Equi-Shine by Doctors Choice Supplements

06/17/2026

☀️🚛🐴 Hauling in the summer heat? Don't overlook your horse's hydration strategy.

Travel, competition, training, and hot weather can all increase electrolyte losses through sweat, making it more difficult for horses to maintain proper hydration and recover efficiently.

In this week's Expert Advice, Dr. Dean Meyer, DVM shares a simple hauling tip that can help support hydration before, during, and after travel.

Looking for additional electrolyte support? Check out Equi-Shine Recharge, our electrolyte supplement designed to help replenish essential minerals lost through sweat and support hydration during periods of heat, exercise, travel, and competition.

Learn more here:
https://www.drschoicesupplements.com/product/recharge/

💧 Hydration isn't just about water—it's about replacing what sweat takes away.

06/15/2026

As temperatures rise, it's important to remember that recovery doesn't start after exercise—it starts with the nutritional foundation you provide every day.

Hot, humid weather places additional demands on your horse's body. During exercise, horses generate tremendous amounts of heat and rely on efficient sweating, circulation, hydration, and metabolic processes to cool themselves and maintain normal body function.

A balanced diet helps support those natural cooling and recovery mechanisms, and trace minerals play a critical role in the process.

Trace minerals such as zinc, manganese, copper, and iron help support:
✔ Normal muscle function and performance
✔ Healthy connective tissue and joint support
✔ Antioxidant protection from exercise-induced oxidative stress
✔ Normal inflammatory responses after exercise
✔ Efficient thermoregulation and heat dissipation
✔ The body's ability to return to homeostasis after physical exertion

When temperatures climb, supporting your horse's ability to regulate body temperature becomes even more important. A horse that can efficiently manage heat stress and recover from exercise is better prepared for the next ride, training session, show, or competition.

Remember:
💧 Provide fresh, clean water at all times
🧂 Replace electrolytes when appropriate
🌳 Utilize shade and ventilation whenever possible
🥕 Build your horse's recovery program on a balanced nutritional foundation

Because performance isn't just about how hard a horse can work—it's about how effectively they can cool, recover, and come back ready for the next challenge.

06/12/2026

⛓️Why Manganese Matters⛓️

Manganese is an essential trace mineral that often doesn't receive the same attention as zinc or copper, but it plays a critical role in maintaining your horse's overall health, performance, and longevity.

Manganese serves as a cofactor for numerous enzymes involved in metabolism, connective tissue formation, antioxidant protection, and skeletal development. Because horses cannot produce manganese on their own, it must be supplied through the diet in a form the body can efficiently utilize.

At Equi-Shine, we utilize Zinpro® ProPath® Mn, an amino acid-complexed manganese source designed for optimal absorption and utilization.

Manganese Plays a Role In:

✔ Cartilage, Tendon & Ligament Health - Supports the formation and maintenance of connective tissue. Important for joint integrity and flexibility.

✔ Bone Development & Skeletal Strength - Essential for proper bone formation and growth. Particularly important for young, growing horses and broodmares.

✔ Antioxidant Defense - Component of manganese superoxide dismutase (MnSOD), one of the body's primary antioxidant enzymes. Helps protect cells from oxidative stress associated with exercise and aging.

✔ Energy Metabolism - Supports the metabolism of carbohydrates, fats, and proteins. Helps convert nutrients into usable energy.

✔ Exercise Recovery - Supports normal physiological responses to exercise.
Contributes to the body's ability to recover and return to balance following physical exertion.

✔ Reproductive Performance - Plays a role in normal reproductive function and fetal development.

✔ Hoof & Connective Tissue Integrity - Supports the formation of collagen and other structural proteins important for healthy hooves and soft tissues.

Equi-Shine Tip: Manganese works alongside zinc and copper to support many of the body's most important structural and metabolic functions. Balanced trace mineral nutrition is key to helping horses perform, recover, and thrive.

06/10/2026

Every ride, workout, competition, and trail adventure places demands on your horse's muscles, immune system, and metabolic pathways. What happens after exercise is just as important as the exercise itself.

While hydration and proper conditioning are critical, nutrition—particularly trace mineral nutrition—plays a major role in how efficiently the body recovers and returns to normal balance.

Research has shown that the source of trace minerals can influence gait symmetry and exercise-related physiological responses, including inflammatory signaling. Zinpro® ProPath® minerals, have demonstrated improvements in both movement symmetry and recovery-related responses following exercise.

Why does this matter?

✔ Supports normal inflammatory responses after exercise
✔ Helps horses regulate body temperature and cool themselves more efficiently
✔ Assists the body in returning to homeostasis following physical exertion
✔ Supports muscle recovery and overall performance readiness
✔ Promotes more balanced movement and gait symmetry

That's one reason Equi-Shine utilizes highly bioavailable Zinpro® ProPath® organic trace minerals to help support performance, recovery, and long-term wellness.

