Lifeforce Elite Performance is a new supplement to Big Dee’s. It’s formulated to support the working horse and enhance their performance. Initially, a coworker of mine was selected to try this supplement for her horse. She tried to feed it, but he picked around it in his grain and left it. She tried some other methods, but he still didn’t want to eat the supplement. With that in mind, she passed it onto me to see how my experience would be.
Pfalco is my 12 year old American Warmblood. We primarily compete at the Novice level in eventing. He typically gets worked at least 5 times a week. This ranges from jump schools, flat work, conditioning, work on the lunge line, or even just a trail ride! The most important thing for me is keeping his body moving and keeping his mind interested. He is a relatively young and healthy horse, with minimal gastrointestinal discomfort. Most of his feed routine involves preventative measures to keep him comfortable in his job.
His diet consists of Tribute Kalm n’ Ez, free-choice orchard grass hay, and he is typically out on pasture for 10-12 hours a day. With his feedings he receives Acti-Flex joint pellets, Peak Performance Original Gut Health pellets by Basic Equine Health, and Tribute Constant Comfort Topdress pellets. In his stall, he has the Tribute Constant Comfort Block to use as free choice gastro support.
The Elite Performance is formulated to support complete wellness in performance horses, including support of healthy cartilage and synovial fluid. Additionally, it benefits with promoting muscle endurance and recovery, which is so important to any working horse, but especially the competition horse. I was very excited to give this supplement a chance and see if there were any differences once using it.
One, 10lb bag contains a 40 day supply for one horse. As mentioned earlier, I received this due to my coworker having a picky eater, and that may be one concern to have in mind before purchasing. The elite performance comes in powdered form, and is a slightly larger 4 oz scoop (for the average 1,100-1,200 lb horse). The powder form means it’s a little easier for a horse to separate through it and eat around it if they are not interested, but my horse didn’t hesitate to eat it with the rest of his feed.
I continued to work my horse like usual, and kept him on the same routine while implementing this into his diet. In the first few days, I did not notice any big changes or differences in the way he moved and performed. Then suddenly, it felt like I did. Pfalco felt like he had a little bit more “pep in his step” and felt like there was a lot more impulsion in his step than there was just a few days before. He did not feel stiff or sore at all during this month-long trial period, which I was very grateful for! It is recommended to give at least 90 days to see full benefits, so I look forward to seeing the difference by the end of that period as well! This product is a great option to provide your horse some extra support and preventative maintenance, especially when compared with other similar products. It sits at a good price point, and is even American made and produced.
