulcers, and even allergies can be painful or affect vision. 

To support Monet's ocular health, she added SmartUV-Eye™ Pellets to his daily SmartPaks. This formula was developed to support both eye health and recovery with targeted ingredients to combat damaging free radicals and promote a normal inflammatory response. 

Monet's rider also makes sure to keep a SmartPak UV90+ Fly Mask w/ Extended Nose on hand for turnout to keep his eyes and delicate pink nose physically protected, too. 

Further Reading

Looking to learn more about some of these horses' health concerns? Check out further reading in our Horse Health Library: