OPTIMACARE for Horses | Organic Gut, Liver, & Metabolic Support Programme ?OCTOBER SALE - 20%-OFF - USE CODE RESET20
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OPTIMACARE for Horses | Organic Gut, Liver, & Metabolic Support Programme 🍂OCTOBER SALE - 20%-OFF - USE CODE RESET20

Shop / A-Z Equine Condition / Immunity
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Part of our C.A.R.E Immunity Protocol

Cleanse | Activate | Regenerate | Energise

Does your horse seem overloaded rather than actually unwell?

Rather than forcing a "detox", OptimaCARE takes a structured approach to supporting the body's everyday housekeeping systems – beginning with the gut, then focusing on normal liver and kidney function, before turning to circulation and fluid balance.

" You have given me my horse back - bright eyes, glossy coat, and a spring back in her step!" Angela H.

Across three 10-day stages, it supports the gut first, then the liver and kidneys, before addressing healthy circulation and lymphatic flow.

Whether your horse feels flat after a busy season, is slow to change coats, is post-medication or illness and now stable, or simply seems like they could do with a bit of a tune-up, OptimaCARE provides a structured way to help the whole system breathe again.

* For the latest research and insights, see our main A-Z Horse Library/Detoxification page in the Info Centre above.



Does your horse need OptimaPLUS instead?

If your horse is sore, inflamed, or coming out of something more complex, we’d normally look at OptimaPLUS instead, w hich combines the OptimaCARE reset programme with additional comfort and nutritional support in one structured plan.


Overview - why the body's natural housekeeping systems matter

One of the questions we're often asked is: "Why does OptimaCARE work in three separate stages?"

Because those systems are closely connected – and we've chosen to give each one a little focused attention in turn.

Every minute of every day, your horse's body is carrying out an extraordinary amount of internal housekeeping, relying on four closely connected systems working together:

  • The gut is the gatekeeper - it decides what stays and what goes.
  • The liver is the customs office crossed with a sorting and distribution warehouse, receiving nutrient-rich blood from the gut, deciding what can be used, stored or transformed, and preparing compounds that are no longer needed for natural removal.
  • The kidneys continually filter the bloodstream, removing water-soluble waste into the urine for excretion.
  • Meanwhile, the lymphatic system acts as the body's drainage network, collecting excess tissue fluid and cellular debris before returning it to the bloodstream, where it can once again pass through the liver and kidneys.
  • The blood is the body's motorway, delivering good stuff - oxygen, nutrients and hormones to every tissue, while carrying unwanted carbon dioxide and metabolic waste onwards for processing or natural elimination.

These systems don't work independently - they work as one beautifully connected housekeeping network. When one part begins to struggle, the others compensate, which is why we prefer to look at the whole horse rather than one isolated system.

Most of the time they do an incredible job, but after a demanding season, illness, medication or changes in forage and routine, some horses simply don't seem quite themselves.

This is when owners start noticing subtle changes, such as their horse seeming flatter than usual, possibly stressed, and often the coat has lost its shine, droppings have become inconsistent, and recovery seems slower.

Those signs don't necessarily mean their housekeeping systems are struggling – but they do give us a reason to look more closely at nutrition, management and overall health.

That's exactly where OptimaCARE fits, by simply following the body's own natural sequence.

  • First, we help stabilise the gut - because everything downstream depends upon it.
  • Next, we support the liver and kidneys as they process and filter the body's everyday metabolic by-products.
  • Finally, we encourage healthy circulation and lymphatic flow, helping those natural housekeeping systems continue moving everything in the right direction.

In short?

OptimaCARE isn't about forcing a "detox" - it's about helping the body's own housekeeping systems regain the rhythm they've evolved to follow all along.

How OptimaCARE fits into your horse's support plan

OptimaCARE is our structured one-month programme for horses who may benefit from broader nutritional support after a demanding period.

Choose OptimaCARE if your horse:

✔ Seems flatter than usual, or has lost some of their normal sparkle

✔ Has come through a demanding season and seems to be taking longer to bounce back

✔ Has finished veterinary treatment and could benefit from some gentle nutritional support during recovery

✔ Has occasional digestive niggles or inconsistent droppings alongside other signs that things aren't quite running smoothly

✔ Would benefit from a structured, one-month programme rather than adding several separate supplements

In short: if your horse seems a little out of sorts, without one obvious area needing targeted support, OptimaCARE is where we'd consider starting.

