Struggling When Riding Downhill: Supporting Balance & Joints

Do you know the feeling? You are out on a beautiful hack, the sun is shining, and your horse's ears are pricked forward, relaxed. But then comes that one steep stretch of path leading downhill. Suddenly, everything changes. Their step becomes hesitant, your horse might even stumble slightly or – almost worse – they start to rush, as if trying to escape the slope.

I felt exactly the same way for a long time. Every time we had to go down a hill while out hacking, my heart would be in my mouth. I just noticed how much my big lad struggled to take his weight on his hindquarters and balance himself. Riding downhill is heavy work for the musculoskeletal system – the entire load pushes onto the front legs, and the joints, especially the fetlock and hock joints, have to cushion enormous forces. I knew: I didn't just have to work on his balance through riding, but also needed to support his joints from the inside out.

The endless battle with powders

As a responsible horse owner, I naturally started researching right away. You read about glucosamine, MSM, and collagen everywhere. So, feeling motivated, I bought various tubs of joint powder. And that’s when the drama began.

My horse is, to put it mildly, a fussy eater. Or rather, a sceptical food critic. I tried everything: stirring the powder into his mash (it was eyed suspiciously and left untouched), stuffing it into a hollowed-out apple (the apple was mashed, the powder spat out), or simply mixing it into his hard feed. The result was always the same: neatly sorted powder residue at the bottom of the feed bowl.

It is incredibly frustrating when you spend a lot of money on high-quality supplements, only for them to simply end up in the bin. And the worst part: if the stuff doesn't go into the horse, it logically can't work either.

The discovery: Finally, no more powder!

I was just about ready to give up when a friend at the yard showed me the nuvallo move Snacks. At first, I was sceptical – yet another attempt? But when she explained that it wasn't a powder or a liquid, but a functional joint snack, I pricked up my ears.

The concept sounded almost too good to be true: a snack that looks and tastes highly appealing, but is packed with exactly the active ingredients I so desperately wanted to get into my horse.

Why I love nuvallo move Snacks

I ordered the nuvallo move Snacks and tested them straight away. Feeding them for the first time was a real "aha" moment. I didn't have to weigh anything, mix anything, or use any sticky tricks. I simply fed the snacks to my horse from my hand – and he ate them as if they were his favourite snacks.

The base consists of linseed cake, rice bran, and linseed (in exactly that order), which makes them not only extremely tasty but also gentle on the stomach. Since my horse is somewhat sensitive to grain, I was glad to read that they are completely free from wheat and maize.

But there is real power packed into these unassuming snacks. Each daily ration (which is simply 6 Snacks, approx. 30 g, for a 500 kg horse like mine) contains:

• Glucosamine (1,500 mg) & collagen (2,550 mg) for the cartilage and connective tissue.
• MSM (2,250 mg) for regeneration.
• Hyaluronic acid (150 mg) as an essential component of joint fluid.

It is exactly the combination I always wanted to feed, only now it actually gets eaten.

Our results out hacking

I have been feeding the nuvallo move Snacks for a good 10 weeks now. They say that joint nutrients take a while, often 8 to 12 weeks, to get into the system. But I have to say, my feeling in the saddle changed after just 6 weeks or so.

When we ride downhill now, he seems much more "sure-footed". I have the subjective feeling that he moves more smoothly and no longer steps down the hill so stiffly. He places his hooves more deliberately and seems altogether looser in his movement. Of course, no feed replaces correct training – we diligently practise transitions and pole work – but I get the impression that moving is easier for him and he enjoys it more. He also just seems more mobile in the mornings when he comes out of his stable.

Another plus point, in case you compete: the snacks are ADMR-compliant. So you don't need to worry about withdrawal periods.

Conclusion

If you have issues when riding downhill, or simply notice that your horse needs joint support but refuses any powder, I can highly recommend nuvallo move Snacks to you.

It is such a relief to no longer have to check every day whether the feed bowl has really been licked clean. I give him his 6 Snacks after grooming, he chews them happily, and I know: the valuable active ingredients are exactly where they belong. For us, they have become a firm fixture in our daily yard routine – for more enjoyment and a secure rhythm while out hacking.