GB2546511A

GB2546511A - Horse food supplement

Info

Publication number: GB2546511A
Application number: GB1601041.5A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Lowe John
Original assignee: Dodson & Horrell Ltd
Current assignee: Dodson & Horrell Ltd
Priority date: 2016-01-20
Filing date: 2016-01-20
Publication date: 2017-07-26
Also published as: GB201601041D0

Abstract

An oil in water emulsion, used as a horse food supplement, comprises one or more dietary supplements, the dietary supplements are suitable for supplementing the diet of an animal from the genus Equus, such as horses and ponies. The emulsion may comprise oils with fatty acids beneficial to a horse, glucosamine, Echinacea, vitamins, anti-oxidants, emulsifiers such as lecithin, preservatives, acidulants, colourants and sweeteners. The emulsion may be mixed uniformly with the animals fodder or forage and reduces the labour involved in providing dietary supplements and ensures a uniform and consistent intake of dietary supplements. An embodiment is disclosed with an emulsion mixture having: water 10%-40%, oil 10% - 80%, acidulant 5-20%, sweetener 0%-15%, emulsifier 0.1% - 5%, gum 0%-1%, antioxidant 0%-1% and preservative 0%-1%. This is mixed with dietary supplements: QLC antioxidant mix, Echinacea, glucosamine, chrondroitin sulphate and methyl sulphonyl methane (MSM) as well as a multivitamin/trace mineral mix.

Description

Horse food supplement

Background of the invention

The present invention relates to horse food supplements. In particular, the present invention relates to a novel means of delivering dietary supplements to animals such as horses.

The basic diet of the domestic horse generally comprises forage and fodder such as hay, grass and other such components. It is known to be beneficial to horses to, in addition to this basic diet, provide nutritional dietary supplements. Such dietary supplements have been found to be beneficial to the health and wellbeing of horses in a variety of ways. Known dietary supplements include Echinacea which is known to advantageously influence the immune system, glucosamine, chrondoitin sulphate and methylsulfonylmethane (MSM) known to benefit joint functionality, and antioxidants, vitamins and minerals which are known to provide a variety of health benefits.

Known ways of providing dietary supplements to the horse include providing a solid form of the supplement such as a pellet or powder. These can be given to horses along with its main meal of forage, or alternatively, provided separately for the horse to consume at a different time to its main meal. The inventors of the present invention have appreciated that there are various drawbacks with delivering dietary supplements to horses via the methods described above. For example, it may be necessary to feed the horse the supplements at a time other than with its forage requiring more labour. Furthermore if it is attempted to mix solid forms of the supplement into forage, the solid form of the supplement may readily separate from the forage before consumption such that the horse consumes the forage and not the dietary supplement. This may occur, for example, with a pellet or powder form of the dietary supplements. With such methods, the horse may consume the dietary supplement at a time different to its consumption of forage.

It is also known to try and provide dietary supplements to horses in liquid form. For example, dietary supplements can be dissolved in the water that a horse drinks. However, this method of supplement delivery is not suitable for water insoluble dietary supplements. Furthermore, there can be various problems with the shelf life of liquid dietary supplement formulations. Liquid formulations also require specific methods of supply such as oral gavage or provision in a container for the horse to drink out of.

The inventors of the present invention have appreciated the drawbacks discussed above associated with known methods of providing horses with dietary supplements, and sought ways to address them.

The inventors have appreciated that it would be beneficial to provide a means by which dietary supplements can be administered to horses alongside their daily forage, and in a manner such that the dietary supplements adhere to the forage, and are mixed within the forage in a uniform manner. The inventors have appreciated that achieving this would enable the dietary supplements to then be consumed alongside the forage and not at specific times different to the forage consumption as occurs with methods known in the art. Such feeding at specific times, separate to the forage consumption, may alter the digestibility and/or gut transit times of these additional feeds, whereas when providing them as part of forage, a more uniform and consistent intake of dietary supplements can be achieved. This is believed by the inventors to be better for the health and wellbeing of the horse. Furthermore, there would be a reduction in labour since feeding of the dietary supplements in addition to the horse’s forage would not be required.