Supporting the wider picture

Not every horse needs a seasonal reset. If yours is thriving on good forage, balanced nutrition and a healthy routine, there's no reason to add a programme simply because the calendar says spring or autumn.

But when a little extra support makes sense, OptimaCARE provides a structured 30-day Gut → Filtration → Flow programme, after which we'd look at what, if anything, needs continuing.

  • BiomeTonic – where maintaining a settled, resilient hindgut microbiome is an ongoing priority, particularly if digestive balance has been a recurring issue.
  • WildFed – where you'd like to introduce more plant diversity and natural fibre variety into a forage-based diet, helping nourish the gut ecosystem over the longer term.

When OptimaPLUS makes more sense

For horses that are particularly sensitive, recovering from more complex health challenges, or needing additional comfort support alongside their reset, OptimaPLUS builds on the OptimaCARE programme with extra nutritional buffering and comfort-focused support.

It combines the OptimaCARE programme with additional comfort and nutritional support, providing a more comprehensive approach for horses who need a little more help along the way.

Foundation support

The body's natural housekeeping systems don't work on herbs alone.

Supporting your horse's baseline nutrition with a forage-based mineral blend such as EquiVita or VitaComplete helps provide those essential nutritional foundations, both during the programme and long after it's finished.

*If you're not already feeding a mineral balancer, try one of our 1kg trial bags.

In summary

Use OptimaCARE when your horse seems to need a general reset rather than another targeted supplement.

Follow the one-month programme, keep the nutritional foundations strong, and only add longer-term support where your horse gives you a genuine reason to.


Composition & feed guide

*OptimaCARE is a nutritional, functional food supplement and not veterinary medicine. For more information, refer to Dr Kellon's Horse Sense - Nutrition is not 'Alternative' Therapy .

🌿OptimaCARE (1) - gut stabilise

We start with the gut - supporting the digestive environment, encouraging microbial balance, and helping the body's natural housekeeping start at the point where everything enters.

  1. Andrographis paniculata – A traditional bitter herb that supports digestive function and healthy gut activity.
  2. Astragalus membranaceus – Helps support normal immune function while maintaining resilience during periods of change.
  3. Berberis vulgaris – Traditionally valued for supporting microbial balance and healthy digestive secretions.
  4. Symphytum officinale – Included to help soothe and support the integrity of the digestive lining.
  5. Filipendula ulmaria* – Traditionally used to maintain gastric comfort and digestive balance. (Filipendula is a controlled substance - see Clinical Considerations below)
  6. Handroanthus (Tabebuia) impetiginosus – Traditionally used to help maintain a balanced internal microbial environment.
  7. Plantago ovata – A natural source of soluble fibre that supports healthy bowel function and regular elimination.
  8. Smilax ornata – Traditionally used to support the body's natural housekeeping processes

🌿OptimaCARE (2) - sorting and filtration organs (liver & kidneys)

Now the focus shifts to the organs responsible for processing, filtering, and preparing toxins for natural elimination.

  1. Astragalus membranaceus – Adaptogen supporting detox enzyme regulation and vitality.
  2. Arctium lappa – Traditionally used to support the body's natural elimination pathways.
  3. Apium graveolens – Traditionally valued for supporting normal kidney function and healthy fluid balance.
  4. Taraxacum officinale – Traditionally used to support everyday kidney and healthy liver function.
  5. Echinacea purpurea – Supports immune surveillance during toxin clearance.
  6. Ginkgo biloba – Traditionally used to support healthy circulation.
  7. Silybum marianum – Well known for supporting normal liver function and helping maintain healthy liver cells.
  8. Urtica dioica – A naturally mineral-rich herb that supports normal kidney function and overall vitality.
  9. Rosa canina – Naturally rich in antioxidants to support healthy tissues throughout the body's housekeeping cycle.
  10. Smilax ornata – Continues to support the body's natural housekeeping processes as the programme progresses.

