FAQS

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When is the best time to begin feeding BOS-Equus?

BOS-Equus has been designed for all ages and types of horses. It is designed to create a balanced diet between grass and hay (carbohydrates) and proteins and fats (seed meals). Animals in the wild obtain much of their proteins and fats from seeds on the grasses they graze. BOS-Equus brings that same balance home to your horses.

What is BOS-Equus horse food and why is it different than other horse feeds?

BOS-Equus is not a grain or a pellet. That alone is a huge difference from traditional horse feeds.
The ingredients in BOS-Equus come from almost 50 years of research, testing and clinical trials to create a food that works with the environment of your horse.

The seed meals used to create the base of the feed are carefully chosen to not add poisons to your horse.

Canola, Rice Bran and Linseed Meal form the basis of BOS-Equus. The ratios are mixed to optimize omega fatty acids your horse needs for a healthy nervous system and immune function.

Isn’t Canola Meal Genetically Modified?

Don’t confuse Roundup Ready with hybrid plants. In the sense that a plant is genetically modified, plants that are RoundUp Ready will not die when sprayed with glyphosate, a toxic chelation agent used to bind calcium and other minerals.

Almost all of the corn, oats, soybeans found in the United States today are Round Up Ready. They have had genes from a bacteria implanted into their seeds so that they do not die when sprayed with this toxic weed killer.

Canola chosen for BOS-Equus is not this type of plant. Canola is a hybrid, but it is not Roundup Ready.

BOS-Equus is designed to help your horse manage an environment that is filled with these toxins.

How do I transition my horse to BOS-Equus?

While many manufacturers and veterinarians generally recommend a gradual transition to a new feed, this is usually because of a shift in gut flora as the horse moves from one high concentrate, high sugar feed to another.

As horses move away from a high sugar diet to BOS-Equus, they may at first be suspicious of its texture more than its flavor. I find that more horses will readily eat the new texture of food than most owners think. Patience is key. Few horses will starve by missing a meal or two.

When the owner is happy to feed the feed, the horse is generally happy to eat it too.

At first I recommend offering your horse a smaller quantity of food, 1 cup, mixed with enough water to create a paste. If your horse likes this consistency, then feed larger quantities like this.

Offering your horse the choice of consistency of food is the best way to introduce BOS-Equus.

Feed 1 cup mixed with water to make a gruel, like oatmeal.
Feed 1 cup mixed with enough water to make a soup.
Feed 1 cup dry.

While this is not the amount recommended for daily feeding, it will allow your horse to discover which consistency it likes best, without wasting a whole meal’s worth of food.

Many horses will eat it right from your hand, and this may be the first way you introduce the feed.

How do I feed it to my horse that needs to lose weight?

One of the most wonderful things about feeding BOS-Equus to overweight horses is that they get to EAT. Often overweight horses, like overweight humans, are not getting enough nutrients in their diets. This leads to lower metabolism.

When you feed the optimal amount of BOS-Equus to your horse, then your horse will establish an optimal weight. This of course includes a diet with at least 2% of the horse’s body weight in hay or grass every day and plenty of fresh, clean water (we recommend you filter your water no matter where you live because of the high level of contaminants in all water these days).

Contrary to other feed systems, BOS-Equus is designed to help animals lose water weight. It is expected that your horse will lose some weight over the first 2 weeks. That is just water weight caused by the high sugar diet.

Overweight horses will continue to lose weight when they are fed enough food. Often overweight horses require 1.5 times the recommended daily dose of BOS-Equus to get enough nutrients. Yes, they get to eat MORE so they can lose weight.

Remember they are bigger, so they require more nutrition to mobilize their mass and remove the excess. The body can’t do this without the nutrients.

What about fat?

Omega-3 fats found in BOS-Equus help the animal to create the tissues needed for better nerve function. Horses need fats in their diets.

What about my thin, boney horse?

Horses that have trouble maintaining their normal body weight often are this way because their digestive tract is not working right.

When I mention digestive tract, I am referring to the whole digestive tract. The digestive tract begins with the TEETH, oral cavity and saliva. It is directly related to and connected with the esophagus, stomach, intestines, and bowels. All these parts need to be working together to ensure your horse gets the most nutrition from its food with the least amount of effort.

If any of these parts of the D.T. are not doing their job efficiently, they are wasting energy your horse needs to build muscle elsewhere.

