Inflation doesn’t seem to be letting up these days, and equestrians are feeling the effects. We love our horses, and find it difficult to cut corners even when feed, hay, supplements, medications, and vet bills are climbing higher and higher every month.

For many horses, their supplements help keep them comfortable and perform their very best for us. I’m always one to keep an eye out for a bargain, and I have developed a bit of a cheat to help lower my supplement bill in times of strife.

Know What You’re Paying For

The first step is knowing what you’re actually paying for in your supplements, and how much of an ingredient your horse is getting per dose. Many brands claim to have the best supplement for (insert problem here), but the dosing and filler ingredients can vary widely.

One of the most helpful strategies I’ve adopted when shopping for supplements is understanding how much of a vitamin or mineral my horse needs for the best results. Sometimes, this involves some research or a quick chat with your vet, as well as an understanding of how other ingredients can complement another’s absorption and effectiveness.

Some things to pay attention to when reviewing your supplement list include:

• Know what dose you want to achieve of x vitamin, mineral, or compound
• Note the dose of each active ingredient per day
• Calculate the number of days your supplement lasts at your current feed rate
• Calculate the cost per dose of each active ingredient

Ultimately, I like to even out the playing field by figuring out the optimal dose of x, and then seeing how many recommended servings of each supplement I need to achieve that. Then, I break the supplement costs down into a monthly sum and compare everything again.

Shop Around

Make a list or spreadsheet of supplement details and shop around. Take advantage of sales on Amazon, Chewy, or at local feed stores. Sometimes, I may have trouble figuring out measurement conversions between supplements (which can be listed as grams, scoops, or ounces). Other times, I’m looking online at labels, and I can’t see what the guaranteed analysis is.

I absolutely love Mad Barn’s feed bank to help with both of those scenarios. They have a database of feeds, forage, and supplements and the breakdown of each into their respective ingredients. Once you have that jotted down, then you can start doing your calculations.

Check the Human Aisle

Sometimes, it pays to look at human supplements for a cheaper alternative to keep our horses happy. For example, BulkSupplements has an incredible selection of ingredient-forward supplements that can be a cost-effective alternative to the typical equine brands.

Amazon can even be a helpful place to look for certain supplements. I love feeding chia seeds to add fiber, Omega-3s, and hydration to my horses’ rations, and I can usually find a bulk bag of Chia seeds for less than $50. I feed at a rate of 1/3 cup per day per horse, so that bag typically lasts one horse about 2.5 months. (I used to buy the 25-lb bag, which lasted one of my horses 6 months, but those listings have been unavailable for some time now).

Buy in Bulk

Buying in bulk isn’t an instant money-saver, but many times, it saves you money on monthly supplement costs over a long-term period. Buying in bulk works best when:

• You’re in a time of plenty and can afford a larger, one-time price tag.
• You have the ability to store extra supplements.
• You’re purchasing a supplement that you regularly use and will use within its shelf life.

For a quick cost comparison, check this out:

• MVP Magnesium 5,000 [10lb bag]: $41.75, 80-day supply at 1-scoop feed rate (5g Magnesium/scoop) $15.60/month
• MVP Magnesium 5,000 [50lb bag]: $148.45, 400-day supply at a 1-scoop feed rate (5g Magnesium/scoop) $11.10/month

Some may say that a $4.50 difference per month isn’t worth the hassle of dealing with a 50lb bag, but it rounds out to about $54 worth of savings over a year, and that makes a difference for me. At the very least, adding one more calculation for any supplements’ bulk cost is worth checking.

Take Advantage of Sales

While Prime Day was a little bit of a disappointment in the equine supplement department this past year, it pays to keep an eye out for sales whenever you can. Chewy often runs specials on their equine supplements once a year, and every cent counts. Their auto-ship feature is also a good money-saver, but don’t assume you’re getting the best price without checking around first. I’ve caught some sly discounts on psyllium pellets with Amazon that ended up being better than Chewy at one point in time.

Pinch Pennies Where You Can

I feel the most confident in my purchases when comparing costs accurately. Like many folks, I’ve had to trim down on my supplement spending, and this economy has me looking upside down and sideways at most things to make sure I know where my money is going.

I’m not one to compromise on quality when it comes to my horses feed, either, and I can attest that I’m in the camp of equestrians who would rather eat instant noodles than let their horses go without quality nutrition.

From one equine bargain hunter to another, watch for those sales, discounts, and specials whenever you can.