🌿OptimaCARE (3) - circulatory systems

Finally, the focus turns to the body's drainage (lymph) and transport (blood) network, supporting healthy fluid movement, tissue housekeeping and the circulation that keeps everything connected.

  1. Astragalus membranaceus – Helps maintain normal immune function while supporting recovery and resilience.
  2. Arctium lappa – Supports lymphatic and hepatic drainage through natural alterative actions.
  3. Calendula officinalis – Traditionally used to support healthy connective tissues and lymphatic function.
  4. Galium aparine – Traditionally valued for supporting healthy lymphatic drainage and fluid movement.
  5. Taraxacum officinale radix – Continues to support healthy liver function during the final stage of the programme.
  6. Echinacea purpurea – Promotes balanced immune tone and recovery during metabolic adjustment.
  7. Ginkgo biloba – Included to support healthy microcirculation throughout the body.
  8. Silybum marianum – Supports continued liver resilience and antioxidant defence.
  9. Urtica dioica – Provides valuable natural minerals while supporting normal fluid balance.
  10. Rosa canina – Helps provide antioxidant support as the programme draws to a close.

Feed guide

Human grade, produced to ecological standards and free from agro-chemicals. See our Quality page for Organic Certification Documents.

  • Feed each stage in sequence: 33g (horse) / 17g (pony), daily for 10-days.
  • 1 level 75ml scoop = 33-grams.
  • Take a day off between each stage, until all three stages are finished.

Fussy eater?

Some horses have wonderfully strong opinions (especially when herbs are involved!), so introduce gradually, building up over several days to allow your horse time to become familiar with the flavour. If you need a little extra help, see our Fussy Eaters Guide is packed with tried-and-tested tips.
♻️ Eco Note: Our packaging is recyclable and refillable.


Energetics - how OptimaCARE works

If you want the science, 'energetic architecture' explains how a herbal programme is designed to support the body's interconnected systems – not just which herbs are included, but how they're brought together and sequenced to create a specific approach.

OptimaCARE follows a simple principle: start with the gut, support the body's processing systems, then turn attention to circulation and flow.

The gut, liver, kidneys, blood and lymph are working together all the time - OptimaCARE doesn't change that. What changes is where we place the herbal emphasis across its three 10-day stages.

How the programme works

  1. Stage 1 – Gut: settle the starting point - We begin with digestion, because the gut is where nutrients enter and where the intestinal barrier and microbial community help manage the relationship between the horse and everything arriving through the feed bowl.

    Andrographis, Barberry and Pau D'Arco bring traditional bitter and microbial-balance support, while Psyllium and Meadowsweet support digestive comfort and normal gut function.
  2. Stage 2 – Filtration: support everyday processing - Next, the emphasis moves to the liver and kidneys – the organs responsible for much of the body's normal metabolic processing and waste removal.

    Milk Thistle, Burdock, Dandelion and Nettle bring traditional hepatic, renal and fluid-balance support, helping maintain the systems already carrying out this work every day.
  3. Stage 3 – Flow: keep everything connected - Finally, we turn towards circulation, lymphatic function and healthy tissue-fluid balance.

    Cleavers and Calendula bring traditional lymphatic support, alongside herbs such as Ginkgo and Nettle for normal circulation and wider tissue wellbeing.

Big picture

OptimaCARE isn't about making the body work harder or forcing anything out. It's a structured month of herbal support, moving the emphasis from Gut → Filtration → Flow, while all those systems continue doing their normal jobs together.

Three stages, three different priorities, one structured way of supporting systems that never stop working together.


Clinical considerations / veterinary reference

Advisories

  • Feed as a minimum 1-month course.
  • Ensure quality stemmy hay is available 24/7 to provide sufficient cellulose fibre, to help restore the hindgut microbiome.
  • Caution with steroid, immune-suppressant, or anticoagulant medications - seek veterinary guidance for compatibility.
  • Some horses may show temporary adjustment signs as the body's natural housekeeping systems become more active - reduce dose or pause briefly if symptoms appear.

