My horse keeps stumbling: How we regained sure-footedness
There is that one sound that immediately makes my heart sink when I am in the saddle. That scraping shuffle, followed by a heavy stumble where the horse's knees buckle and for a millisecond, you feel like you are about to fall flat on your face along with your horse.
Over the last few months, this started happening to us more and more. At first, I thought, "Okay, he's just being a bit lazy today and not picking his hooves up properly." But when my gelding began to falter more frequently, even on flat ground in the arena and during our relaxed hacks, I got really worried. It felt as though he lacked coordination, or as if his joints just weren't "supple" enough to compensate for small uneven patches. I wanted to support him before the stumbling turned into a serious problem.
The daily struggle at the feed bucket
I knew from various specialist articles and conversations with my trainer that certain nutrients can support the musculoskeletal system. So, I went out and bought the classic routine: joint powder. Big tubs, promising labels, dusty contents.
However, the reality at the yard looked quite different. When it comes to food, my horse is a real gourmet – or in other words, extremely fussy. Simply tipping the powder over his oats worked for exactly one day. He blew heavily into the feed bucket once (leaving me enveloped in dust) and then meticulously ate around the powder.
So, I started using tricks. I mixed up some extra mash just to hide the little bit of powder in it. The result? He wouldn't touch the mash. I tried concealing the powder in hollowed-out apples – he spat it out. By the end of the day, the expensive supplement was usually stuck to the bottom of the feed bucket as a damp mush and ended up in the bin. It was frustrating. I knew what would do him good, but I just couldn't get it into the horse. And what doesn't get eaten, can't work.
The discovery: nuvallo move Snacks
Looking for an alternative that would be less taxing on my nerves and my wallet (because it actually ends up inside the horse), I came across nuvallo move Snacks.
The name made me curious. No pellets, no powder, no liquid, but functional snacks. The concept sounded almost too good to be true: the full load of essential nutrients, but packaged in a form that the horse takes voluntarily.
A look at the ingredients convinced me to give it a try. The snacks contain glucosamine, collagen, MSM, and hyaluronic acid – exactly the combination I had been looking for to support his ligaments, tendons, and cartilage. And the best part: the base consists of linseed cake, rice bran, and linseed. Because my gelding has a somewhat sensitive stomach, I was glad to read that it is completely free from wheat, corn, and added sugar.
Why I will never feed powder again
When the packet arrived, I did the ultimate test. I took one of the nuvallo move Snacks and offered it to him directly from my hand in the stable aisle. No mashing, no playing hide-and-seek. He gave it a quick sniff – and ate it with relish. I was relieved!
Feeding has been child's play ever since. As he weighs approx. 550 kg, he gets 6 snacks daily. For the first three weeks, I doubled the dose to replenish his reserves (this is recommended for acute issues or when starting out), and he ate even this amount without any fuss. I usually give them to him as a reward after grooming, or simply toss them into the feed bucket before giving him his hard feed.
There is no more weighing, no dusty hands, and above all: I know exactly that he has taken in the full dose of active ingredients.
The result: finally sure-footed again
Of course, such a change doesn't happen overnight. You have to stay realistic and give the body time. I have now been feeding the nuvallo move Snacks consistently for about 10 weeks.
I noticed the first positive changes after about 5 to 6 weeks. It was a gradual process, but suddenly I realised while riding that the feeling of insecurity had vanished. Since I started feeding nuvallo, I feel he is stepping out much more confidently again.
He seems generally looser in his movement, especially during the warm-up phase. We used to need ages before he got going; nowadays he trots off rhythmically and contentedly much faster. But the most important thing for me: the constant stumbling has almost completely disappeared. Even when we ride over roots out hacking, he picks his legs up more attentively and seems more coordinated.
For me as an ambitious leisure rider, it is also important that the snacks are ADMR-compliant. So if we ever do enter a small competition again, I don't have to worry about withdrawal periods.
My conclusion
If your horse also belongs to the "stumbling team" or if you simply want to preventatively do something for the joints, without playing chemist in the feed room every day: try the nuvallo move Snacks.
For us, they have brought back the joy of riding. I sit relaxed in the saddle again, without fearing the next stumble with every stride. And my horse? He looks forward to his six snacks every day. Win-win!