Posted by Jenna Smeenk, Wed, Sep 23, 2020
Six of my Favorite Manna Pro Equine Products & How They Nurture Horses’ Health, Happiness, and Performance
In this blog, I’ll share six of my favorite Manna Pro equine products that help me nurture my horses to keep them happy, healthy, and performing at their best.
In case you don’t already know, Manna Pro has been an industry leader in the nurturing and care of animals since 1895 with roots dating back to 1842! I’m very choosy about horse products, and it gives me peace of mind that Manna Pro has such a trusted track record of making effective quality equine products I can depend on.
Manna Pro Calf-Manna
I love Manna Pro Calf Manna for any horse that needs to put on a little extra weight, whose ribs may be showing yet still has a potbelly, whose coat is dull and lackluster, or a horse that is having trouble shedding winter hair. I also use it for a horse that hasn’t been properly nourished, or maybe they have been - but they just aren’t at a healthy weight. It’s also great for horses whose topline needs improvement and whose hind end isn’t fully round.
Fun story - when I purchased Taz off the race track, he was super lean and “racey” looking and needed to gain muscle and weight to fill out. I put him on Calf Manna a couple of years ago until he reached the proper weight. Now I know the product’s power; it’s such a great secret for horses who just need a little extra!
Another story - my sister got a horse off the track, who rebounded super hard. It’s tough to say what he was fed while he was there, but he took a hard dive once he reached the ranch. His weight was going down, despite a rich feeding program with alfalfa and grain twice daily. I recommended Calf Manna to her, and her horse slowly began to look and feel healthy again. I think this supplement sped up the rebound recovery process, and my sister still has her horse on it as part of his daily routine to maintain optimal health.
Manna Pro Sho-flex
Every equine athlete needs healthy joints to perform at their best, especially those horses with strenuous competition schedules. Because the intensity of training and competition can subject your horse’s joints to increased wear and inflammation it’s really important to consider supporting your horse with a preventive joint care program. What that might look like is adding a nutritional joint supplement, liniment, poultice, laser therapy, cold therapy, and therapeutic ceramic and/or magnet wraps to prevent joint stress.
It’s my goal to give Taz the best joint care possible so he can have a happy, healthy, and successful competitive career into his golden years. I use Manna Pro Sho-Flex nutritional joint supplement as the cornerstone of Taz’s preventative care. He gets the supplement in his morning and evening grain. I make sure to mix it thoroughly in his feed as he’s a picky eater.
Even if you aren’t competing, any kind of riding can potentially cause undue stress to your horse’s joints. I encourage everyone to evaluate your feeding program and see if this would be an area you can provide your horse preventative support.
As horse moms, we all want to do what’s best for our horses. Consider adding Manna Pro Sho-Flex to your program as a preventative joint care to optimize your horse’s overall health, well-being, performance, and longevity.
I use Manna Pro Sho-Flex morning and night and sprinkle and mix it into his feed, as he is a picky eater.
U-Gard ® Pellets:
It’s no secret that many horses have ulcers, though we as caregivers may never know if our horses have them. I think the statistics are around 60 to 90% of adult horses suffer from ulcers with the occurrence being more prevalent in performance horses or horses under competition stress.
When I hit the rodeo road, it’s so important for Taz to eat all of his feed. I need him to maintain a healthy and strong body, so he can perform at his best. If a horse has ulcers, one telltale sign is that they will go off of feed, or not entirely finish it. I closely monitor him, and I want him to feel completely comfortable while he eats and free of any discomfort or pain. I know he is at a higher risk when we hit the road because ulcers can be triggered by trailering, changing environments, lack of sleep, stress, etc. It’s the least that I can do, to add a supplement to address this issue.
I always put the Manna Pro U-Gard ® Pellets in his feed when we travel. This is a preventive measure, and I would elevate the care routine if I suspected he had ulcers. It absolutely can’t hurt to take this precaution, and it sure makes me feel better.
Manna Pro Pro-Force ® Fly Spray
I use Manna Pro Pro-Force ® Fly Spray every single time I bring Taz in the barn during fly season and when he’s turned out in the pasture. Flies are a constant problem around the ranch, and I spare no expense to make sure Tazzy’s legs don’t get bitten. I am very generous in applying fly spray - not only on him - but on every horse around the ranch.
