For as long
as I can remember the red and white checkerboard has been part of my
life. We fed my first pony Purina® horse feed. I’m not sure which
type we used, but I remember the checkerboard on the label and the great smell
when we opened a new bag. My pony loved it of course, and I was very
proud to feed him grain made by such a famous company. Now, many years
later (more than I want to count) my horses are all fed Purina® products. From
my pony, “Siamese Kat,” at the barn down the road, to “Cedric” at the games in
Beijing and countless international competitions, Purina has been with me every
stride along the way.
My stable in
Wisconsin was a test barn for Strategy® horse feed over 20 years ago. I
found this to be an interesting process during which my sister and barn manager
Mary Elizabeth and I learned a great deal about equine nutrition. We were
happy to be part of the team who helped bring the Strategy® formula to market,
and now, many years later Purina® Strategy® horse feeds have provided over a
billion feedings to horses across the country. We also utilize other grains
such as Equine Senior® horse feed, Ultium® Competition Horse Formula, Omolene#100® and Omolene #400® horse feeds and the recent addition of Strategy®Healthy Edge® horse feed. Horses have different nutritional needs depending on
their age and level of work, but we have found that these products meet the
needs of everyone in the barn.
Travel is a
necessity for grand prix show jumpers. This year my horses will travel
from Florida to England, Belgium, Holland, Germany, France, Switzerland,
Austria, Ukraine, Canada (I’m probably forgetting a country or two) and back to
the United States. The horses log a lot of miles in the air and on land
and their Purina® horse feed travels with them. The addition of HydrationHay™ Blocks has been a nice complement to our program. We utilize these on
long trips to ensure the horses remain hydrated and to provide a consistent
nutritional value of the forage we are feeding. We have also started
using HydraSalt® and ElectroEase® supplements to replace lost electrolytes
after competitions and travel or on hot summer days.
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Our feeding
program helps support the horses’ immune systems during travel and enables them
to maintain an optimal weight and beautiful coats while also giving them the
energy they need to compete at the highest level. I can count on the
consistency and quality of these products. I am sure we have fed thousands
of bags of Purina® feed during my career, and I can honestly say I do not ever
remember opening a “bad” bag of feed. That’s a pretty amazing fact and
speaks to the level of care Purina puts into their products.
Through the
years I have always felt the Purina employees were part of my team. The
sales representatives are friendly, helpful and knowledgeable, while the
nutrition experts at the Purina Animal Nutrition Center are always available
any time we need additional support. “It takes a village” to keep my
horses at their best, and I am happy to be in the same “village” as Purina.
- Laura Kraut
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