Chasing Zebras

09/02/2026

Fabulous stuff, spirulina! We sell it in tablet form, which saves you from clouds of green mess in the feedroom. Available Spurs of Kumeu and online.

Fresh new spirulina study out in horses and it’s an interesting one — not because it shows dramatic effects, but because where it seems to act is quite specific.

In this trial, adult horses were fed 30 g/day of spirulina for 30 days, then put through a moderate exercise test. The researchers looked at blood markers and joint fluid to see how horses handled the normal inflammatory response to exercise. For reference, I recommend 40g per day of spirulina, so this is quite a small dose!

The main change wasn’t “less inflammation”.
It was higher Resolvin D1 — which is involved in resolving inflammation once it’s underway, rather than inhibiting it in the first place.

Which is interesting, not so much from the context that the authors were looking at (exercise recovery/joint inflammation etc), but more so in the way I usually use it, for allergies.

Spirulina also shifted nitric oxide signalling and slightly increased red blood cell markers, both of which would be quite useful in horses suffering from respiratory allergies.

Allergies (being an overly sensitive immune response) aren't just about triggering inflammation, they're also associated with inflammation that hangs around longer than it should - the resolution response isn't working properly either.

Spirulina already has evidence for antihistamine and anti-allergic effects in other species. Seeing it also influence resolution pathways helps explain why it can be useful in horses with allergies, not as a cure, but as part of helping inflammatory flares settle more easily.

That’s the logic behind its use in Spiru-Soothe.

And yes — reading the joint fluid results did briefly make me think
“Should this go in Golden Joint?”
(Probably not. But the overlap is interesting.)

20/01/2026

You can now buy Chasing Zebras products at Spurs of Kumeu
🦓

12/11/2024

Spirulina is Nature's antihistamine, it's a useful nutraceutical for supporting healthy lungs and skin. It may be useful for horses with equine metabolic syndrome; anecdotally, owners report that it is useful in dampening the response to insect bites, pollen and other allergens.
We stock Chasing Zebra's Organic Spirulina Powder which is certified organic and high quality (human food grade):
https://www.hvhoofandequinehealthcareproducts.com/product-page/organic-spirulina-powder-1kg
You can read more science-based information about spirulina's potential benefits in this well-researched article by Mad Barn (USA): https://madbarn.com/spirulina-benefits-for-horses/

Chasing Zebras can support with tailored nutrition plans if required

12/11/2024

Selenium yeast is the safest and most cost effective way to supplement selenium for horses for maintenance or to increase whole blood selenium status; selenium yeast is commonly used in premix feeds and mineral mixes. It is highly bioavailable so only a very small amount needs to be fed. This product should not be fed with other feeds products containing selenium without guidance from a nutritionist or vet. This product is 100% SelPlex, it has a good shelf life and 1 bag will last a 500kg horse 2 years.
https://www.hvhoofandequinehealthcareproducts.com/product-page/selenium-yeast-500-grams
You can read more about this product here: https://www.alltech.com/sel-plex

Chasing Zebras can support with tailored nutrition plans if required.

12/11/2024

Jiaogulan (J herb)- Gynostemma pentaphyllum- is a well-used nutraceutical for horses that's growing in popularity. It appears to have vasodilating properties which are useful for maintaining hoof health, healthy lungs and potentially help to counter high nitrates in pasture. It may regulate cortisol so it's helpful for PPID/ Cushings horses (it's as, if not more useful, than Chasteberry).
We stock Chasing Zebra's Jiaogulan, which is high quality (human food grade).
https://www.hvhoofandequinehealthcareproducts.com/product-page/jiaogulan-250gram-j-herb-powder-gynostemma-pentaphyllum
Many horse and pony owners are reporting good success with this product which has been benefiting horses for decades, and humans for centuries. You can read more science-based information about jiaogulan's potential benefits in this well-researched article by Mad Barn (USA): https://madbarn.com/jiaogulan-benefits-for-horses/

Chasing Zebras can support with tailored nutrition plans if required.