All of the Manna Pro fly sprays work great. Pro-Force my favorite, because I love the scent the most! Providing the best available fly control is the least we can do for our horses to keep them happy, comfortable, and free from bothersome insects.
Manna Pro Corona ® Detangler & Shine:
I use a healthy dose of Manna Pro Corona ® Detangler & Shine every time I brush Taz’s mane. His mane is super long and thick; part of the reason may have to do with genetics, but the other part may be the obsessive and particular way I take care of it!
I keep his mane in braids and never brush it completely “dry” or without the spray detangler so that it doesn’t break off unnecessarily. It’s also great for his tail, so I don’t pull any hairs out while trying to brush through it. I brush his tail every time I ride; I’m very particular and like him to look good. When he looks good, I feel good and more confident. That translates to how we both perform.
Manna Pro Bite-Size Nuggets Horse Treats:
Treats are so much fun, and I love giving Taz Manna a Pro Bite-Size Nuggets Horse Treat when I greet him. It makes him run to me in the pasture, greet me with perked ears, and solidifies the bond between us.
He’s fairly picky, and his favorite flavor is the Bite-Size Peppermint Nuggets. A tip to introduce horses to treats is to leave one treat on their grain or in their feed bucket during the day so they can mess with it and eventually try it. Once they get used to a particular flavor, I’ve found that horses don’t like to switch too much if they’re the picky eater type.
For example, with Taz, when I feed him the Peppermint Nuggets, he knows what to expect. When I’ve switched to other treat flavors he almost feels betrayed if I slip him something he hasn’t tasted and approved of before! I have other horses who are happy to eat ANYTHING and everything, however, so it just depends on your horse.
Once you’ve got a treat that your horse really enjoys, a fun thing I like to do is to use it to help them stretch. You can flex your horse laterally, keeping his/her front feet still, and allow them to gently ‘reach’ for the treat. This will only work if your horse is somewhat treat motivated.
You can also ask a horse to stretch by offering a treat to encourage the horse to reach his head between his legs. If you’re really creative, you can get somewhat of a bow out of it. I do teach more complex tricks though I don’t recommend using treats for advanced trick training, though for encouraging stretching and playing around, it’s perfect!
I typically don’t incorporate treats into training as they can be a distraction, and I want a partner who isn’t doing what I want through bribery, but through clear communication instead.
If you have a horse that is rotten to catch, try using a treat every time you catch them. They will look forward to it, and it brings their personality out more, letting them bond with you.
Nurturing life with Manna Pro horse products
It has been my pleasure to share some of my favorite Manna Pro products with you and also horse care and training tips I’ve learned along the way.
If you’re not already using Manna Pro Calf Manna, Sho-Flex, U-gard Pellets, Pro-Force Fly Spray, Corona Detangler & Shine, and Bite-Size Nuggets horse treats to support the nurturing of your horses’ health, happiness, and well-being I encourage you to try them. I can’t say enough great things about how Manna Pro’s trusted horse products have helped me nurture my horses over many years to ensure they have the best nutrition and care.
About Jenna Smeenk
Jenna Smeenk, Manna Pro Sponsored Rider, has a long history with horses, rodeo, and the western way of life that was nurtured by growing up on a ranch in South Dakota that her great-great granddad homesteaded in 1909.
Post high school she joined the military and rode for the South Dakota State Equestrian Team. While stationed in Florida for military work, Jenna has crowned Miss Rodeo Florida.
After completing her Miss Rodeo Florida reign, she purchased her rodeo partner Taz off the race track and trained him for barrel racing competition. She earned her WPRA Pro Card two years later. Jenna has been pursuing her dreams ever since which include rodeoing with Taz and running her businesses Knotty Halters and American Cowgirl Clothing Company.
Visit Jenna on Instagram: @jennasmeenk / @knottyhalters / @americancowgirlclothing or www.knottyhalters.com , www.Jsmeenk.com, and www.americancowgirlclothing.com