Appreciating the above, the inventors have devised a way of providing the above advantages with a horse food supplement of the present invention.

Summary of the invention

According to an aspect of the invention, there is provided an oil in water emulsion comprising one or more dietary supplements, wherein the dietary supplements are suitable for supplementing the diet of an animal from the genus Equus such as horses and ponies. Preferably, the emulsion comprises an aqueous phase and an oil phase. Preferably, the one or more dietary supplements are suspended homogenously and uniformly within the emulsion.

According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a horse food supplement comprising the oil in water emulsion of the invention.

According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a process for making the oil in water emulsion of the present invention, wherein the process comprises mixing at least water, oil, and dietary supplements suitable for supplementing the diet of an animal from the genus Equus such as horses and ponies, so as to form an oil in water emulsion.

According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided an oil in water emulsion of the invention, or the horse food supplement of the invention for use in supplementing the diet of an animal from the genus Equus, such as a horse or a pony.

According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided an oil in water emulsion of the invention, or the horse food supplement of the invention in the manufacture of a dietary supplement for supplementing the diet of an animal from the genus Equus, such as a horse or a pony.

According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided the use of an oil in water emulsion of the invention, or the horse food supplement of the invention in supplementing the diet of an animal from the genus Equus, such as a horse or a pony.

According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of supplementing the diet of an animal from the genus Equus, such as a horse or a pony, wherein the method comprises administering an oil in water emulsion or a horse food supplement of the present invention to said animal.

Preferably, the methods and uses of the present invention discussed above comprise mixing the oil in water emulsion with the animal’s feed such as fodder or forage, such that the oil in water emulsion is intermixed with the animal’s feed.

Description of preferred embodiments

The term “dietary supplement” as used herein refers to a product intended for ingestion containing ingredients that add further nutritional value to a diet. Accordingly, a dietary supplement is not a product intended to meet the principal dietary needs of an animal, but a product containing ingredients to add further nutritional value to an animal’s diet. The dietary supplement may comprise ingredients not present in the primary diet of an animal. Alternatively, the dietary supplement may comprise ingredients present in the primary diet of an animal. In this latter scenario, the dietary supplement provides ingredients already found in the primary diet of the animal, thereby boosting the total amount of such ingredients ingested by the animal, such that the animal ingests a greater amount of nutrients. Examples of dietary supplements include mixtures formulated to provide additional antioxidants to a horse’s diet, herbs such as echinacea which are believed to positively influence the immune system, and minerals and vitamins.

The oil in water emulsion of the invention typically comprises an oil phase and an aqueous phase. The aqueous phase forms the external phase of the emulsion, and the oil forms the internal phase of the emulsion residing within micelles. The aqueous phase of the emulsion comprises water, but may also comprise salts and other soluble substances dissolved within the water. Preferably, the emulsion comprises water in an amount of from 10% to 40% by weight.

The oil used in the emulsion of the present invention may be any oil suitable for ingestion by animals such as horses. Preferably, the oil comprises any oil which has a beneficial fatty acid profile for the horse. More preferably, the oil comprises at least one oil selected from rape oil, fish oil, linseed oil, olive oil, borage oil, sunflower oil, or any combination thereof. Preferably, the oil is present in the emulsion in an amount of from 10% to 80% by weight.

Preferably, the oil in water emulsion of the invention comprises water in an amount of from 10% to 40% by weight and oil in an amount of from 10% to 80% by weight.

Preferably, the emulsion comprises one or more emulsifiers. Any emulsifier may be used that aids in the formation of the oil in water emulsion, and that is suitable for ingestion by animals of the genus equus such as horses. Preferably, the one or more emulsifiers comprise lecithin, phosphatidyl choline, a polysorbate, a modified starch or any combination thereof. Preferably, the modified starch comprises octenyl succinic acid modified waxy maize starch (OSA starch). Preferably, the one or more emulsifiers are present in the emulsion in an amount of from 0.1 % to 5% by weight, and more preferably 0.5% to 3% by weight. Preferably, the oil in water emulsion of the invention comprises water in an amount of from 10% to 40% by weight, oil in an amount of from 10% to 80% by weight, and an emulsifier in an amount of from 0.1% to 5% by weight.

