Why human grade ingredients in our supplements?

The answer is quite easy. We believe that if it’s not acceptable for us to consume it is not acceptable for our horses. 

There are some studies that have been undertaken in the equine industry, however it is very difficult to obtain funding for this type of study, which involves complementary therapy. Our naturopathic veterinary formulas fit into the category of complimentary medicines.

Our supplements have been in use since 1990 and there is a huge amount of anecdotal evidence that contributes to our success. We have conducted small-scale studies on several products which unfortunately cannot be published due to lack of funding.

Gaps in Equine Research and Ethics

We simply cannot rely on equine studies alone to provide you, our customer, with ongoing support and research on the ingredients that we use. There are huge gaps in current equine research, put quite simply, there is simply not enough research. It is impossible for our company to invest staggering sums into clinical trials, it is far more effective to use the existing and extensive research that we have at our fingertips based on human science. We always guarantee that our research easily adapts across to the equine.

There are other reasons why our company is not comfortable conducting clinical trials, the most important of all is ethics. In no way do we want to harm these beautiful animals during a clinical trial and sometimes to achieve the result involves situations that go against our strongly held beliefs and principles. 

From our perspective horses are unable to give their permission and decide when it comes to being used as a subject in a clinical trial unlike a human who can say yes, or no. Scientific studies also require the trial participants to guarantee that they will use the formulation in the correct manner, if they don’t then the trial itself is compromised, as is evidenced by several of the peer to peer review papers we have seen on horse supplements. 

What is the situation with the use of animals in testing to produce human medicines? 

Animals have been used in testing for a very long time, however when research has taken place the evidence from this research is applied to humans. There are obvious differences between the species however the research itself is still considered necessary and reliable enough to be safe in humans. Using safe ingredients is the most important part of any formulation.

Our latest product, Respirafix, as an example

Let’s use an example of our newest product so we can explain exactly how we go about using the human research to formulate a product and achieve the result we are aiming for. 

RespiraFix is a new product for Asthma and COPD conditions which was developed recently by our nutritional therapist and medical herbalist Antoinette Foster and naturopath and herbalist Karyn Campbell. 

As with most formulas we look at a range of ingredients which can include mineral tissue salts, organic herb extracts, vitamins, trace elements and amino acids. We also ensure through our knowledge and research that we do not use ingredients that have been proven to have contraindications in human or animal use.

Extensive & Thorough Research

When formulating this product, we put together a list of ingredients that we feel would be an acceptable and effective part of the formula. We gather research and documentation on the ingredients of our choice. You might think that this an easy task, nothing could be further from the truth. Through an extensive search of ingredients, we feel would obtain the desired result and will assist primarily with Asthma and COPD conditions we isolated approximately 29 to 30 herb extracts that could be highly beneficial in a formula such as this. 

Then comes a very long and laborious task of researching every single herb to find out whether they would be suitable to be used together but also be effective within the formula. What results we are trying to achieve with the full formulation, the properties of each ingredient and the science behind these ingredients becomes extremely important in our decision making process. 

Primarily with this product we were looking at a way to alleviate the symptoms that horses are experiencing from Asthma and other COPD conditions. Once we have collated all the information, we go through the process of determining which ingredients will be of the most benefit and which ingredients will work together to enhance the bioavailability of the complete formula. Once we have reached the final formulation, we look at using the product on specific subjects to ascertain the effectiveness. 

The result with this product was overwhelmingly successful. And as of today’s date, we have had a very high number of horses that have been treated who were previously dependent on medication. This no doubt is beyond exciting.

History & Commitment

Hi Form was founded in 1990, ingredients used in our formulations in most cases have been ingested by horses for well over 30 years. We have a reputation for producing products that have an exceptionally high success rate.

We have made a solid commitment to the welfare of horses, and this extends to any research and product testing that may take place. We have access to the scientific information required, extensive knowledge with our three practices in varying modalities including nutrition, herbal medicine, and naturopathy. 

We would never want to put a horse’s health at risk or in harm’s way so therefore we will always seek to use non-intrusive and ethical research methods.