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Not-So-Speedy Dressage

From Endurance to Dressage

And the Winner Is ...

5/30/2016

 
I am such a sucker for good customer service. I am always willing to pay more for a product if I know with complete certainty that the company is going to treat me as though they really want me to come back. And if they listen to my feedback and try to make whatever "it" is right, I am hooked for life.

The Riding Warehouse and Smartpak are two companies that check off those boxes. And coincidently, both are having really good sales this Memorial Day weekend. At the Riding Warehouse, you can save 15% site-wide today with no code, and SmartPack is offering up to 20% off for USEF members with the code MEM16 at checkout.

But those two companies already have my regular business. I am talking about the folks over at Platinum Performance.
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A week or two ago I wrote a blog post about mineral supplements. A few days later, I got a very polite email from Amy at Platinum Performance. She had seen my blog post and wondered if I would like to talk to one of their advisors about equine nutrition. She also offered to send me a free bucket of Platinum Performance if I wanted to give their product a try.

How could I say no? I was clearly interested in the product, and I did have a few questions. I sent a reply back saying I would love to speak with someone and that I would call back the next morning.

To my surprise, when I called, Heather E., the advisor to whom I had been referred, was actually available. And not only was she able to chat, she already knew a little bit about me. Man, these guys know how to reel you in! I love that kind of customer service.

Heather and I talked for a good 40 minutes. I think she would have happily stayed on the phone with me longer, but my recess bell rang ending the phone call. My life revolves around school bells.

My three concerns, all of which she addressed thoughtfully and intelligently, were 1) price, 2) extra energy, and 3) ingredients that my horses don't need. 

Price:
Okay. There isn't a lot she can do about this one. Platinum is expensive, but ... she did point out some things that make the product slightly more affordable. For one, if you already give a bunch of supplements (I don't), Platinum Performance can replace most of them making your supplement regimen cheaper. 
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This issue warrants its own blog post, but I had already taken Izzy off the Quiessence for a trial period to test the product's efficacy. One week into the trial, Izzy actually seems more relaxed now that he's off the magnesium. This is most likely coincidental though.

We had an awesome lesson with Dr. Christian Schacht a week ago where I had a giant "break through" moment, so it could actually be more related to that. I had also started the horses on BVH's mineral supplement which provides selenium and Vitamin E, among other things. That could also be making him feel better.

In truth, I never noticed any changes while he was on the magnesium anyway. I was too afraid to take him off of it though for fear that he would be more tense than he already was.


That's a really long way of saying that if I switch to the Platinum Performance and stop the Quiessence, I won't be spending quite as much as I would have.

There's more to the price thing though. Heather explained that through the magic (my word, not hers) of Platinum's formula, Izzy's whole metabolic system would begin working more efficiently. This would have the benefit of reducing the amount of feed that he would need which is ultimately a cost saving measure. You would be shocked at the quantity of roughage that dude consumes on a daily basis.

On top of that, she suggested that the added rice bran he gets every day should also be eliminated as Platinum Performance provides rice bran as an ingredient which would mean he wouldn't need extra. Reducing his rice bran would also save me money.
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Extra Energy:
An increase in the horse's energy level is was one of the unintended effects of feeding Platinum Performance that I have been warned about. We all know that Izzy doesn't need any more energy. He's already the destroyer of all things. I raised this issue with Heather. Rather than downplay my concern, she tackled the question head on.

Since Platinum Performance works on the whole body, it reduces inflammation and supports all of the horse's systems. The result is that it makes the horse feel really good. Initially, she explained, this can come across as too much energy. She said that once the horse is used to feeling good, the over-energized feeling will fade.

To help deal with excess energy, Heather outlined a plan for phasing in the Platinum Performance slowly while simultaneously decreasing energy sources such as rice bran. I really appreciated this approach as so many products actually use loading doses which add to the initial price of the product.
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Ingredients That My Horses Don't Need:
I wholeheartedly subscribe to the KISS method of horse care - Keep It Simple, Stupid. Most of the supplements out there aren't tested by independent labs and they certainly don't have independent research that supports their claims of efficacy. Platinum Performance does. 

So while its ingredient list is bigger and more encompassing than what Dr. Tolley views as the minimum requirement, he doesn"t dislike the product. His own formula targets the specific vitamins and minerals that our hay is deficient in. Platinum Performance goes beyond that providing support for the whole horse through the use of amino acids (which help build proteins), Glucosamine (for joint health), macro and trace minerals (which help the body's systems to function), and vitamins (which along with minerals serve as anti-oxidants).

It's hard to say that my horses don't need any of those. Will they die tomorrow without added folic acid? No, but the added amino acids and minerals found in Platinum Performance are all things that my horses do need. I don't think there is one ingredient that is simply a filler or junk.
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Coming soon.
You can probably see where this is all going. I decided to give Platinum Performance a try, but I am doing it on the company's dollar. That's right - Platinum Performance is sending me a bucket for free, no obligation. They simply asked me to try it. And since I am going on vacation for several weeks, they've agreed to ship me a fresh bucket so that it arrives just as I come home in late June.

Izzy will get to try it first while Speedy remains on Dr. Tolley's vitamin and mineral supplement. Izzy's needs are a bit more complicated than Speedy's are. Speedy is such an easy keeper that I am going to see how it effects Izzy before I decide whether to put both horses on it. And if it does indeed reduce Izzy's feed requirements, the decision will be much easier to bear financially.

