For Poseidon Equine founder Linda Goldspink-Lord, the lessons learned over the last decade are helping to shape the future of true health for Australian horses.
I can’t remember a time when horses weren’t a part of my life.
I grew up in country NSW, and horses were my first love. As I’ve grown and progressed through the chapters of my life, horses have remained a constant. Sharing this love with my children was a huge privilege for me—my daughters Molly and Emily both competed in horse shows and events growing up. And when my beautiful daughter Molly died in an accident, aged 13, horses were my comfort. A safe place, a warm flank, an ear to talk to.
Poseidon Equine founder Linda Goldspink-Lord
When Molly passed, learning about gut health and the links between our guts and our brains and overall health was a huge turning point for me. I started looking after my gut health as a way of healing, and of giving my health the foundations I needed to start to feel better. To learn to live and love again.
A few years later, we were having trouble with our beloved horse Cruz, an off the track Thoroughbred.
He was losing weight. He had trouble getting the right canter lead. He would grind his teeth and tilt his head. He even randomly one day bolted out from underneath my daughter Emily, putting her in the hospital.
I couldn’t work out what was wrong.
I spent thousands on getting a custom saddle made and getting it regularly re-checked. I had his teeth treated routinely. I even had moulds done of his mouth and got a customised bit made. As any horse-lover knows, we’ll stop at nothing to help our horses feel better.
Out of ideas, I started to look into the impact of gut health on horses, and the research I found filled me with hope. I reached out to equine nutritionists and vets, to get their input into what would go into a horse gut health supplement. Something created from high quality ingredients, backed by scientific research and designed to help horse’s feel better and enjoy the gift of true health. My husband had previously run an animal pharmaceutical company, so between all of our team we were able to create Digestive EQ… And so Poseidon Equine was born.
We’ve learned a lot over the last five years since launching our business, and I’m proud to have played a part in educating Australian horse owners about the importance of gut health for horses.
In recent years, our understanding of horse nutrition has improved dramatically. We have been reminded that hay and grass are the gold standard of feed for horses, and that a horse’s gut bacteria has a dramatic impact on their behaviour, physical appearance and performance.
We’ve also learned that stress in a horse can take a long time to show-up. Often, by the time they’re displaying signs of stress, they’re at a crisis point. Just like white ants in timber, when stress finally makes itself known, it can be catastrophic.
Since starting this business, I’ve met so many amazing people throughout Australia and around the world, who share our belief in the power of horse gut health. Researchers and nutritionists who’ve helped us understand how the gut works, and why horse nutrition is so important. Veterinarians, trainers and breeders who are forward-thinking in their approach to horse nutrition and health. Owners and riders who want the very best life for their horses, and to help them make the most of every day.
We’ve had thousands of horse owners contact us to share their stories of transformation. Just like we experienced with Cruz, they’ve seen a horse who was stressed, struggling to gain weight and lethargic, turn into a vital horse with a glowing coat and boundless energy. Every call or email we get with a story of a horse enjoying the benefits of a healthy gut makes all our hard work worthwhile.
Today, we’re still a family-run business with big ideas and big ambitions. Many people are surprised when they see firsthand just how hands on our operation is — we are a dedicated, hard-working team, and it really is a family affair, with everyone pitching in to pour their passion into the business.
Over the past two years our presence has grown in New Zealand, and we are now exporting to the Middle East and Asia with further international expansion plans due to be announced soon. Despite this growth, we’re still committed to providing our customers with the highest quality products, leading edge research and education, and maintaining our integrity.
Sometimes I have to pinch myself that an idea to help one horse, has turned into a business that’s helped thousands of horses throughout Australia and across the world. But we still have a long way to go — I dream of helping every horse live a life of true health, and empowering every horse owner about how to help them. Thanks for being part of our story, I can’t wait to see what the next chapter brings.
True Health. Inspired By A True Story.
Like every horse owner, you want your horse to look great, feel great and be fun (and safe) to ride. A healthy gut goes a long way to achieving all this. Nothing replaces a good diet or reducing the stress in your horse’s life. But once you have those boxes ticked, they might still benefit from a little extra help.
Before
After
What a transformation! “This boy was head to hoof in rain scald, mud fever, had cellulitis and a severe staph infection with boils all over him. He shouldn’t be alive really, but getting him healthy on the inside was the key! Luckily I trusted Linda and Digestive EQ for this fella.” — Kayla, Digestive EQ Customer
Products
A gut health supplement that is platinum standard, designed to support the digestive and immune systems of your horse.
The ultimate vitamin, mineral and amino acid supplement for horses, designed to complement and be fed alongside Digestive EQ.
A concentrated nutritional formula for horses in times of acute stress, including transporting, competing, racing or extreme heat and humidity.
Contact
Poseidon Equine Pty Ltd T 02 4260 8893 E info@poseidon-equine.com