For thin horses I always recommend a complete exam by your regular veterinarian. Deworming is essential for these animals as they often have a parasite burden that is also keeping them from digesting and absorbing their food. At Eous we recommend deworming routinely, based on the season of the year and day of the month to get the most benefit from your deworming treatment.

Thin horses, when fed the optimum amount of BOS-Equus, will put on adequate muscle. They may also lose some weight at first as even though they are thin, they also have water weight accumulated in their tissues from eating high grain diets.

With older, thin horses especially those with poor teeth, I recommend feeding some rolled oats or rolled barley to give them enough calories. Older horses with poor teeth can’t grind their food well enough to make it easier for their D.T. to absorb nutrients.

If your older horse is having trouble digesting enough to maintain its weight, visit the section on how to create a mixture of hay, grain and BOS-Equus for aged, toothless horses.

What is the recommended daily intake for my horse?

The recommended daily intake for your horse depends on various factors such as age, weight, activity level, and overall health. It is advisable to consult with a veterinarian or equine nutritionist to determine the appropriate amount of feed for your horse.

How often should I feed my horse?

Horses generally require feeding multiple times throughout the day to maintain a healthy digestive system. It is recommended to feed horses at least two to three times a day, with access to fresh water at all times. Spacing out meals helps simulate their natural grazing behavior.

What are the key nutritional requirements for horses?

Horses require a balanced diet that includes essential nutrients such as proteins, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins, and minerals. Good-quality forage, such as hay or pasture, should form the foundation of their diet. Supplementing with concentrated feeds can help meet additional nutrient requirements.

Can I feed my horse solely on pasture or hay?

Pasture and hay can provide the necessary nutrients for horses, depending on the quality and availability. However, individual nutritional needs may vary, especially for working horses or those with specific health conditions. It is important to evaluate your horse's body condition and consider supplementing with appropriate feeds if necessary.

How do I introduce a new feed to my horse's diet?

When introducing a new feed, it is essential to do so gradually to prevent digestive upsets. Start by mixing small amounts of the new feed with the existing feed and gradually increase the proportion over 7-10 days until you've transitioned completely to the new feed.

Can I feed my horse treats or human food?

Occasional treats are usually fine, but it is important to avoid overfeeding or feeding them in excess. Some human foods can be toxic to horses, so it is best to stick to specially formulated horse treats or consult with a veterinarian for safe alternatives.

Should I provide supplements in addition to regular feed?

The need for supplements depends on your horse's individual requirements and the quality of their diet. If your horse's diet is well-balanced and includes good-quality forage, they may not require additional supplementation. However, if you have concerns about specific nutrient deficiencies, consult with an equine nutritionist or veterinarian for guidance.

How should I store horse feed?

Proper storage is crucial to maintaining the quality and freshness of horse feed. Store feed in a cool, dry place that is protected from pests. Keep the feed in sealed containers or bags to prevent moisture absorption and infestation.

How can I assess if my horse's diet is appropriate?

Regularly monitor your horse's body condition, weight, coat quality, and overall health. Adjust the feed accordingly based on these observations. Consulting with an equine professional can also help you evaluate and modify the diet as needed.

Where can I find more information about horse nutrition?

Call our expert customer service line if you have questions. Join our VIP program to meet monthly for open Q and A about your horse, BOS-Equus, and a healthy horse.

Why BOS Equus?

For many years I was a solo mobile equine veterinarian. I worked out of my house and saw clients at their farms. It was difficult to help many horse owners manage the health of their horses because I only saw them every 6 months or less. They often called with problems that had a much longer duration than the short amount of time to thought had created their mystery issue.

It was frustrating as a veterinarian to try to use only the drugs and protocols set up as standard of care for my clients. For one thing, those protocols were expensive. And they often didn’t work. Clients were often left with no answers.

Then a client asked me to look into a horse feed. I did, and learned how it was different than other feeds. I learned how it solved many of the problems my horse owners were facing, and it helped them to be more in connection with the health of their horses.

For many years I used this feed with my clients, and with my own horses. The process of this feed was somewhat complex and involved a lot of steps that could be confusing for clients.

It was however easier than the veterinary treatments for the issues, though it also had a lot of variables for different situations.

AND then in 2020 the feed became very difficult to obtain. Not only my clients, but others from around the country began calling me to find a solution, or another choice to use in place of this feed.

