Whether it’s a strong-tasting supplement, like Spirulina or Chastetree Berry, or a horse that refuses to eat virtually anything added to the feed no matter how you try to disguise it, the waste and frustration can be monumental. The following method takes a little extra time for a week or two but usually works like a charm.
Mix the offending substance into enough olive oil to make a paste. Syringe this into the horse immediately before feeding. After doing that for a few days, begin adding a small amount of the oil/supplement mixture to the feed. With the taste already in their mouth, they won’t notice. Within a week or two you can add all of the supplement and oil mixture right to the feed. Problem solved. It’s best to use olive oil because it will blunt the taste of the supplement better than bland tasting oils off the store shelf.
Mixing in oil also works for all consistencies, including very fine powders or substances that are not very water-soluble. Finally, the oil mixture is less likely to clog or stick in the syringe when you administer it.