Contraindications

  • Not suitable for pregnant or nursing mares.
  • Do not feed during acute conditions - always stabilise first (e.g. laminitis recovery, post-medication, or seasonal transition).
  • Use caution with horses prone to dehydration or electrolyte imbalance; ensure constant access to water and salt.
  • Contains Meadowsweet ( Filipendula ulmaria ), a natural source of salicylates classed as a Controlled Medication under FEI rules. Always check current competition rules and allow an appropriate withdrawal period before competing.

Vet reference

A concise, vet-friendly reference is available for sharing with your vet.


OptimaCARE FAQs

Is OptimaCARE a detox?

Ah, that word. It does get rather a lot of attention, doesn't it?

Your horse already has a liver, kidneys, gut and lymphatic system doing an extraordinary amount of housekeeping every day. And OptimaCARE isn't designed to force toxins out or make those organs work harder.

Instead, it's a structured month of herbal support, starting with the gut, moving to the liver and kidneys, then finishing with circulation and lymphatic flow.

Think supporting the housekeepers rather than arriving with a pressure washer.

That's why we prefer to call it a whole-body reset.


Why does OptimaCARE work in three separate stages?

Because the body's housekeeping systems are beautifully positioned to connect with each other.

The gut manages what comes in; the liver processes and transforms substances while the kidneys filter the blood; the circulatory and lymphatic systems help move nutrients, fluids and metabolic by-products around the body.

They're all working together, all the time. OptimaCARE simply changes where we place the herbal emphasis across three 10-day stages:

Gut → Filtration → Flow.

We're not suggesting one system switches off while another takes over. We're giving each area its own period of focused nutritional support.

A little organisation for a very busy internal household.


Can I use OptimaCARE after antibiotics or other medication?

This is an ideal time to use it, particularly if your horse seems a little flat or their digestion hasn't quite returned to normal. But - we'd want to know what your horse has been treated for, how they're recovering, and whether your vet is happy for additional support to begin.

Antibiotics, for example, can alter the hindgut microbiome, while illness and veterinary treatment may leave a horse needing time and appropriate nutritional support during recovery.

But we'd always let the prescribed treatment do its job first, then once your horse is stable, treatment has finished and your vet is happy with their progress, OptimaCARE may be a useful addition to their recovery plan.

What's the difference between OptimaCARE and OptimaPLUS?

Think of OptimaCARE as our straightforward Gut → Filtration → Flow programme.

It's designed for the horse who seems to need a little general whole-body attention, rather than support for one particular problem.

OptimaPLUS builds on that same three-stage programme with additional nutritional and comfort-focused support.

So if your horse is generally well but seems a little flat after a demanding period, we'd usually look at OptimaCARE.

If they're recovering from something more complex, OptimaPLUS may be the better fit once any active health concerns have been assessed.

It's not about choosing the bigger programme - it's about choosing the right amount of support for the horse standing in front of you.


How often should I use OptimaCARE – and does every horse need a seasonal reset?

Not every horse needs one, and that's an important distinction.

If yours is thriving on good forage, balanced nutrition, regular movement and a healthy routine, there's no reason to add a reset simply because the calendar says spring or autumn.

But you'll know if they've had a demanding few months, seem slower to bounce back or would benefit from a little broader nutritional support, a one-month course may be worth considering.

Some owners choose to repeat the programme once or twice a year, while others use it only when there's a particular reason. And we'd always rather follow the horse than the calendar.


What should I feed after finishing OptimaCARE?

Possibly nothing extra at all!

Once the programme is finished, we'd look at how your horse is doing rather than automatically adding another supplement.

If digestion has been a recurring issue, BiomeTonic may be worth considering for ongoing microbiome support. If you'd like to improve plant and fibre diversity in the diet, WildFed offers another option.

And throughout, we'd keep the everyday nutritional foundations in place with appropriate forage and a mineral balancer such as EquiVita or VitaComplete.

Because the aim of a reset isn't to create a permanent queue of supplement tubs.

It's to support the horse, review what's needed, and let the ordinary good stuff do its job.



© EquiNatural 2026. All content is original work protected under copyright, and may not be re-published, duplicated, or rewritten for commercial use without permission.

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OPTIMACARE for Horses | Organic Gut, Liver, & Metabolic Support Programme 🍂OCTOBER SALE - 20%-OFF - USE CODE RESET20
Shop / A-Z Equine Condition / Immunity
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