How to care for a unicorn
Everyone knows how rare they are; your child’s perfect first pony!
Bombproof, careful, easy keepers, who nurture their young and inexperienced rider, as they find their balance in the saddle and learn to ride. Practically irreplaceable and almost as hard to find as unicorns!
With their canny knowing ways, your unicorn can step up when required or play lead pony for the little one whose legs can barely reach the stirrups. Safe on the ground and careful under saddle; grass reins are often all that is required to keep them on task! A mother’s dream pony, your child’s first love; no screen can compete. Outdoors and active, learning life’s lessons and making friends beyond school!
Temperament is everything. Easy to ‘S’, ‘F’, ‘C’, but hard to find. As good at games as they are at dressage and happy to jump when there are carrots beyond the flags. Been there, done that; your unicorn is a true all rounder.
By the time they have arrived to bestow their magic on your family, your unicorn may have a CV of older riders who have now graduated to bigger mounts. Your unicorn’s age may reflect this. Having reached their senior years, their joints may be slightly puffy, their gait a bit of anamble. Perhaps their conformation is less than ideal. Accumulated wear and tear often mean that they are dealing with the effects of arthritis. However, with a little bit of extra care, your unicorn can be given the best chance of a comfortable and active life as they foster your child’s love of horses.
Keeping your pony sound requires careful management, diligent foot care, a balanced diet and maintenance of a healthy weight range. It may also be appropriate to commence administering 4CYTE™ Equine Granules or 4CYTE™ Epiitalis® Forte Horse to your unicorn. Epiitalis®, which is found in our 4CYTE™ products, is a natural and sustainable, plant seed oil extract that is used extensively in racing and performance horses competing at the highest level.
Epiitalis® not only provides pain relief, it also helps manage the symptoms of arthritis at the cellular level. It has been shown to suppress chemicals that damage cartilage, stimulate cartilage repair and provide prophylactic joint health benefits. Interestingly, Epiitalis® is especially useful for ponies, as our smallest equines do not tolerate long term non-steroidal use. Unable to be medicated with phenylbutazone (‘Bute’) for long term pain relief, 4CYTE™ has been an important development in the safe, long-term management of arthritic ponies. Feeding this natural plant extract once a day is a safe way to ensure that your unicorn’s joints are pain-free. It’s a great way to keep them happy under saddle as they teach your child the joy of life with horses.
Worth their weight in gold, your unicorn deserves the very best of care as they lay the foundations of your young equestrian’s confidence. Keep them sound and they will enthusiastically fulfill their special role for many years to come. Speak to your veterinarian about using 4CYTE™ to help care for your unicorn.