PRE & Lusitano: Managing stifle issues in Iberian horses

Anyone who has ever looked into the dark, gentle eyes of a PRE or Lusitano knows: there is no going back. These horses have a very special magic. Their conformation, that natural uphill tendency, and their talent for collection make them born dancers. But it is exactly this baroque conformation that often brings a very specific weak point: the stifles.

I love my Spaniard to bits, but his stifle ligaments have always been our main concern. Iberians often have very angled hind legs and enormous flexibility, which is great for the piaffe, but also puts a lot of load on the joints. Especially with young, growing horses, or when we increase the load-bearing in training, I often notice a slight catching. He steps shorter behind, seems stiff in the morning, or the patella just won't glide as smoothly as it should. As an owner, you often stand there wondering: how can I optimally support him so that he stays healthy and proud for a long time?

The daily battle at the feed bowl

Naturally, I did my research. Vets and physiotherapists almost always recommend the same building blocks: glucosamine, MSM, collagen. So, I bought them. Tins of expensive powder, liquid supplements, pellets that supposedly taste like apple.

But anyone who has an Iberian also knows: these horses are extremely sceptical about their feed. My gelding has a nose like a truffle pig. No matter how well I hid the joint powder in his mash, he knew it was there. I tried it with soaked hay cobs, mashed up bananas and mixed the powder into it – no chance. He meticulously ate the mash from around the powder residue, and in the end, the expensive supplement was left stuck to the bowl as a rock-hard sediment. It is simply frustrating when you know what would do your horse good, but you just can't get it into the horse. And let's be honest: a supplement simply doesn't work if it stays in the bucket.

The discovery: finally no more powder stress

Through a fellow livery who also rides a very fussy Lusitano, I discovered nuvallo move Snacks. After riding, she simply pressed a snack into my hand and said, "See if he'll take this."

I was sceptical. But my horse gave it a quick sniff – and ate it greedily. No sorting it out, no turning his nose up.

The brilliant thing about the nuvallo move Snacks is that they are not dusty little powders, but functional joint snacks. They are based on linseed cake and rice bran, which I think is great, as my Spaniard (like many of his breed) is sensitive to too much starch. The snacks are completely free from wheat, corn and added sugar – making them stomach-friendly and suitable for metabolically sensitive horses.

Why I stuck with the snacks

It is not just the acceptance that won me over, but also the ingredients. A daily ration (which is 6 snacks for a 500 kg horse, so approx. 30 g) contains exactly what I previously struggled to feed as a powder:

• 1,500 mg glucosamine
• 2,550 mg collagen
• 2,250 mg MSM
• 150 mg hyaluronic acid

I usually feed them to him directly from my hand after grooming, or simply toss them over his hard feed as a topping. It is so simple. No weighing, no mixing mash just so the powder binds. Just give 6 pieces and you're done. Since he is a slightly heavier build, I have at times increased it to 7 pieces, which is incredibly easy to adjust.

The result: more joy in movement

I have now been feeding the nuvallo move Snacks for just under three months. They say you have to give joint products at least 8 to 12 weeks, but I felt that something was changing after just 6 weeks.

Of course, no feed in the world can magically fix a conformation fault. But my subjective impression is clear: he warms up much faster at the start of our riding sessions. That "stiff" feeling from the hindquarters, which we often used to have for the first 15 minutes, has improved significantly. He seems more supple overall and offers to take the weight in the movements much more willingly. It feels as if his joints are simply better "lubricated".

Another plus point for us competition riders: the snacks are ADMR-compliant. Especially with Iberian breeds, which we often train to a high level and want to show, it is reassuring to know that there are no withdrawal periods to consider.

Conclusion

For all owners of PREs, Lusitanos, or other breeds that are prone to stifle issues and are simultaneously fussy eaters, the nuvallo move Snacks are a real gamechanger. The combination of high-quality ingredients (linseed cake, rice bran, linseed as a base) and the ease of feeding them as a tasty snack takes so much stress out of everyday yard life. I finally have the good feeling that the vital nutrients are getting exactly where they need to go – and my horse looks forward to his daily ration.