About OKAPI

About OKAPI

Many horse owners today find themselves facing challenges in managing their horse’s health, often requiring more attention and care than initially expected. As a result, rather than focusing solely on pursuing their passion for riding, they find themselves dedicating considerable time and energy to supporting their horses in achieving and maintaining better health. This shift in priorities reflects the growing recognition that the well-being of our horses is the foundation for a fulfilling and successful partnership.

This ranges from poor performance and vague symptoms in the musculoskeletal system to serious conditions such as summer eczema or laminitis. A closer look at these issues often lead back to feeding, which, unfortunately, is still not always appropriate for the horses in many yards. Various supplementary feeds are often used to mask symptoms caused by a basic diet that isn’t tailored to the horse’s specific needs. As a result, the issues are shifted from one organ system to another, without the horse achieving long-term health.

Unfortunately, the consequences of incorrect feeding are usually not immediately apparent, but often only become visible months or even years later. The horse’s metabolism initially tries to compensate for processes that are no longer functioning optimally by replacing them with others. As a result, these systems become overloaded, and the metabolism must find a new “detour” to keep the organism alive. We only see the outward symptoms when all the metabolic pathways to address errors in the system through alternative routes have been exhausted. The time it takes for the first signs to appear, and which symptoms ultimately become visible, varies from horse to horse. One horse may still seem to cope well with their diet, while another is already suffering from sallendar/mallendar and a third shows signs of Faecal Water Syndrome.

OKAPI products are developed with practical experience to provide an equine-appropriate, balanced diet. Alongside ensuring the right mineral and basic nutrition for your horse, we offer products that specifically support the natural function of the organ systems and metabolic pathways. We deliberately avoid adding artificial colours, flavourings, preservatives, and components that, according to current scientific understanding, do not promote health.

We believe that in horse feeding, the guiding principle should be: providing just what is needed, with the healthiest options possible.