The oil in water emulsion of the invention may comprise one or more acidulants. An acidulant is a food additive that lowers the pH of a mixture, generally so as to add a tart or bitter taste. Acidulants may be beneficial to horses. Any acidulants suitable for consumption by animals from the genus equus such as horses may be used. Preferable acidulants for use in the emulsions of the present invention comprise one or more of cider vinegar, acetic acid, or a combination thereof. Preferably, the acidulants are present in the emulsion an amount of from 5% to 20% by weight.

The acidulant preferably lowers the pH of the oil in water emulsion to less than pH 4.0. This is so as to provide a shelf life of the emulsion that is suitable for commercial use by, for example, protecting against microbial decay of the ingredients of the emulsion.

The oil in water emulsion of the invention may comprise one or more flavour enhancers such as sweeteners. Any flavour enhancer or sweetener suitable for consumption by horses can be used. Preferably, the emulsion comprises one or more sweeteners comprising one or more sugars. Most preferably the one or more sweeteners comprise fructose. Preferably, the one or more sweeteners is present in an amount of from 0.1% to 15% by weight of the emulsion. The flavour enhancer may also act as a water binder. Fructose may act as a water binder and flavour enhancer in the oil in water emulsions of the invention.

The oil in water emulsion may comprise one or more colourants. Any colourant suitable for consumption by horses can be used. Preferably, the one or more colourants comprise at least one of fruit powder, vegetable powder, or a combination thereof.

The oil in water emulsion may comprise starch, optionally present in an amount of from 0.01% to 5% by weight of the emulsion.

The oil in water emulsion of the invention may comprise a gum. Any gum suitable for consumption and ingestion by animals of the genus equus such as horses may be used. The gum is preferably present in an amount of from 0% to 1 % by weight of the emulsion. The gum may act to increase the viscosity of the oil in water emulsion.

The oil in water emulsion of the invention may comprise a preservative, optionally wherein the preservative is present in an amount of from 0% to 1% by weight of the emulsion. Preferably, the preservative comprises potassium sorbate, citric acid, or any combinations thereof.

Preferably, the oil in water emulsion of the invention comprises water, oil, one or more acidulants, one or more sweeteners, one or more emulsifiers, and one or more preservatives.

Preferably, the oil in water emulsion comprises water in an amount of from 10% to 40% by weight, oil in an amount of from 10% to 80% by weight, acidulants in an amount of from 5% to 20% by weight, sweetener in an amount of from 0% to 15% by weight, emulsifier in an amount of from 0.1% to 5% by weight, starch in an amount of from 0% to 5% by weight, gum in an amount of from 0% to 1 % by weight, and preservative in an amount of from 0% to 1% by weight.

Preferably, the oil in water emulsion comprises water, oil, an acidulant comprising vinegar, a sweetener comprising fructose, an emulsifier comprising OSA starch, and a preservative comprising potassium sorbate and citric acid.

The dietary supplements used in the oil in water emulsions of the invention can be suspended and/or dissolved in the oil phase of the emulsion, the aqueous phase of the emulsion, or both the aqueous phase and the oil phase of the emulsion. Preferably, the dietary supplements are suspended homogeneously and uniformly within the emulsion, although it will be understood that deviations from homogeneity may occur. Suspending the dietary supplements homogenously and uniformly within the emulsion is advantageous since it means that a given amount of emulsion will provide a predetermined amount of supplement.

The oil in water emulsion of the invention comprising the one or more dietary supplements that are preferably homogenously suspended within the emulsion can be mixed directly into a horse’s forage. Typically, a horse’s forage comprises components such as hay and grass. In this case, the emulsion of the invention can be mixed with the hay or grass such that it coats the hay and grass and provides a platform to stick the suspended dietary additives to the grass and hay. This is analogous to how a salad dressing can coat and partially adhere to the leaves in a salad.

The one or more dietary supplements for use in the oil in water emulsions of the present invention may comprise any dietary supplement considered beneficial to the health and/or wellbeing of an animal from the genus equus such as a horse.

