You will find the most common predisposing causes of lameness, soft spongy bones and breakdowns right there in your feed bin. The reason for this is that the majority of high grain/low roughage diets given to horses in training are chronically deficient in calcium, magnesium, zinc, iron, copper and vitamins A and D… all essential constituents of strong, hard bones. The worst offenders are bran and rice pollard. However, you must also be careful of all the other ingredients in the feed, especially the cereal grains. A diet which is mineral deficient, and low in vitamins A and D, leads to de-mineralisation of the bone matrix which results in soft bones, crippling lameness and fractures. 

What you feed can strengthen bone, or destroy it!

The first step in overcoming shifting lameness and general bone weakness is to severely limit the amount of bran or pollard you feed, preferably deleting them altogether.

The next, and most important step, is to counteract the overall mineral deficiencies and the relative excess of phosphorus, as compared to calcium, in the diet by adding a mere 60-90g. of Ranvet's Folactin Blue to every horse's feed bin.

While the addition of Folactin Blue may appear to be a simple solution to a potentially disastrous problem, it's also an essential one if you want to ward off crippling lameness, and joint and bone problems generally.

Bone tissue is calcified, strengthened and hardened when precisely the right amounts of calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, zinc and copper, are present in your horse's system.

While each of these minerals play their vital role, it is primarily the calcium which gives the horse's bones their strength and hardness. Any relative excess of phosphorous (viz: in bran, pollards) in the feed badly interferes with the proper absorption of the critical calcium. Notwithstanding this, protein and exercise are also important factors in bone strength.

Mineral Supplement Formulated for stabled horses

FOLACTIN provides a supplementary source of essential minerals vitamins and micro-elements that are most likely to be deficient in a stables horse's diet.

Feed FOLACTIN on a daily basis to help overcome mineral imbalances; and to help proper absorption, utilisation and retention of calcium and phosphorus in the horse's system.

Feed FOLACTIN to aid in the maintenance of skeletal mineral reserves and correct blood calcium levels; thus ensuring efficient bone marrow, cellular, tissue and muscular function.

DIRECTIONS FOR USE: Note; as FOLACTIN contains a Copper salt, care should be taken when administering to horses whose diet is copper sufficient. Mix the powder thoroughly through the feed; or alternatively, mix with a little dampened feed and add to the full feed. A measuring spoon is enclosed. ONE LEVEL measure equals one 30g dose.

STORAGE: Store in a dry cool place, below 30oC (Room Temperature),

ACTIVE CONSTITUENTS per Kg: Calcium 307g, Phosphorus 35.5g, Magnesium 25.5g, Copper 0.86g, Zinc 1.67g, Retinol 500,00 iu, Cholecalciferol 217,500 iu, Folic Acid 420mg, Inositol 79mg, Cobalt 8mg, Iodine 8mg, Fluoride 4mg.