# Why do people give Pink Powder?



## horses13 (30 September 2010)

I am not an additive person so have no idea?
 What is it? What does it do? Do some people feed it as it is the thing of the moment?


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## welsh_monster (30 September 2010)

We have 3 horses on it for different reasons. All of them because of vits/minerals, 1 has 3 scoops for help with condition, 1 has 2 scoops as very prone to colic and probotics in it help, only had it once or twice in 2 1/2 years he's been on it and 1 has 1 scoop cuz she went through a stage of very loose droppings, so can't see the harm in keeping her on it! Much cheaper and space saving than different supplements/balancers for each of them.


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## Firehorse (30 September 2010)

http://www.supplementsolutions.co.u...f/naf-equine/naf-pink-powder-10kg-equine.html

hve a read of this. very informative.


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## horses13 (30 September 2010)

Benpony said:



http://www.supplementsolutions.co.u...f/naf-equine/naf-pink-powder-10kg-equine.html

hve a read of this. very informative.
		
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Still not convinced. I can see why some feed like the 1st to reply but i cannot understand why people carry on about having to have horses on it. What happened to a natural diet?


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## TGM (30 September 2010)

The idea is that it gives vitamins and mineral plus supplies probiotics which are said to help keep the gut bacteria healthy and therefore help the horse get the most from its food.  However, a healthy horse on a good fibre-based diet will probably have healthy gut bacteria anyway, so I don't feel all horses need probiotics.  But things are never ideal with horses and all sorts of 'unnatural' things can upset the gut bacteria, such as stress, antibiotics, illness, high cereal diets etc., so they are useful in such cases.


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## horses13 (30 September 2010)

TGM said:



			The idea is that it gives vitamins and mineral plus supplies probiotics which are said to help keep the gut bacteria healthy and therefore help the horse get the most from its food.  However, a healthy horse on a good fibre-based diet will probably have healthy gut bacteria anyway, so I don't feel all horses need probiotics.  But things are never ideal with horses and all sorts of 'unnatural' things can upset the gut bacteria, such as stress, antibiotics, illness, high cereal diets etc., so they are useful in such cases.
		
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Thankyou, having a dim day. I do see the point from that view but so many people feed it constantly and it is referred to as a must have. That's what i can't get my head round. Even if their horse is perfectly healthy. It must be my age.


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## Vicki_Krystal (30 September 2010)

I only have supplements for one of my horses - and its Pink Powder.
I use it as it was recommended to me - he has been on it for just under a fortnight and i can already see an improvement.

He has it as he is a very big (and still growing) 4yr old - and when he grows he loses weight rapidly and quite frankly looked rank, despite being shovelled with feed/ haylage and grass.


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## Dubsie (1 October 2010)

Someone (on here) recommended Pink Powder for a horse that was cribbing.  One of our two had started nibbling the wood on the hen house, thought it would be worth a try, and it worked, he doesn't nibble it now (nearly 11 months on, the crib stop we put on at the time will definitely have washed off!). We don't have lush grazing, it's on the sparse side as the land is poor and well drained, so can only imagine the PP adds something that was missing from his diet.


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## domane (1 October 2010)

I put mine on on a tub of it as I recently moved yards and they both needed worming.  I think it just helps to support the gut through times of stress or if introducing another chemical.


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## horses13 (1 October 2010)

Dubsie said:



			Someone (on here) recommended Pink Powder for a horse that was cribbing.  One of our two had started nibbling the wood on the hen house, thought it would be worth a try, and it worked, he doesn't nibble it now (nearly 11 months on, the crib stop we put on at the time will definitely have washed off!). We don't have lush grazing, it's on the sparse side as the land is poor and well drained, so can only imagine the PP adds something that was missing from his diet.
		
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That's something to remember.


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## Lollii (1 October 2010)

It helped transform one of my horses, he came to me skinny & stressy, first he was just on a good diet and lots of turnout and he did improve but when I put a scoop of PP in his feed ... you could just see the difference in him within a couple of weeks, he is looking realy good and a lot calmer, so I give it to all of the horses here now


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## horses13 (1 October 2010)

Lollii said:



			It helped transform one of my horses, he came to me skinny & stressy, first he was just on a good diet and lots of turnout and he did improve but when I put a scoop of PP in his feed ... you could just see the difference in him within a couple of weeks, he is looking realy good and a lot calmer, so I give it to all of the horses here now 

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Help I think I may be having my views changed


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## the watcher (1 October 2010)

horses13 said:



			Do some people feed it as it is the thing of the moment?
		
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I doubt it, it has been around for years.

I don't feed it routinely, however if I have one that needs perking up a bit I'll try Pink Powder before looking at alternatives as i have always had good results with it in the past. Some horses become calmer, others can feel quite 'perky' on it and become more lively


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## Hippona (1 October 2010)

horses13 said:



			Still not convinced. I can see why some feed like the 1st to reply but i cannot understand why people carry on about having to have horses on it. What happened to a natural diet?
		
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Because thats not always enough- especially if you have deficiencies in your soil reflecting in your grazing. hay doesnt always have all you need.

I have good doers on restricted hay, and feed only a smidge of chaff otherwise they would be the size of a house. Pink Powder ensures that they still have all the necessary vits/mins etc even on resticted diet.


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## katherine1975 (1 October 2010)

I feed pink powder as I noticed that my horses were eating mud in the field, the have access to a salt lick but obviously were missing some vitamin or mineral in their diet. When I started feeding the pink powder they stopped eating mud, I recently stopped the pink powder to see if they still needed it and Kelsi started eating mud again!