Preferably, the one or more dietary supplements are present in an amount of from 1% to 35% by weight of the oil in water emulsion, and preferably 1% to 25% by weight.

The one or more dietary supplements used in the oil in water emulsions of the present invention may comprise one or more of vitamins, trace minerals, macro minerals, nutraceutical ingredients, additives or any combination thereof.

Nutraceutical ingredients may comprise one or more of antioxidants; glucosamine; methyl sulphonyl methane (MSM); prebiotics such as manna oligosaccharides, fructose oligosaccharides, beta glucans and/or yeast; electrolytes; herbs; or any combination thereof.

Examples of herbs that may be used include echinacea. Examples of antioxidants that may be used include QLC antioxidant mix patented by Dodson & Horrell ®. However, any antioxidant suitable for ingestion by horses and known to be beneficial to their health or wellbeing may be used.

Preferably, the antioxidants used in the oil in water emulsion of the invention are present in the form of a mixture of one or more antioxidants along with additional components. Additional components in the antioxidant mix may comprise vitamin E, vitamin C, sacrificial antioxidants such as gallic acid, taurine or glutathione, a vegetable carrier medium, an amino acid component such as N-acetyl cysteine or taurine, curcumin, rosemaric acid, rutin, tannin, parsley, oregano, thyme oil, bee pollen, tea polyphenols, or any combination thereof.

Antioxidants present in QLC mix, and that may be used as a dietary supplement in the oil in water emulsions of the invention comprise at least one naturally occurring plant-based antioxidant. Preferably, the plant-based antioxidant is from a plant or fruit high in bioflavonoids. Preferably, the antioxidant is present in the form of a plant or fruit extract such as grape skins, blueberry extract, elderberry extract, bilberry extract, or any combination thereof.

The specific components of the one or more dietary supplements in the oil in water emulsion are selected depending on the intended benefit to the horse. For example, if it desired to preferentially alter the antioxidant status of the horse, then antioxidants such as those discussed above may be the dietary supplements in the oil in water emulsion.

If an antioxidant mixture is used in the oil in water emulsion of the present invention, such as QLC antioxidant mix, it is preferably present in the emulsion in an amount of from 15% by weight to 25% by weight. An oil in water emulsion comprising 16% by weight of antioxidant mix has been found to advantageously alter the antioxidant status of the horse, when fed to the horse in an amount of 100g of the oil in water emulsion per day. Thus, 100g of the oil in water emulsion can be mixed with a day’s worth of forage such that the horse consumes this amount of oil in water emulsion in one day.

If it is desired to positively influence the immune system of the horse, herbs such as echinacea may be used as the one or more dietary supplements. Preferably, the echinacea is present in the emulsion in an amount of from 15% by weight to 25% by weight. An oil in water emulsion comprising 18% by weight of echinacea has been found to be beneficial to the immune system of horses when fed to the horse in an amount of 70g per day for small horses and ponies, and 100g per day for larger horses.

If it is desired to provide nutritional support for a horse’s joint functionality, glucosamine, methyl sulphonyl methane (MSM) or chondroitin sulphate, or any combination thereof may be used as the dietary supplements in the oil in water emulsions of the invention. Preferably, the glucosamine is present in the oil in water emulsion in an amount of from 5% by weight to 15% by weight, the chondroitin sulphate is present in the oil in water emulsion in an amount of from 5% by weight to 15% by weight, and/or the methyl sulphonyl methane (MSM) is present in the oil in water emulsion in an amount of from 2.5% by weight to 7.5% by weight.

It has been found that providing an oil in water emulsion comprising 10% by weight of glucosamine, 10% by weight of chondroitin sulphate and 5% by weight MSM to a horse in an amount of 100g of emulsion per day improves a horse’s joint functionality.

To provide optimum nutrition for a horse on a solus forage diet, multivitamin and trace mineral mixes may be used as the one or more dietary supplements in the oil in water emulsion. Preferably, the multivitamin and trace mineral mix is present in the emulsion in an amount of from 20% by weight to 35% by weight. It has been found to be beneficial to provide a horse with 10Og per day of an oil in water emulsion comprising 30% by weight of a multivitamin and trace mineral mix.

