by Nikki Alvin-Smith
The billions of benefits that nanoscience technology brings to our world are not as always the best understood by the general populace. Professionals in the horse arena tend to delve deeper than most when it comes to research and development background on a product before administering to horses in their charge. Or so this advanced rider thought.
But. I was wrong. During the last several months I have been paying particular attention to the matter. As a result I have discovered that seemingly student after student that realizes their horses are struggling with the physical stress of their performance endeavors are apparently oblivious to what science is behind a particular product they regularly use or how or why it works.
On my many forays from my farm in the Catskill Mountains to Albany, New York, over the past few years, for treatment of various maladies of my own, I have often driven past the huge and rather impressive SUNY {State of New York} Nanoscience building. And I do confess that like many of my fellow equestrians I was slightly non-plussed by what actually went on in the scientific world of nanoscience. So to me it was just a very modern and architecturally appreciated structure. It was not until my other profession, my writing career, led me to properly research nanoscience, that I did just that. And I was more than a bit amazed by my discovery.
After reviewing several research papers on the topic that related to human joint conditions and their management in Europe, I was convinced that this nanoscience stuff was worthy of more investigation. I had discovered something inherently logical that made perfect sense to my horse trainer brain.
Of course as a seasoned horse personage I have had my share of falls and injuries, wear and tear on joints from riding big-moving warmbloods for decades. So joint issues weren’t a ‘might happen’ scenario, they were more a certainty. So discovery of the human-use product Flexiseq, was something I was anxious to get my hands on and start utilizing. Proof positive, the stuff worked. But wait – there’s more.
I’ve always experienced empathy in droves. I am always casting my eye to the horse’s needs during clinics as a root cause of a training issue the rider might be experiencing. Driving me now was a keen intent to learn more about joint problems in both horse and human. And so, through both professional avenues, I arrived at a particular product, Nanoflex™, a topically administered product that has become. Well. Topical. Amazingly, this is the same product as Flexiseq, just re-branded in the U.S.A., for use in animals. Let me share more….
The advent of a topical joint application to support inflamed joints and pitted cartilage that works using nano-based biotechnology is a gamechanger for the health and happiness of the horse. Of course there are many advantages to administering a topical product as it offers a non-invasive support for joint health either instead of or in addition to joint injections or feed supplements to reduce joint inflammation. Being able to apply a workable and effective treatment modality to a defined area of need on a simple, easy to address basis is a boon.
The advent of nanoscience is truly a tiny but powerful miracle in many medical genres for horse, humans, dogs and cats and all pets.
What does nanoscience offer us that we haven’t seen before in the realm of horse care?
As with many horse products the heavy research and development costs, clinical trials and eventual field marketing of manufactured topically applied joint inflammation treatments started out in the human medical care community.
Nick Hartog, owner of the leading equine feed supplement producer Grand Meadows, has been working hard for the past 4 years to bring the advantages of a nano-based joint support product to the caring hands of the horse owner. With his over 25 years’ experience in the equine feed supplement business, Hartog is very excited about the results reported from the trainers that have thus far utilized the fruition of his labors, Nanoflex.
Nanoflex is different from other approaches due to its use of the nano biotechnology factor. This product is constituted of Ultra Deformable Sequessome Vesicles™ {UDSVs}, a complex engineering of fatty lipids that are able to change their shape to penetrate the skin and synovial membrane of the joint. Millions of UDSVs then go to work to provide a new source of bio-lubrication for the joint. This replenishment then helps the joint to move more freely resulting in improved flexibility and mobility.
Each individual horse will have a different degree of joint damage or pitted cartilage. Application of the topical product does not require rubbing the product into the joint, and utilizing the suggested amount is sufficient to accomplish the desired results i.e., more is not better.
Nanoflex is not a ‘light bulb’ product, meaning it can take anything from 3- or 4-days application to see results or 3 to 4 weeks depending on the amount of therapeutic joint fluid replenishment needed by the patient. The accumulation of the fatty lipids in the joint will take some time to accomplish depending on the severity of the loss of joint capsule fluid.
Here’s the backstory on how this product came to life and how it works as explained by Hartog:
“I was lecturing at Royal College of Agriculture in Cirencester on performance supplements, and Dr. Kate Gandee, Head of Equestrian Dept, told me of recent trial on a topical product that was very successful.
The product, under brand name Flexiseq, had only over been sold for use in humans and the company was curious to see if it would work on animals. Currently Grand Meadows is the only company globally selling the same product for animals under the brand name Nanoflex.
Nanoflex is composed of phospholipids that are engineered using nanotechnology to change their shape and pass through the dermal layer and ultimately into the joint space.
Inside the joint space millions of the slippery Ultra Deformable Sequessome™ Vesicles start to accumulate on the cartilage surface itself to provide a completely new source of lubrication that never existed before. The root cause of most joint problems start with friction in the mechanical action of the joint which creates friction which creates heat and then the release of anti-inflammatories. Nanoflex creates a more friction-free environment.
The human product was the subject of a multi-country published trial into humans which reported a significant effect. In the short time the product has been available for horses and pets in the US there has been a steady stream of positive results.
On the equine side there is the added attraction that the product is FEI/USEF clear and many riders are using the Nanoflex through shows to give extra support. Funnily enough Grand Meadows estimates that half the sales are for riders who are using it on themselves!”
Learn more about Nanoflex and the one billion reasons to use it to secure better joint health for your horse here. Its formulation and method of delivery is not one to be missed. While professional horse trainers and riders embrace its use for their top performance horses there is every reason for the backyard horse owner to explore its benefits too.
PLEASE NOTE: AHP members ~ Please share this content. Kindly include Grand Meadows URL and author’s URL wherever published. Please advise use so we can share your platform too. Feel free to contact Nikki Alvin-Smith for further information and high-res photos.
About Grand Meadows: Founded in 1989 by visionary Angela Slater, Grand Meadows is a leading horse health product and equine supplement manufacturer driven by the guiding principle of providing affordable, extremely high-quality science-backed horse products to help ensure horses look and feel their best.
For the past 35 years the company’s mission has been honored and developed further, by President Nick Hartog, who among other accomplishments is one of the founding members and current board member of the National Animal Supplement Council (NASC), an organization that has a profound impact on the safety, transparency, and legitimacy of the animal supplement industry.
Grand Meadow products are widely used and trusted across the entire horse community from Olympic medal winning competitors and successful horse racing trainers to backyard horse owners. Their equine supplements are highly regarded for their excellent quality resourced ingredients and completely accurate labelling and effective formulations. Learn more at https://www.grandmeadows.com/
Grand Meadows, Orange, CA
Media Contact: NAS@NikkiAlvinSmithStudio.com
Tel: 607 434 4470
https://www.grandmeadows.com/
Photos are available on request.
About Nikki Alvin-Smith:
Content Creator | PR Partner | Seasoned Writer | Brand Builder |
Major Marketer| Journalist|
Blogger| Ghostwriter|
PR Marketing Specialist/Strategist|
British American|
Grand Prix Dressage
Competitor/Coach/ Clinician|
Please visit https://www.horseinakiltmedia.com/ and https://nikkialvinsmithstudio.com/ to learn more about her affordable services.