If you're reading this, Platinum Performance, your willingness to reach out to potential customers and chat about our horses' needs without being pushy is very much appreciated. Letting us try your product for free says you truly believe we'll like it. I am looking forward to having you on my team!
Sarah link
5/30/2016 07:42:11 am

Wow that is impressive service!

Bakersfield Dressage link
5/30/2016 03:16:17 pm

I thought so. :0)

Amanda Chance link
5/30/2016 07:48:53 am

I've always wanted to try Platinum, I've heard a lot of good stuff about it. The cost has always been my hesitation though. A free trial is nice!

Bakersfield Dressage link
5/30/2016 03:17:08 pm

I'll definitely share my thoughts later in July once I've had a chance to see how Izzy does on it.

Sandy
5/30/2016 08:47:36 am

I LOVE Platinum Performance! I noticed a difference in my horses right away. Unfortunately it is expensive but i think its worth it.

Bakersfield Dressage link
5/30/2016 03:17:38 pm

I hope my results are as good as yours. :0)

Jan link
5/30/2016 02:24:04 pm

What great customer service! And it sounds like you had a great discussion. The rep is right- when the horse feels better, he'll be all "wahoo!" but it should fade (as I'm sure he gets used to feeling better). I can see how simply feeling better should relax the horse and he wouldn't need his magnesium! I was like, maybe I should try it, but a lot of the things you could cut costs on are things that are factored into my board... I pay the same no matter how much hay/grain Penn gets. The only thing I could cut out is the Quiessence. Also, the fact she outlined a plan for introducing it to Izzy is awesome, A++!

Sidenote: When Penn doesn't get his Quiessence, he does stall walk more. When I show him, he gets the loading dose for a couple days before and all weekend long. I've showed him with and without the extra, in new locations and old, and he's definitely better with it. Maybe it's a placebo effect on me- because I think he should be more relaxed, I'm more relaxed, and so he's more relaxed. Who knows. You do what you think works!

Bakersfield Dressage link
5/30/2016 03:13:38 pm

My vet first recommended the Quiessence when we suspected Izzy of having Head Shaking Syndrome. His symptoms faded as we moved into last summer and they never returned. We just didn't know if it was because of the Quiessence or his adjustment to being worked under saddle.

Since HSS generally peaks at the summer and winter solstices, I kept him on it through the winter solstice of 2015. As we approach the summer solstice of 2016 with no evidence of the HSS returning, my vet thought it would be a great idea to take him off of it and see what happens.

From the beginning, I never thought it did anything for his version of tension. He doesn't actually have any generalized anxiety; he just has tension during training. If he views the work as too hard, he gets tense. The Quiessence hasn't helped that. Better riding on my part has though.

I have heard from several people that Quiessence has helped their tense horses. And as we move into week two of this trial, I might discover that it has been helping along. If so, I'll put him back on it. If it's not doing anything, it seems wasteful to use it.

I am curious to see how he responds to the Platinum Performance. I pay for all of my own supplemental feed (beet pulp, rice bran, loose hay), so being able to reduce those things helps my bill over all. And if we can reduce Izzy's cube ration, it would help my barn owner out which ultimately trickles down my way in my board not being raised as the price of hay increases. With only four horses to feed, price fluctuations are much harder to absorb.

If the Quiessence is working for Penn, I say woo hoo!!!!!! I'll be sure to let you know how I feel about the PP.

Stampy and the Brain link
5/30/2016 06:15:32 pm

Should be interesting to see it tested on a healthy horse.
Quite a few years ago now Stampede ended up very sick with cellulitis and likely ulcers. He had dropped a ton of weight in response to poor barn management (we moved barns once he was well) and my vet had me put him on platinum performance as part of his recovery. I was very impressed with the product and he rebounded well. After moving barns and having more food options he decided he didn't want to eat it anymore sadly.
I've heard that there is a smartpak supplement that is basically a copy and cheaper, not sure what it's called though.

Bakersfield Dressage link
5/31/2016 09:31:26 am

There are a few different "faux" versions of the product, but I feel safer sticking with the original formula. If he quits eating it, I guess I'll save a ton of money. :0)

Micaylah link
6/1/2016 12:16:15 pm

let me know how it goes! I definitely am starting to think my supps are overkill for my horse right now but I'm too afraid to take him off them

Bakersfield Dressage link
6/2/2016 05:42:12 am

I will post my results for sure. Taking Izzy off the Quiessence was hard, but he looks and feels great without it, so while he might have needed it for a while, he definitely doesn't seem to need it now.


Comments are closed.

    About the Writer and Rider

    ​I am a lifelong rider. 
    I began endurance riding in 1996 where I ultimately completed five, one-day 100 mile races, the 200-mile Death Valley Encounter, and numerous other 50, 65, and 75 mile races. I began showing dressage in 2010.
    ​Welcome to my dressage journey.
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    Photo by Lori Ovanessian

    About Speedy G

    ​Speedy went from endurance horse to dressage horse. After helping me earn a USDF Bronze medal in the summer of 2020, he is now semi-retired. Speedy is a 2004, 15'1 hand, purebred Arabian gelding. His Arabian Horse Registry name is G Ima Starr FA.
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    July 2020 (PC AJSK Photography)

    About Izzy

    Izzy was started as a four-year old and then spent the next 18 months in pasture growing up. I bought him as a six-year old, and together, we are showing at the lower levels. He is a 2008, 16'3 hand warmblood gelding. His Rheinland Pfalz-saar International (RPSI) name is Imperioso.
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    March 2021 (PC Tess Michelle Photography)

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