OklahomaHorses Magazine May 2023

May / June 2023 • OklahomaHorses 29 just vitamins, minerals, and trace minerals but also protein, fiber, and starch.” There is no secret ingredient in KoolSpeed that gives a horse explosive energy without fear of ulcers alongside a calm demeanor. It’s the mathematics behind it that makes the difference. “Everyone does the big things right — it’s about the little ratios, the balance of nutrients,” Custer said. “Since the feed is forage and fiber based, it’s naturally somewhat dry. This helps slow horses down when eating and even prompts them to stop partway through to get a drink. That’s not all horses of course, but some that I’ve observed.” The small amount of molasses in the formula doesn’t make the feed sticky and is added specifically for its flavor and smell. The formula is safe and effective for every type of horse. Variations of the feed — KoolSpeed, KoolSpeed Plus, KoolSpeed LS, KoolFoal, and Collection Performance — are available to meet the dietary requirements of horses in any stage of life. Collection Performance is a version of KoolSpeed with added Omega 3 and beet pulp. Custer has done his research in the feed formulation and in the results horse owners have enjoyed in the past few years. Proof Is in the Pudding “There are products on the market that claim to help with ulcers, and by and large, most of them do help. It’s not that they don’t have value, but none of them directly addresses gastric acidosis like KoolSpeed does,” Custer said. “That’s why I spend so much time, money, and effort to find horses to scope and run trials on so there are no questions about the results because pictures don’t lie.” Barrel racer Dona Kay Rule is probably KoolSpeed’s number-one spokeswoman. Even though a stomach scope wasn’t performed, a veterinarian diagnosed Rule’s mare with ulcers. She was Custer’s first official trial horse that he didn’t own. KoolSpeed quickly worked its magic, and the mare blossomed. “I have several horses who had ulcers, confirmed by gastric gyroscope diagnosis, and KoolSpeed was the common denominator in correcting that issue,” Custer said. “Based on the second set of scopes, it was clear that those ulcers were gone. KoolSpeed didn’t heal, treat, or cure those ulcers — it was simply an alternative conduit to medication for long-term healing in the gut.” Chronic acidosis is the buildup of acid in the gut over time. Controlling that buildup through diet rather than medication allows the body to heal itself. “When you control the gut environment with good, commonsense nutrition that meets a horse’s requirements, the body doesn’t need any help getting rid of those ulcers,” Custer said. “Our company slogan is, ‘We create an environment where ulcers just won’t manifest.’ That’s why we don’t claim to heal, cure, or treat ulcers — we fix the acidosis and create an environment where they just won’t exist.” That has been Custer’s goal from the beginning. Secondary to that, KoolSpeed doesn’t get its name by chance. It has been earned. Kool Explosion “The main cause of anxiety in a horse is pain and stress. In a horse that’s mechanically sound, I don’t know of anything that would be more painful than a gut issue,” Custer said. “If you’ve ever had heartburn, you know what I’m talking about.” In the 1990s, Custer dabbled in trace mineral and vitamin combinations in relation to promoting a calmer horse. Studies have shown that certain combinations of those two factors can have a calming effect. “When I say we promote calmer horses, the big one is by making them comfortable so they’re paying attention to their riders,” Custer said. “But that ratio of vitamins and trace minerals certainly contributes.” On the other end of the spectrum, KoolSpeed allows a horse to fire on all pistons at just the right moment. “Horses can be ready to go without being hot and nearly out of control,” Custer said. “We have the starch and grains in KoolSpeed to provide calories for the explosive muscle function. When you get over the limit or the starch-to-fiber or starch-to-protein ratio gets out of balance, that’s when you get a horse that’s always on the muscle, and not in a great way. If your balance is correct, then your horse is sitting there ready to go — just waiting.” For more information about KoolSpeed and to find a dealer near you, visit https:// mannsvilleagcenter.com. Left, KoolSpeed is a simplified ration geared toward feeding a hindgut fermenter the way Mother Nature intended. Below, the look and feel of KoolSpeed aren’t like those of many other rations on the market today.