I will forever be grateful for the what I learned about horse food, and food as a health management process during that time.

And I needed to find a source of food for my own horses that was as good if not better. So I began a new level of learning about food and nutrients for horses.

During that time, I partnered with Stephen Shetlar and we developed BOS Equus. The horse food that is simpler and addresses the issues I see in more horses. It solves the patterns we have seen in animals for 20 years.

And is simplified to help horse owners be able to manage their animal’s health.

Along with the monthly check up system, horse owners can problem solve their own issues more practically.

BOS Equus is a community around feeding horses to live in their environment.

This community shares the success stories of their animals, how they have used BOS - Equus to solve horse health issues, and how BOS Equus is being used by them and their friends.

Why does it cost more than other horse foods?

Like human food, it isn’t that good food is expensive, it is that things that a called food erroneously are inexpensive. Most things that humans eat readily are not actual food. Doritos are not food. They have such a low nutrient profile, they don’t actually qualify.

Animal feeds are the same. No corporation ever went into the animal feed business without the intent to make money.

One of the biggest issues with the previous company that made a food similar to BOS Equus is that they didn’t create a company prepared to provide long standing service. So long as it served them well, they provided for animal owners in a good way. But they didn’t create the foundation necessary for a business to continue to serve animal owners once they moved on.

This is a disservice to their clients. It is the first necessity of any business - to take care of itself so that it can last.

Eous, Inc is a business with a foundation created to last. Because we too have horses and clients who depend on this food to thrive and survive, we are picky about the ingredients. Fanatic about the quality and freshness.

If those things make this food too expensive for you, you might not be the right person for this food.
You might be the kind of person who is more willing to long nights treating sick horses, and pay surprise veterinary bills that you were not expecting. Otherwise, this food is the most inexpensive way to create horse health.

It is harder to feed because I have to mix it with water?

Did you know that grains in your horse’s feed can reduce the amount of calcium your horse will absorb in a meal?

Most horse feeds are so nutrient deficient that clients have to add on average 6 supplements to ensure their horses get the nutrition they need. This often creates a biochemical problem by overdosing or blocking the uptake of nutrients the animal needs, because most horse owners are not biochemists. They tend to over dose and mismanage supplements based on advertising rather than based on nutrient balance.

Adding water ensures your horse takes in enough moisture to digest more efficiently. The seed meals will absorb water in the gut, and adding moisture to the meal helps your horse stay hydrated, especially if he doesn’t get a drink right after eating.

It is far less time consuming to add water to this food than to manage a highly medicated founder horse.
Your time is valuable, but with BOS Equus you get to choose how to spend it rather than have your time stolen from you.

There is so much to learn about this food. I am not smart enough.

You don’t have to be smart to feed BOS Equus.Unlike sweet feed diets, BOS Equus will not harm your horse if he eats more than his fair share. We did that study.

One client fed her horses BOS Equus regularly as directed on the package. She and her husband went out of town for a 4 day trip, leaving the horses to be fed by her MIL. They left 4 horses with 2 bags of BOS Equus for 4 days.

They returned on a Sunday night and when, they went out to feed the horses in the morning there was no food to feed. After investigating the situation, they learned that her MIL had fed a LOT more BOS Equus each feeding because she thought the horses seemed hungry. So each horse ate ½ bag of BOS Equus in 4 days.

Aside from the expense, none of the horses had any ill symptoms, not even diarrhea. They all were happy.

I don’t recommend feeding BOS Equus to satiation, but this helped us to learn that unlike sweet feeds and pelleted feeds, BOS Equus is very safe.

The basics of feeding BOS Equus to your horse are simple. Use the BOS Equus scoop to measure your horse’s food. Add the right amount of water.

After 2 weeks, re-evaluate your horse. Is he getting thinner, or putting on muscle? Is his hair coat shiny? Does he have energy?

For horses who need to lose weight, you will increase the food by ½ scoop (½ lbs) each week until the horse has reached a better weight. Then you will reduce the dose by ½ scoop each week until the horse is at maintenance level.

So long as you follow directions, you can’t overfeed BOS Equus. You can underfeed it in some cases.

Following the Playbook will help you to manage your horse’s nutritional needs. Sharing your Playbook information with your food expert will ensure you are managing well.

Remember, you don’t have to do this alone. VIP Sessions are designed to support you.