Every Rodeo Athlete Needs a Great Equine Partner To Succeed and Vitalize Keeps Horses at their Best

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Change is constant. A truer statement could not be made in 2020, when the pandemic cut short the typical rodeo season, saw the cancellation of many long-standing events and even moved the National Finals Rodeo from Las Vegas to Arlington, Texas. One thing that has been constant for rodeo athletes is the need for a great equine partner to help them succeed in their sport.

Just like with any sport, talented athletes aren’t just born. Yes, many are born into a family of rodeo athletes. However, each individual has to have the drive and passion to put in the hours, days and miles to become the best in his or her particular sport. However, greatness doesn’t just come from the athlete, especially in events like barrel racing and roping. That greatness and drive to succeed also has to come from the horse.

“A happy horse is a horse that’s going to perform and if they are not 100%, they can’t do their job. In a competition like professional barrel racing, you must have your horses at their best all the time. If you don’t have your horse at its best, somebody else does. Being reassured that my horses have that Vitalize® supplement and they are feeling good, is one less thing for me to worry about. If they aren’t feeling good, and time comes down to a one-hundredth of a second, everything counts. So, you have got to have them tip-top and ready to go,” said Emily Miller-Beisel, Weatherford, Oklahoma, barrel racer who is making her second consecutive NFR appearance.

Both Miller-Beisel and Haven Meged, Miles City, Montana, the reigning world-champion tie-down roper, rely on Vitalize supplements to make sure their horses are feeling their best to perform at their optimum as they prepare for their second NFR appearance. They provide their horses the good gut feeling they deserve with Vitalize® Alimend®. Miller-Beisel also feeds Vitalize Digest More Plus. Both supplements support gastric health, increase digestibility and contain the prebiotics AO-Biotics® and Amaferm®, respectively. Meged feeds a sister product, Hyaluronex® Joint, an oral, liquid HA formulation, allowing for quick absorption and maximum efficacy to promote joint, bone, soft tissue, and cartilage health.

“I want my horses to stay slick and shiny and feeling the best. That is my number one priority. If they don’t feel good, they aren’t going to perform to their best. It’s all about making them feel good,” Meged said.

Not only is the physical health of the horse and rider vital, preparing mentally is also important. Meged claims his main horse, Beyonce, is great at tuning out the noise and concentrating at her job. Although he can feel the energy of the crowd and knows all eyes are on him, he doesn’t get nervous when he ropes. He is solely thinking about the goal of the fastest time when he backs into the box.

“When you are backing in there, you’re focused on the fact you’ve worked for this your whole life, and you pretty much have to pay attention to every little detail,” he said.

Although both athletes depend on their horses to help them succeed, they know they must also prepare themselves. Prior to leaving, Miller-Beisel doesn’t rodeo much; instead it is a time for her horses to enjoy their pastures and barn at home, to rest and rejuvenate before their 10 consecutive nights in front of the large crowds. She does however make sure they are exercised and relies on long-time industry trainers at the Youree-Ward Ranch to give her horse a tune up and ensure she isn’t missing anything.

“I feel as much like a rookie this year as I did last year,” Miller-Beisel said. “The thing about last year was I had other girls I could rely that had ‘been there, done that’ that I could ask questions about. No one knows what to expect this year coming into Arlington. It’s going to be important for my horses to exert themselves and recover.”

Meged agrees.

“It would mean the world to me if I could win the world again, but as far as going in there and trying to defend it, it’s just taking it one calf at a time. It’s not over until it’s over in the tenth round, when everybody’s done and they close the gates,” he said.

Give your equine partners the same greatness that Beau, Chongo and Beyonce receive with the good gut feeling from Vitalize. Learn more at www.vitalizeeq.com.