Who are Alternate Touch?

Alternate Touch Equine Supplement Specialists are an Australian based enterprise, who take a truly holistic approach to horse health and well being. Headed by myself (Dr Penny Hawken), our supplements were developed by combining a deep, scientific understanding of equine nutrition with natural therapies. The result is a range of supplements that work in synergy to create happy and healthy horses.

Where does the 'science' come in?

Having spent over a decade working in research, I am very adept at researching the scientific literature for answers to questions. Therefore, I used these skills to investigate how and why natural remedies might benefit our horses. This insight, combined with a deep understanding of the problems that horse owners face, led to the development of our range of supplements.

How was this approach applied to horses?

My heart horse Midnight had a catastrophic accident back in 2012, and I was looking for answers. On my quest, I found that the information available on which supplements to use, when, where, how, and most importantly why, was varied, subjective and very confusing.

This lack of clarity and sheer frustration, led me to the scientific literature to do my own research. I was curious about the cause of common problems, and whether there was a mechanism, pathway, or molecule that might explain why a natural remedy might benefit our horses. Also, being a biologist and researcher, I was acutely aware of looking at the system as whole, rather than just the individual components. For example, what impact does acid reduction have on the rest of the digestive process?

The key ingredients were then combined into formulations, including our Equine Supplement Bars that make the treat a treatment! We have products to help with everything from digestive issues (e.g. ulcers) to joint/muscle health, calming and metabolism.

If in doubt, drop us a line, because we've probably got a bar for that!