In all of the above scenarios, a specific amount of the oil in water emulsion that comprises the desired daily amount of the one or more dietary supplements can be mixed with a quantity of the horse’s forage that it would normally consume in one day. Preferably, the oil in water emulsion is mixed to homogenously coat and stick to the forage. Preferably, the one or more dietary supplements are mixed uniformly and homogenously within the oil in water emulsion. In this case, the recommended daily amount of the one or more dietary supplements will thus be evenly distributed around the recommended daily amount of forage. The emulsion acts to stick the one or more dietary supplements to the forage so that they are consumed along with the forage.

Preferably, any of the above described oil in water emulsions are provided to a horse so that the horse ingests a quantity of from 25g to 200g of the emulsion per day. Preferably, a quantity of from 50g to 150g would be consumed, and most preferably, 75g to 125g. The exact amount of emulsion that the horse should ingest in a day will vary depending on the exact quantity of the one or more dietary supplements within the emulsion.

Preparation of the oil in water emulsions of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Preferably, the oil, water and emulsifier are mixed to form the emulsion, before addition of the other components other than the one or more dietary supplements. Following this, the one or more dietary supplements may then be admixed into the emulsion until a uniform, homogenous suspension of the one or more dietary supplements is formed within the emulsion. However, as discussed above, deviations form completely uniform and homogenous suspension may occur.

It is necessary for the emulsion to be sufficiently viscous and stable at ambient temperature such that the suspension of the one or more dietary supplements are adequately supported by the emulsion in suspension and do not settle. However, it is also important that the emulsion is sufficiently liquid to be able to be poured or pumped. Preferably, the emulsion will have a viscosity of from 2 to 6 cm/min measured on a Bostwick Consistometer manufactured by Christison Particle Technologies, and more preferably of from 3 to 4.5 cm/min. The test procedure for measuring the viscosity preferably comprises loading the consistometer with 150 g of the emulsion, allowing the emulsion to settle in the reservoir of the consistometer for one minute, before releasing the emulsion and measuring the distance it travels in one minute so as to ascertain the emulsion’s viscosity. The viscosity measurement was conducted at ambient temperature.

Where the expression “% by weight of the emulsion” is used in the above description, this is used to refer to the weight percentage of a component by total weight of the emulsion comprising oil, water, any of the other optional components discussed above such as emulsifiers and acidulants, and the solid dietary supplements suspended within the emulsion.

Examples

An oil in water emulsion was prepared comprising the following components. In the below example, “%” refers to percentage by weight of the total oil in water emulsion comprising oil, water, any of the other optional components discussed above such as emulsifiers and acidulants, and the solid dietary supplements suspended within the emulsion.

Water 10% - 40%

Oil 10% - 80%

Acidulant 5 - 20%

Sweetener 0% -15%

Emulsifier 0.1% - 5%

Starch 0% - 5%

Gum 0% -1%

Antioxidant 0% - 1 %

Preservative 0% -1 %

An example of an oil in water emulsion prepared according to the above recipe comprised 50% by weight oil, water, 5% by weight vinegar as the acidulant, 5% by weight fructose as the sweetener, 2.5% by weight OSA starch as the emulsifier, and a mixture of potassium sorbate and citric acid as the preservative, each present in an amount of 0.5% by weight.

The above emulsion mixture was mixed with the following dietary supplements. i) QLC natural antioxidant mix in a ratio of 84 parts by weight of emulsion to 16 parts by weight of QLC antioxidant mix. The mixture was found to preferentially alter the antioxidant status of the horse when fed in an amount of 100g per day to horses. ii) Echinacea in an amount of 82 parts by weight of emulsion to 18 parts by weight of echinacea. This mixture was found to benefit the immune system of horses when fed in an amount of 70g per day to small horses and ponies, and 100g per day for larger horses. iii) Glucosamine, chrondroitin sulphate and methyl sulphonyl methane (MSM) in an amount of 75 parts by weight of emulsion to 10 parts by weight of glucosamine to 10 parts by weight of chrondroitin sulphate to 5 parts by weight of MSM. This mixture was found to benefit joint functionality of horses when fed in an amount of 100g per day. iv) Multivitamin/trace mineral mix in an amount of 70 parts by weight of emulsion to 30 parts by weight of multivitamin/trace mineral mix. This mixture was found to help support optimum nutrition for a horse on a solus forage diet.

