Author: David Marlin

Every week Dr David Marlin looks at a different common equine supplement ingredient and explains what it is, what it is made from, what effects people hope it will have, and any benefits or drawbacks to using it as a feedstuff for horses. There are literally hundreds of different ingredients used in equine supplements. Here is a shortexplanation about the most common ones and evidence for efficacy, if any exists. Copper Chelate Inorganic forms of copper, such as copper sulphate, can be irritant to the stomach. Organic sources of copper, such as chelated copper, are kinder on the digestive system…

John Moore is a renowned equine development professional in America. Some may call John a horse behaviourist, although he does not like the title… he prefers to think of himself as providing equine educational opportunities for humans to understand what our horses are thinking, feeling, and why. Dr David Marlin has asked John to share a few of his thoughts and learnings about horse behaviour with us. The interview was conducted over Zoom as John is based in Colorado in the USA. Future In the coming months, we hope to have John on to discuss various aspects of how horse…

Every week Dr David Marlin looks at a different common equine supplement ingredient and explains what it is, what it is made from, what effects people hope it will have, and any benefits or drawbacks to using it as a feedstuff for horses. There are literally hundreds of different ingredients used in equine supplements. Here is a shortexplanation about the most common ones and evidence for efficacy, if any exists. Collagen Peptides Collagen is a key component of every structural tissue in the body from bone to tendon to skin. Collagen makes up the scaffold of joint cartilage and is…

Dr David Marlin presenting – Are welfare and performance mutually exclusive in equestrian sport? At the National Equine Show at Birmingham’s NEC on Saturday 4th, March 2023, Dr David Marlin was asked to speak on the subject of Social License to Operate (SLO). Over recent years and heating up in recent months, the equestrian world has had its Social License to Operate questioned by the general public. But what is SLO, why do we care, and what can we do to protect it?! In this 20-minute presentation, Dr David Marlin addresses the importance of SLO and how it is already…

Every week Dr David Marlin looks at a different common equine supplement ingredient and explains what it is, what it is made from, what effects people hope it will have, and any benefits or drawbacks to using it as a feedstuff for horses. There are literally hundreds of different ingredients used in equine supplements. Here is a shortexplanation about the most common ones and evidence for efficacy, if any exists. Chondroitin Chondroitin Is a natural component of Aggrecan (a proteoglycan – a protein combined with carbohydrates), a large molecule found in cartilage. Chondroitin has been extensively studied and found to…

Every week Dr David Marlin looks at a different common equine supplement ingredient and explains what it is, what it is made from, what effects people hope it will have, and any benefits or drawbacks to using it as a feedstuff for horses. There are literally hundreds of different ingredients used in equine supplements. Here is a shortexplanation about the most common ones and evidence for efficacy, if any exists. L-Carnitine A naturally occurring derivative of the amino acid Lysine, L-Carnitine is involved in energy and metabolism. L-Carnitine has been studied in horses, with an emphasis on horses in training.…

In this episode, Dr David Marlin looks closer at Sugar and Starch – Are they always bad for horses? Sugar and starch are everywhere in our horse’s diets. Even grass can be a source of sugar and starch. And in fact, our horses might struggle on a ZERO sugar and ZERO starch diet, which is good news because it would be impossible to achieve. And part of the sugar and starch problem is how it’s fed. So a horse eating grass or hay with a moderate sugar or starch content over the course of several hours will cope better from…

Sugar and starch are everywhere in our horse’s diets. Even grass can be a source of sugar and starch. And in fact, our horses might struggle on a ZERO sugar and ZERO starch diet, which is good news because it would be impossible to achieve. And part of the sugar and starch problem is how it’s fed. So a horse eating grass or hay with a moderate sugar or starch content over the course of several hours will cope better from a metabolic perspective than if the same volume of sugar and starch were given in one go in a…

Every week Dr David Marlin looks at a different common equine supplement ingredient and explains what it is, what it is made from, what effects people hope it will have, and any benefits or drawbacks to using it as a feedstuff for horses. There are literally hundreds of different ingredients used in equine supplements. Here is a shortexplanation about the most common ones and evidence for efficacy, if any exists. Boswellia serrata Boswellia serrata, also known as Indian Frankincense, is an established nutraceutical in the human market, predominantly used for its anti-inflammatory effects in Arthritis. Boswellia serrata contains Boswellic acids,…

Equine Joint Supplements UPDATED for January 2023 In this podcast, Dr David Marlin discusses his recent work reviewing equine joint supplements. How do you find the BEST equine joint supplements for your horse? What are equine joint supplements? Are equine joint supplements important? What are the efficacy of using them and some of their ingredients? What can you and can’t you expect from a joint supplement? What ingredients can we find in them? Are joint supplements legal to compete on? Which ingredients have research papers supporting them? What should you look for and EXPECT from an honourable and reputable supplement…