Preparing for a trail ride: Stamina for the joints

Spring is just around the corner, and that means one thing above all: planning for the big summer trail ride is entering its crucial phase. There is hardly anything better than spending days in the saddle, exploring new landscapes and sitting by the campfire in the evening while the horses happily munch their hay. But if you have ever been on the trail for several days at a time, you know that it is not just tiring for us riders.

The challenge for the musculoskeletal system

A trail ride is high-performance sport for the horse, even if you are "only" walking. The extra weight of the panniers, the constant ups and downs of the terrain, and especially the changing ground conditions take their toll. Sometimes the forest floor is deep, and then you have to ride for miles over gravel or hard asphalt.

My biggest worry was always: will he manage it? My gelding is perfectly fit, but the strain on tendons and joints during such tours is enormous. Nothing is worse than realising on the third morning that your horse comes out of the stable stiff or moves reluctantly because their joints are "twinging". I therefore really wanted to support him before we even set the first hoof on the trail.

The endless battle with the feed bucket

In the past, I tried to prepare him for the season with various joint powders. Hand on heart: it was a drama every time. My horse is an absolute gourmet – in a negative sense. As soon as he smelled even the slightest hint of mussel powder or herbs, the manger was eyed critically.

I tried everything: hiding the powder in mash (he ate around it), putting it in hollowed-out apples (it was spat out), or trying to mix it into his muesli. The end of the story was usually that the expensive powder stuck to the bottom of the manger as a dusty residue because he had carefully sorted it out. If the supplement doesn't end up in the horse, it obviously can't work. And especially on a trail ride, where you often feed from buckets or the horse is tied up, fumbling around with tubs and measuring spoons is simply annoying and impractical.

The discovery: nuvallo move Snacks

While searching for a practical solution, I came across nuvallo move Snacks. The concept sounded almost too good to be true: a functional joint snack that contains all the essential nutrients but can be fed straight from your hand.

No weighing out, no mixing, no dust.

Why these snacks are perfect for our training

What immediately convinced me is the formulation. The daily ration of 6 snacks (which is perfect for my gelding weighing approx. 500 kg) contains real powerhouse active ingredients:

• Glucosamine (1,500 mg) and collagen (2,550 mg) as building blocks for cartilage and connective tissue.
• MSM (2,250 mg) to support regeneration.
• Hyaluronic acid for the synovial fluid.

I particularly like the base of the nuvallo move Snacks. They consist of linseed cake, rice bran, and linseed – purely natural carrier substances. Because my horse is sensitive to grain, it is essential for me that they are free from wheat and maize, as well as unnecessary fillers. You also won't find any added sugar here.

The biggest advantage for the trail ride, however, is the handling. I can simply put the daily ration in my jacket pocket. After training or during a break on the ride, he gets the 6 snacks directly from my hand. He loves them! The acceptance is incredibly high, and he chews them up with pure enjoyment, as if they were the best thing in the world.

Our experience in training

We have now been feeding nuvallo move Snacks alongside our conditioning training for about 10 weeks. I have learned that joint nutrients take time – they always say it takes 8 to 12 weeks for the body's reserves to be replenished.

My subjective impression is absolutely positive. We have increased the intensity of the rides, included many climbing tours, and also done longer trotting stretches on harder ground. I often used to feel that he needed a little longer to warm up the next day after such sessions.

Since we started feeding nuvallo, his movements seem significantly more "fluid" to me. He is more willing to work, steps under more motivatedly, and seems relaxed and content even the day after a strenuous session. It is always a feeling, of course, but I get the impression that he copes better with the peak loads. He simply seems more supple, even when it is still chilly in the morning.

Another plus point for anyone who might want to enter a competition (e.g. endurance rides): the snacks are ADMR-compliant. So you don't have to worry about withdrawal periods.

Conclusion: my must-have for the saddlebag

Preparations for our trail ride are in full swing, and I have a very good feeling about it. The nuvallo move Snacks have taken a huge worry off my mind – namely, how to reliably get the essential nutrients into my horse.

For me, they are the ideal solution: high-quality ingredients, a stomach-friendly base, and an acceptance level I could only dream of with powders. When we ride out in the summer, a bag of nuvallo move Snacks is definitely in our luggage, so that we can enjoy every single mile.