Other examples of recipes for the oil in water emulsion of the invention are as follows: Suaaested redoes:

How to prepare oil in water emulsions of the type described herein will be known to the person skilled in the art. An example of a process used to prepare an emulsion of the invention is as follows. OSA starch was mixed slowly into water, citric acid and vinegar over a period of 5 minutes, with the mixture retained at a temperature of 40°C. An overhead Silverson high shear mixer was used on a gentle mixing speed. However, similar mixing apparatus known in the art could also be used. Rape oil was then added to the mixture over a timer period of ten minutes at a fast mixing speed using a high sheer rotor arm to obtain an emulsion. Fructose, potassium sorbate and the solid dietary supplements were then added over a time period of 5 minutes whilst mixing slowly. The resultant emulsion with solid dietary supplements suspended within it was then bottled or stored in containers. The proportions of each component in the emulsion were as detailed above in the table.

Claims

1. An oil in water emulsion comprising one or more dietary supplements, wherein the dietary supplements are suitable for supplementing the diet of an animal from the genus Equus such as horses and ponies.

2. An oil in water emulsion according to claim 1, wherein the emulsion comprises an aqueous phase and an oil phase.

3. An oil in water emulsion according to any preceding claim, wherein the one or more dietary supplements are suspended homogenously and uniformly within the emulsion.

4. An oil in water emulsion according to claim 3, wherein the one or more dietary supplements are suspended within the oil phase of the emulsion, the aqueous phase of the emulsion, or both.

5. An oil in water emulsion according to any preceding claim, wherein the one or more dietary supplements are dissolved in the aqueous phase of the emulsion, the oil phase of the emulsion, or both.

6. An oil in water emulsion according to any preceding claim, wherein the oil in water emulsion comprises one or more emulsifiers.

7. An oil in water emulsion according to claim 6, wherein the one or more emulsifiers are present in the emulsion in an amount of from 0.1% to 5% by weight of the emulsion.

8. An oil in water emulsion according to claim 6 or 7, wherein the emulsifier comprises lecithin, phosphatidyl choline, a polysorbate, a modified starch such as octenyl succinic acid modified waxy maize starch (OSA starch), or any combination thereof.

9. An oil in water emulsion according to any preceding claim, wherein the emulsion comprises at least one oil selected from rape oil, fish oil, linseed oil, olive oil, borage oil, sunflower oil, or any combination thereof.

10. An oil in water emulsion according to any preceding claim, wherein the emulsion comprises an oil that has a beneficial fatty acid profile for a horse.

11. An oil in water emulsion according to any preceding claim, wherein the oil in water emulsion comprises one or more acidulants, optionally wherein the one or more acidulants comprise cider vinegar, acetic acid, or a combination thereof.

12. An oil in water emulsion according to claim 11, wherein the acidulant is present in the emulsion in an amount of from 5% to 20% by weight of the emulsion.

13. An oil in water emulsion according to any preceding claim, wherein the emulsion comprises one or more sweeteners, optionally wherein the sweetener is fructose.

14. An oil in water emulsion according to claim 13, wherein the sweetener is present in an amount of from 0.1% to 15% by weight of the emulsion.

15. An oil in water emulsion according to any preceding claim, wherein the emulsion comprises a colourant, wherein the colourant is optionally selected from fruit powder, vegetable powder, or a combination thereof.

16. An oil in water emulsion according to any preceding claim, wherein the emulsion comprises starch, optionally wherein the starch is present in an amount of from 0.01% to 5% by weight of the emulsion.

17. An oil in water emulsion according to any preceding claim, wherein the emulsion comprises a gum, optionally wherein the gum is present in an amount of from 0.01% to 1% by weight of the emulsion.

18. An oil in water emulsion according to any preceding claim, wherein the emulsion comprises a preservative, optionally wherein the preservative is present in an amount of from 0.01% to 1% of the emulsion.

19. An oil in water emulsion according to claim 18, wherein the preservative comprises potassium sorbate, citric acid, or a combination thereof.