06/07/2026

1. How long have you been involved with horses, and how did your horse journey begin?

Amy Dunn Johanning - I have never known a life without horses- I was born into it! My mom rode her whole life and I was the girl who never had to ask for a pony, Pugsley was my first pony! My mom taught me how to ride and that’s one of the best gifts and one of my biggest blessings.

2. What is your favorite horse discipline or activity, and what do you enjoy most about it?

Amy - My favorite discipline is barrel racing although I do love Saddleseat- I know very opposite 😅 I absolutely love the fast pace and partnership with whichever horse I am on in the barrel racing!

3. Do you have a favorite horse breed? If so, what makes that breed special to you?

Amy - I have grown very partial to Paints! We have a majority of Paints although not all of them are painted! We also have Quarter Horses which is a close second if not a tie and I’ve got to share my love for American Saddlebreds and Hackney Ponies. I do have to say I appreciate and enjoy watching any good horse!

4. Tell us about your current horse(s).

Amy - Uh oh now we are counting horses! 🤣

Rosie is 25 this year and retired, she carried me to all of the college rodeos in the goat tying and was my main barrel racing partner for years!

Mamma Friday, 18, and Mamma Luna ,14, are my broodmares who I adore and appreciate! Luna was my main barrel racing partner for about 3 years before she became a mom and has given me the two most beautiful fillies of my dreams Lulu and Lefty. Fun fact about Luna her nick name is Lucky Luna because you could guarantee she was falling in the money spot and never tipping a barrel! She came with that name; my friend Lindsey trained her!

Prada G is 9 this year and she has the fastest happy feet! If you’ve ever seen the movie Happy Feet, she would be the star!

A Little Cash Talks “Boo” is 14 this year. She’s the horse who you watch the leaderboard when she runs every single time. This is our 3rd year together, my friend Olivia picked her out for me, and I’ll be forever grateful she did! She has achieved so many of my goals! Fun fact she loves apples if you left a bag out it wouldn’t last long!

Slidin By The Flame “Little Bit” is 8 this year. She was broke to ride by Brad Flaten and when I took her to the barrel pattern it was fast success! Little Bit is my safe place; she’s the girl who I can always count on even early in her career and is getting more solid with each run. She’s a champion and I tell her every day! Fun fact her nick name is white lightening when you see her, you’ll understand!

Flaming Jetaleo is Little Bit’s full younger sister! She’s starting her career in the barrel racing and looking to be an outstanding prospect! She’s been easy to take to the pattern after a great start by Brad. Fun fact she’s my husband Dustin’s horse!

Sly Like a Fox “Foxy” is 5 and starting her career strong. Brad Flaten started her and also started her on the barrels which has been the most enjoyable journey! Foxy is high loping patterns that are clocking darn close to my more advanced crew! She’s a striking bay and a fun fact she’s earning the name Foxy Lady amongst announcers and friends!

Brad is a yearling out of Mamma Friday and fun fact he’s the only boy horse at the ranch!

Lulu is a yearling and fun fact she’s got an arrow on her front left shoulder. This girl was created just for the Arrow J Ranch.

Lefty was born on May 17, 2026, and has captured our hearts! Fun fact she’s got one left fetlock, more white on the left side of her face and a little tuft of hair on the left side of her lip. Dustin now has his Poncho and Lefty as the Merle Haggard song goes!

5. What led you to start feeding Equi-Shine products, and what goals were you hoping to achieve?

Amy - My mom had always used Equi-Shine products, in fact when I was college rodeoing, she would load up her SUV with supplies and drive them to me to ensure my horses had everything they needed. My goal is to always do the very best by my horses and use products that have stood the test of time! I’m not a fad girl and believe deeply in the work of licensed Veterinarians.

6. Which Equi-Shine product is your favorite and why?

Amy - My favorite Equi-Shine product is the Equi-Shine Ultimate, although I have a hard time choosing just one! All of my performance horses are on it. Ultimate gives me peace of mind their daily essential needs are being met.

7. What is your all-time favorite or most memorable moment you've experienced with horses?

Amy - My most favorite moment is when the announcer says we have a new leader 🩷 I’ll never get tired of hearing it or take it for granted 🙏🏻

8. What advice would you give someone who is just getting started with horses?

Amy - My advice for someone entering into horses is you have to be all in and all the time to do this right!

Thank you Amy Dunn Johanning!! Arrow J Ranch Farrier Service

06/05/2026

Balanced nutrition starts with knowing what your forage provides—and what it may lack.

06/04/2026

Longer days, more riding, increased travel, and changing forage conditions all place additional demands on your horse's body. A balanced vitamin and mineral program helps provide the nutritional foundation horses need to thrive all summer long.

06/03/2026

05/31/2026

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05/29/2026

Spring health isn’t one decision—it’s the result of many small ones done well.