BY JENNIFER FINCH
Finding the best combination of supplements for your horse can feel like alchemy. You want every new addition to their diet to add value—but ever-changing trends, weather, and workloads can make that nearly impossible.
That’s why Excel Supplements is dedicated to making your horse’s feeding routine feel like gold again.
Established in 2015, the company’s proprietary blend of camelina sativa seed oil is backed by 20 years of research and fortified with a unique blend of Omega-3, Omega-6, and Omega-9. This is important because it helps the horse’s body properly absorb the nutrients, so you know they’re getting what their body needs.
Easter at Chancel Stables
ExcelEQ ProElite A field of Excel’s different Camelina varietals
More Than Oil
Excel Supplements carries several products specifically geared towards horses in almost any stage of life. They can also provide the same benefits in a single supplement that other feed plans need several supplements to accomplish.
ExcelEQ was the first formula developed by Excel Supplements to provide a one-stop solution to health concerns that horse owners face every day. It was created to address joint mobility, enhance coat condition, provide digestive support, create better muscle development, help alleviate allergies, and foster strong hoof growth, all through a single supplement.
Their newest supplement, ExcelEQ ProElite, was created to do everything ExcelEQ could do, as both have the benefit of vitamin E to assist equine athletes in performance and recovery. ProElite also adds a potent anti-inflammatory via Olive Triterpenes.
Excel Supplements is proud to take the guess work out of figuring out what works best for your horse. “It helps take the worry out of a feed program when you can feed a supplement you can rely on,” says director of sales and marketing, Maddie Webb. “I think we forgot it can be that simple.”
Sponsored rider Morgan Kennedy and Casrevel “Frankie,” Oasis Inc (Taylor Czesnik)
Using Research To Build Their Case
From day one, Excel Supplements has relied on research to prove the value of their product. Despite being successful on the market for almost 10 years, the company continues to support studies which evaluate their impact on horses in a wide variety of areas.
In one such study, blood lactate was measured in a group of Arabians to assess the effects of Excel ProElite on their metabolic response during an endurance race. Their blood lactate levels were measured both without any exposure to Excel ProElite, and after six weeks of ProElite as part of their diets. After the six weeks, all three horses’ blood lactate values after an endurance race were significantly lower than they had been prior to using Excel ProElite.
While consistently conducting studies is valuable, it’s important to know how that translates to a feed regimen.
“Horses in almost every discipline use the product. We work with reiners, hunters, dressage horses, jumpers—pretty much everything,” Webb says, “For equine athletes, a lower blood lactate level means faster recovery and better endurance, especially during long competitions.” This can be especially valuable for athletes such as eventers, who compete heavily for several days at a time.
While their studies are on-going, Excel Supplements has already researched a variety of ways in which their products can be used, including how it benefits lactating mares, horses with ulcers, weanlings, and more.
When Attention To Detail Becomes A Passion
For the team at Excel Supplements, creating a product that works is a passion. In addition to their emphasis on research, their concern for quality control led them to own their supply chain. That means they know exactly where the oil for their supplements is coming from and how it’s handled throughout every step of the process.
Their attention to detail doesn’t end with the production of their product. The proprietary blend of camelina sativa oil used by Excel Supplements was created specifically to address the way in which a horse absorbs nutrients in its food.
For example, many products promote their use of omega-3, but omega-9 helps the body use the omega-3 more efficiently. In addition, the Vitamin E is aided by the omega-6, which carries the fat that Vitamin E needs to be absorbed into the body. By creating a product that has all of these elements, Excel Supplements created a formula designed to have maximum positive impact.
Staying True To Their Vision
From the moment the camelina sativa seeds are planted until the time the oil
is packaged and shipped to horse owners around the world, Excel Supplements keeps their most important customer in mind: The horse. They are a company created by horse people, for horses, who pride themselves on providing the highest-quality, all-natural products they can.
“We just want to do what’s best for the horse,” Webb says. “We make our decisions based on what’s going to be best for them.”
In addition to creating high-quality equine and canine supplements, Excel Supplements is passionate about community involvement and supporting equine organizations of every size. From off-track Thoroughbred retraining and rehabilitation to animal rescue, they are proud to promote organizations who want to create a better world for animals.
As the company continues to grow, they’ve remained true to their goal of creating a natural supplement with many benefits, while continuing to push the boundaries of what their products can accomplish. Whether you own a single retired horse, or a stable full of athletes, Excel Supplements will make you feel good about what your horse is eating.
Photos © Claire Townsend Photography
*This story was originally published in the July 2021 issue of The Plaid Horse. Click here to read it now and subscribe for issues delivered straight to your door!
