Life After Racing

B-COMPLETE BY BANANA FEEDS AUSTRALIA- THE GUT HEALTH REVOLUTION

Banana Feeds Australia has developed ‘B-Complete™, Nature’s Elite Equine Supplement’.

100% Australian owned, 100% Australian made, and a family business, Banana Feeds Australia has made waves within the equine supplement market in a truly short time. A 100% natural supplement focused on Equine Gut Health, and indeed a world first has resonated with the masses.

The patent protected product, consists of whole dried green bananas, including the skin, the pulp, the stem and the flower ends, and horse owners across the country are expressing disbelief about the positive results they are seeing.

WHY GREEN BANANAS AND WHY B-COMPLETE™?

Green bananas have long been the subject of intrigue, from use in the Sydney Olympics, to consumption in space, but with correct dosages of B-Complete™ the true benefits become obvious.

EQUINE GUT HEALTH -The health benefits that derive from supplementary feeding of dried green bananas are broad and include:

Green bananas have been shown to have antiulcerogenic properties, an area widely accepted as needing a solution in the equine industry, other than expensive medications.

The insoluble fibre act as prebiotics to favour the nourishment of microflora in the gut (particularly the hindgut) to stabilise the microbiome.

This stability in the gut promotes immune competence allowing horses to counter bacterial, fungal, viral, or parasitic challenges whilst also improving digestion, feed utilisation and temperament. Other reported benefits include: Antimicrobial, Hypoglycemics, and Anti-lithiatic (prevent kidney stones).

GENERAL WELL-BEING Active compounds like dopamine, norepinephrine and serotonin all act to calm the animal and promote a sense of well-being, helping to make the animal more relaxed and easier to manage.

ANTIOXIDANT CAPACITY Green banana is recognised as antioxidant rich, with a wide spectrum of antioxidant compounds (phenolics, carotenoids, ascorbic acid or Vitamin C, tocopherols or Vitamin E, dopamine, flavonoids, norepinephrine) which are primarily located in the peel. All improve gut health.

“B-Complete is widely used in our stable. It has had a profound impact on the performance of our horses. I consider it a game changer. Our horses are working better, performing better, getting better results - particularly the ones we know are ulcer-prone. Very happy.”

- David Tootell

“Since I have been using B-Complete, our racehorses have better gut digestion, are healthier & maintain their condition easily. Their coats are amazing. We also found it extremely beneficial for highly-strung horses, making them safer and more manageable.”

- Rob Wilkinson

Banana Feeds Australia Pty Ltd: 14 Ponzo Street, Woree, Cairns, QLD, 4868

Ballarat Cup winner Grand Dreamer broke a leg in training but after rehabilitation at Shory Park is ready to be rehomed (Image by EJIM Photography). RIGHT: Nikki, Finn, two staff members and their Shory Park students (Image by Kiah Lucey Photography).

LIFE AFTER RACING

There’s strength in numbers

Rehoming racehorses is a full-time business for Nikki Cook, Shory Park’s Director, Head Trainer and Coach, writes JO McKINNON.

Incredibly, 31-year-old Nikki Cook has had nearly 300 Thoroughbreds through the gates of Shory Park for training or rehoming last year alone. Additionally, the recent demand for Off the Track (OTT) horses has been so high that she had to give a special call-out to trainers and owners across Australia in an effort to source more horses.

You’d think that COVID would have slowed things down, but that’s far from the case. “I’ve been so busy over COVID it’s been nuts. I really thought 2020 would be a terrible year for us with no competitions, but project horses and anything under $5,000 seemed to be the perfect purchase for people. They were just flying out the gate and going to the best homes,” Nikki says.

Six years ago, the former real estate agent decided to work full-time with OTT horses and established Shory Park, south-west of Melbourne on the Surf Coast. Since then, she’s built a highly successful business and now employs a team of nine.

These days, Shory Park is a bustling stable with up to 35 horses in full work at any one time. Horses are sourced from and sold all over Australia, including Darwin and WA. While Nikki doesn’t pay for transport costs to Shory Park, once horses enter the gates they becomes Nikki’s sole responsibility.

Before new arrivals begin any form of training, they’re given a holiday. “They all get three months out in the paddock to eat grass and be a horse. That’s a non-negotiable for us. It’s so important for them to let down physically and mentally. When they’ve just finished racing, they have to have that time out,” Nikki explains.

After their break, the horses are brought into work and eventually ridden up to six times a week by experienced horsewomen, including Nikki who, despite the daily pressures of running the show, finds the time to work up to 10 each day. “It’s important for me to ride all the OTTs to get a feel for them and ensure I match them correctly with a new home,” she says.

When a horse is ready for market, they’re placed on the Shory Park website with a detailed background and accompanying images. Some find a suitable home within just a few weeks of being advertised, while others take a little longer to place. All horses are guaranteed no matter whether they’ve been sold as companion horses or have gone to professional homes, and if they don’t work out they can be returned to the care of Shory Park.

Nikki, who prides herself on her integrity, scrutinises potential owners to ensure they’re a good fit for the horse. And occasionally she has to say no to buyers, which is never easy. “We do it quite a bit and it’s sad because we want to find homes for them. We’ve had one horse for 12 months but I don’t want to let him go to an unsuitable home. They have a home here for as long as they need,” she says.

Whilst the wellbeing of all the Shory Park horses is a top priority, Nikki runs the property as a professional and commercially successful business. “If we sell a horse, we get the kicker. It’s a balance,” she explains, “some work