Product Review: Finish Line's U7

In April I was wondering if Spicy was really meant to be a riding horse. The ground work was going well but he still had days where he was just... unhinged. Something would set him off that would make him unrideable. I always had to do at least twenty minutes of ground work before I even got on, or there was a lot of sideways movement and spinning, sweating and shaking. One day in particular, after a week of being glorious and feeling 'fixed', he came completely undone by something he thought he saw on the neighbors property. I fought back tears as I patted his shivering, sweating neck and asked myself, is this the right thing to do for us?

My barn owner urged me not to give up, and said she had seen a huge change in her horse when she treated for ulcers. Her horse is actually living on a maintenance dose of omeprazole now (and doing great, by the way!).

Now, I had done 60 days of treatment in the fall and I wasn't super keen on a permanent omeprazole script. Leah suggested Finish Line's U7, and fortunately they had a booth at Land Rover Kentucky so I could talk to them. After chit chatting over Spicy's symptoms and the holistic style of the ingredients I thought it was worth a shot. The reps provided a 32oz sample so I could get him started on the loading dose right away, and the product comes with a 30-day money back guarantee which makes it a very low risk gamble.

After the first week I ordered a gallon. After that gallon I ordered another gallon. I'm still shocked at how much of a difference it's made. He's gaining weight, actually enjoys grooming, and is suddenly capable of relaxing his topline. Don't get me wrong; he can still be spooky and nervous about things. But he works down instead of up, and it's much easier to balance him.

Look at this beautiful chonk with his bird-friend!

How I'm Administering It:
Spicy gets 2 ounces twice a day currently, which is the recommended loading dose by the manufacturer. The loading dose is suggested for 30 days, but I've just been continuing on the 4 ounces a day train. His symptoms were so severe I've been afraid to drop him down and have it recur, and there isn't a downside to giving them more except that you will have to buy more each month. It's so cheap and works so well...I  really don't care. The first dose I squirted in his mouth with a syringe, but since then we just dump it on his food and he cleans it up.


The Good:

• He eats it (ALL of it!) directly off his food. Spicy is actually such a fan of it that the first week he was on it he got real r00d for feeding time: carrying on pawing at the gate and whatnot. He's since settled down but it's pretty safe to say it's probably Picky Eater Approved.
• It works. The grooming sensitivity, girthiness, spookiness, and general grumpiness under saddle is all but gone. He can handle time off much more easily. The last piece is to test the trailering, and I think I might give him an extra dose if I know we're going to travel.

The Bad:

• I wish it came in pellet form. I generally just prefer pellets; I think they're easier to manage and the horses are more likely to get the whole supplement. I hate powders. But U7 does come in a liquid and it binds great to grain which makes it an excellent top dressing. I just got this pump to make it easier (dispenses about one ounce, so he gets two pumps each meal time):

I don't know that U7 could be a cure for what ails your horse, but it has done absolute wonders for Spicy and I will be leaving him on it for the foreseeable future.