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## Oberon (1 October 2010)

If you look at the ingredients, it is mainly brewer's yeast and some magnesium. If you look up those things you may see they are commonly fed as part of a 'natural diet'. 

I go cheap & just use brewer's yeast.


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## horses13 (1 October 2010)

katherine1975 said:



			I feed pink powder as I noticed that my horses were eating mud in the field, the have access to a salt lick but obviously were missing some vitamin or mineral in their diet. When I started feeding the pink powder they stopped eating mud, I recently stopped the pink powder to see if they still needed it and Kelsi started eating mud again!
		
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Another point to remember.


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## Achinghips (1 October 2010)

So what's the diffference between a good balancer and pink powder, any thoughts?


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## TGM (1 October 2010)

Rotchana said:



			So what's the diffference between a good balancer and pink powder, any thoughts?
		
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 One difference is obviously the pelleted form.  Another is that most balancers (except some of the Lami-safe ones) are usually higher in protein than the Pink Powder.  Pink Powder is about 12% protein, whereas Top Spec Comprehensive is 25% protein.  So if you were seeking to up the protein content of the ration, because forage quality was poor or feeding soaked hay, then a balancer would be a better choice.

Also a lot of the balancers now have added extras over and above the standard vit/mins, such as biotin for hoof quality, glucosamine for joints etc.


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## miss_molly (1 October 2010)

I started using it many years ago when my mare had a swollen and painful stomach, she then had spasmodic colic. I went to local tack shop and picke dpink poweder as its good for the digestive system. She has been on it for a few years at about 1/2 scoop a day (only 12.2hh). I then thought does she really need this? so weaned her off it at beginning of summer. Went to yard on sun am to find mare walking forwards and backwards. Took ages to catch her and no gut sounds, she is normally quite loud. Emergency vet call out and 1 days stabling, then about a month on limited grass but adlib hay. 

Needless to say shes now back on pink powder and next time I consider removing it from her diet I will remeber that morning and the £200 bill just for the vet to turn up.


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## Chermar (1 October 2010)

We put this little mare on it to help her get some goodness back into her. We rescued her on the 1st April this year.  We also use it from time to time if we get the odd bale of hayledge that is a little more acidy it keeps their gut right.












This was her 6 weeks later after a tub of pink powder












This was her 6 weeks after the last pictures











So It definately made a huge difference to this mare!!


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## doris2008 (1 October 2010)

I swear by Pink Powder.
I too have a sensitive horse who is prone to gassy colic. PP really helps and he rarely suffers now. I feed it on a maintenance dose - he gets around  1 1/2 scoops a day but it gets upped during stressful periods like worming, moving, box rest etc. 
I feed it primarily for the digestive balance it promotes, so the fact that it provides all his required vits and minerals as well is a bonus.
I also think it is very well priced.


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## howengold (1 October 2010)

Pink powder is a horsey version of yakult.  full of good things to help the bacteria in the horses gut to aid digestion.  You can either give it long term or just to help re-balance their gut.

I use it on my veterans when the grass is a bit rich or in winter when they get a bit runny with their poo.  It works within a few days and then in winter I keep them on it.  My younger ponies occassionally need it in spring to help firm them up during the spring flush.

I love pink powder, it has always worked really well for my lot.


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## peanut (1 October 2010)

I plan to feed PP instead of Top Spec this winter as a cheaper option for my laminitic horse who will not be in work.


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## Lollii (1 October 2010)

Chemar ... Wow! what you have done with that mare is amazing!!

Well done, good for you


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## Chermar (1 October 2010)

Lollii said:



			Chemar ... Wow! what you have done with that mare is amazing!!

Well done, good for you 

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Awe thanks Lolli..................she has one of the sweetest natures..... can't wait to break her she's only 3 and 15hh!!


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## thatsmygirl (1 October 2010)

Give me topspec any day


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## kazhar (1 October 2010)

didnt do any good for my horse, whereas a balancer did.  but they are all different. I was under the impression that pink powder was not for long term use though?


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## domane (2 October 2010)

kazhar said:



			didnt do any good for my horse, whereas a balancer did.  but they are all different. I was under the impression that pink powder was not for long term use though?
		
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Yes it did used to say that on the tub, but they've changed the wording now and despite exhaustive searching (to be on the safe side) I am unable to now find anything that says it shouldn't be used long-term.  Mebbe they've changed the compound slightly.....


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## Fahrenheit (3 October 2010)

I swear by Pink Powder.

I had a pregnant mare diagnosed with IBS a few years ago and the treatment was steroids, which she couldn't have until she had foaled and the foal was weaned. I put her on pink powers and controlled her diet (included not being able to go out on grass because that just set the IBS off) and by the time she could have the treatment, the IBS was under control, I carried on with her strict diet and Pink Powders for quite a long time, then I started putting her out on restricted grazing.... now she lives out completely in the normal field with the normal horses and looks the picture of health!

I also had a VERY poorly youngster once, dropped weight very suddenly and everyone thought I was going to loose him, after initial treatment from the vet, I put him on pink power whilst he was recuperating and the difference after just a couple of weeks was unbelievable and people couldn't believe it was the same horse 5 weeks later.

What I would say to anyone using Pink Powder is don't start with the minimum dose for your horse, I always start with the concentrated dose, then drop them down to the standard doses when I start seeing a difference.


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