Legal to feed SmartPak Supplements to a horse at the Ohio Jr State Fair?

Question

2nd year my horse and I have qualified for the Ohio Jr. State Fair for 4-H. Okay so you've heard this a million times, but my horse has bone cyst in his shoulder from being broke too young and that's his only health problem. He is ridiculously lazy in the summer. I ride him every day with Sunday off and he just gets super tired fairly easily. Almost lethargic looking, but he still will go for me fairly easily. 3-4 days a week I lounge him with his head tied down, 4-6 days a week I do patterns on him and every day I ride him I work on pleasure with him using the bit I lounge him with and a training fork and then after a while the correction bit I show in. He is getting stronger and has greater endurance, but just still is exhausted 24/7.  He is at a healthy weight, grazes all day, gets 3 flakes of hay twice a day, and gets a scoop and a half of 1/2 sweet feed and 1/2 oats..not sure what the correct math fraction is..something like that. I recently gave him 3 days off and rode him today but he was lazier than when I rode him every day previously that week! He is only 7 and is fairly laid back naturally and happy with life. We really do have a special bond(the one you get with your 1st horse)  so it's not like he hates having me ride him. I do do different stuff with him to keep him interested..jumping/poles , trail rides, in addition to the patterns and pleasure. He has gotten super muscled from everything and uses his butt really nicely. It isn't his shoulder because he is on MSM which is legal at the fair, we used it last year as we do every day, as well as Dac Oil. My trainer suggested we get him an energy supplement with proteins to give him energy. I found SmartPak Smart Energy and he will start it this Wednesday, if it is legal at the fair that is. I couldn't find a handbook for the Jr Fair so I'm stuck! Anyone used it there or at their state's fair? Probably about the same rules, after all it is 4-H. 
BOTTOM LINE: Is it legal to feed your horse a SmartPak supplement at the Ohio Jr State Fair? (or any other Jr 4-H State Fair) THANKS SO MUCH!

barrel_r8cer21 · Accepted Answer

Yes it is legal, it is only a supplement, I think he is getting too much to eat. Its like when you eat allot you get lazy and sleepy, so I would try to cut back on some of the food, and only feed him 

~*~*~one flake of hay twice a day, (since he is on grass all day) and then only one scoop of the grain twice a day.

This should perk him up. You wouldn't want to be eating all day and then have to go to work, you would be tired too.. Hope this helps. 
The energy supplement might give him alittle TOO much evergy.. 

I feed my show horse, 2 flakes of hay twice a day,(hes not on pasture) and a scoop of senior feed twice a day and he looks great and has good energy..

Anonymous · Answer

He could use an energy boost, but it sounds like he is getting way too much food. I only put my horses on grass for about an hour or two a day feed them two flakes of hay and a scoop 1/2 of pellets twice a day. Have you had his feet checked to make sure he's not foundering? Another thought is that maybe it's too hot. I live in Florida so Im not familiar with your climate. I was in 4H for a number of years and the rules change every year. I don't think a vitamin supplements are illegal for show, but if you have doubts you can always call your local 4H extension office about a rule book or if they know the rules or can give you information to get one. I hope that helped.

ARABIAN LOVER · Answer

i would think that it would not be a good thing but if it is ur horse and it is in his diet i think it would be ok and as long as it is not a Performance enhancer. but that is just me

meeeeeeeeeeeeeep · Answer

I'd assume so... It is HIS supplements, so why wouldn't it be? Just curious why you'd think it wouldn't be?

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Legal to feed SmartPak Supplements to a horse at the Ohio Jr State Fair?

4 Answers