20. An oil in water emulsion according to any preceding claim, wherein the one or more dietary supplements are present in the emulsion in an amount of from 1 % to 35% by weight of the emulsion.

21. An oil in water emulsion according to any preceding claim, wherein the one or more dietary supplements comprise any dietary supplements considered beneficial to the health and/or well being of a horse.

22. An oil in water emulsion according to any preceding claim, wherein the one or more dietary supplements comprise vitamins, trace minerals, macro minerals, nutraceutical ingredients or any combination thereof.

23. An oil in water emulsion according to claim 22, wherein the nutraceutical ingredients comprise antioxidants; glucosamine; methyl sulphonyl methane (MSM); prebiotics such as manna oligosaccharides, fructose oligosaccharides, beta glucans and/or yeast; electrolytes; herbs; or any combination thereof.

24. An oil in water emulsion according to any preceding claim, wherein the emulsion has a pH of less than 4.0.

25. An oil in water emulsion according to claim 24, wherein the emulsion comprises a pH controller.

26. An oil in water emulsion according to any preceding claim, wherein the viscosity of the emulsion is from 3 to 4.5 cm/min when measured on a Bostwick Consistometer.

27. An oil in water emulsion according to any preceding claim, wherein the one or more dietary supplements comprise a natural antioxidant mix, such as QLC antioxidant mix, present in the oil in water emulsion in an amount of from 15% to 25% by weight of the emulsion.

28. An oil in water emulsion according to any preceding claim, wherein the one or more dietary supplements comprise Echinacea present in the oil in water emulsion in an amount of from 15% to 25% by weight of the emulsion.

29. An oil in water emulsion according to any preceding claim, wherein the one or more dietary supplements comprise glucosamine present in the oil in water emulsion in an amount of from 5% to 15% by weight of the emulsion, chondroitin sulphate present in the oil in water emulsion in an amount of from 5% to 15% by weight of the emulsion, and methyl sulphonyl methane (MSM) present in the oil in water emulsion in an amount of from 2.5% to 7.5% by weight of the emulsion.

30. An oil in water emulsion according to any preceding claim, wherein the one or more dietary supplements comprise a multivitamin and/or trace mineral mix present in the oil in water emulsion in an amount of from 25% to 35% by weight of the emulsion.

31. A horse food supplement comprising an oil in water emulsion according to any preceding claim.

32. A process for making an oil in water emulsion according to any one of claims 1 to 30, wherein the process comprises mixing at least water, oil, and dietary supplements suitable for supplementing the diet of an animal from the genus Equus such as horses and ponies, so as to form an oil in water emulsion.

33. An oil in water emulsion according to any one of claims 1 to 30, or a horse food supplement according to claim 31, for use in supplementing the diet of an animal from the genus Equus, such as a horse or a pony.

34. An oil in water emulsion according to any one of claims 1 to 30, or a horse food supplement according to claim 31, for use according to claim 33, wherein the use comprises mixing the oil in water emulsion or the horse food supplement with the animal’s feed such as fodder or forage, such that the oil in water emulsion is intermixed with the animal’s feed.

35. Use of an oil in water emulsion according to any of claims 1 to 30, or a horse food supplement according to claim 31 in the manufacture of a dietary supplement for supplementing the diet of an animal from the genus Equus, such as a horse or a pony.

36. Use of a water in oil emulsion according to any one of claims 1 to 30, or a horse food supplement according to claim 31 in supplementing the diet of an animal from the genus Equus, such as a horse or a pony.

37. Use according to claim 35 or 36 , wherein the use comprises mixing the oil in water emulsion with the animal’s feed such as fodder or forage, such that the oil in water emulsion is intermixed with the animal’s feed.

38. A method of supplementing the diet of an animal from the genus Equus, such as a horse or a pony, wherein the method comprises administering an oil in water emulsion according to any one of claims 1 to 30, or a horse food supplement according to claim 31 to said animal.

39. A method according to claim 38, wherein the method comprises mixing the oil in water emulsion with the animal’s feed such as fodder or forage, such that the oil in water emulsion is intermixed with the animal’s feed.