08/08/2022

“Nutrition is the most misunderstood and under utilized tool for creating, maintaining and restoring vibrant health. There is much more to it than just providing enough calories to hold a good weight. There is no substitute for correct nutrition. It can accomplish things that no drugs can do. There are also disorders that can only be treated with the correct nutrition.”

It’s no secret that I have spent my career emphasizing the importance of nutrition. My office has a bottle of penicillin and Banamine for emergency only instead of a wall of medicines. I& #82…

26/06/2022

*Fascia: The long-overlooked tissue that shapes your [horse’s!] health*

This fascinating ( 🙂 ) 3-page article about fascia is well worth a read. It’s behind a paywall but you can get a free 4-week trial subscription (I’ve been subscribing to New Scientist for 30+ years!)

I’m sharing it here in relation to nutrition because the paragraphs below were a 💡 for me.

Is this another physiological means by which J herb (Jiaogulan), an adaptogen which appears to regulate cortisol, may be helping with recovery from injury?

We're real fans of this nutraceutical, which I learnt about on Eleanor Kellon VMD’s courses, so much so that our business sourced some and we’re now selling it in our shop.

Bodyworkers have known how important fascia is for years, looks like science is now catching up:

“Injury and inflammation aside, there are many other reasons why fascia may become stiff. Schleip’s research hints that activation of the sympathetic nervous system, which is involved in the body’s fight-or-flight response, causes the fascia to contract by prompting the fibroblasts within it to transform into myofibroblasts, cells that are part of the inflammatory response to injury, often seen in joint-related problems such as frozen shoulder.

The details of how exactly fight-or-flight stress leads to stiffness are still being worked out, but Schleip says that adrenaline seems to increase the expression of an inflammatory substance called TGF-beta. This is then stored in the loose fascia in preparation for the next time the body is stressed. When this happens, fibroblasts “drink [TGF-beta] and they become myofibroblasts in a few hours”, he says. “And then they are four times as strong as before. They are contraction machines. So, adrenaline can make fascia stiffer.”

Read more: https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg25433861-200-fascia-the-long-overlooked-tissue-that-shapes-your-health/

The connective tissue that surrounds your muscles and organs, known as fascia, has always been ignored – but new insights suggest it holds the key to tackling chronic pain and immune dysfunction

21/06/2022

Gutzbusta sell some of our favourite knotless haynets and they have a sale on!
The 3cm holes are the ones to go for if you’re counting calories but wanting to keep hay in front of your pony for as much of the day as you can
👌 🦓 🦄

Knotted & Knotless available

27/05/2022

It’s true, sometimes you need to look for zebras.
But many niggly or serious health issues that our horses are experiencing have their roots in nutrition. If you don’t get their nutrition right, horses can present with an array of baffling symptoms, many of which creep up over time.

My mother is a doctor. This means that throughout my life, I’ve come to her with myriad self-diagnosed ailments. When I tell her that I Googled my symptoms, and the internet says I have this or that rare disorder, she tells me that it’s most like...

18/05/2022

Fat cobs have been making headlines this week, so it seems timely to highlight this Equine Weight Management Guide from the University of Liverpool (2018). It is well worth a read.

We like how it tackles weight from four angles and, as part of the research, they crowd-sourced ideas from people who'd had success getting fatter horses slimmer, there's more than one way to tackle this.

🦓 Reduce Grazing: Can't take your horse off the grass? Maybe you can strip graze or tape off a track.
🦓 Use Metabolism: Fat and furry? To quote Dr Furtado "no rugs without reason" and maybe it's worth considering a trace clip.
🦓 Increase Exercise: Can't ride? How about hand walking, groundwork, agility or turn out with younger horses
🦓 Alter supplementary feed: when it comes to the bucket feed- keep it well balanced, meet nutritional needs while keeping calories low.

For more inspiration 💡, check out the report or one of Dr Furtado's webinars on this topic.

free PDF guide:https://www.liverpool.ac.uk/media/livacuk/equine/documents/Equine,Weight,Management.pdf

recent webinar in the Dr David Marlin members group: https://drdavidmarlin.com/webinar-weight-management-with-wellbeing-by-dr-tamzin-furtado/