Friday, December 12, 2008

No ingredients on labels

I think I've whined in my blog before, about how horse products in Europe are not required to have ingredients lists on their labels. I've pulled the feed store manager over, pointed to a bottle of "mane shine" and said, "Tell me what is in this." I'm not buying blind. (He couldn't tell me, BTW.)

Well today I was pointed to a horse health website, which has a vast amount of herbal remedies, and of course, no descriptions of what is in them. In fact, they go to great lengths, if you click "Product details", to explain how good it is for the energy level of your horse, his performance, his mood, his body, his bones, his breathing, his peace on earth. My gosh, nowhere does it say what causes these results. Trust us. Give us your 33 euros and your horse will say danke schoen.

Here's an example of what they are selling:

BACK RELIEF- herbal mix for your horse's back. For the special needs of horses who are sensitve in their backs/saddle area, or the entire spine and muscle zone of the back. As an additive to the basic feed, with real plant ingredients which are useful to horses. For short or longterm use. Tip: Not for pregnant mares.*

Good grief, are these people for real?

If they think I would buy products without knowing what is in them, they think I'm a fool. I have written these Austrian thieves an email. (I say thieves because I doubt their herbs can help a sensitive back.) Here's their site, if any Germans are reading this:

http://www.horsehouse.at/

In contrast, I just visited the Valley Vet Supply online catalog. Now that is a fine website I feel confident ordering from. Every single supplement they sell has a link called "Label info" that you click to read all the ingredients, daily dose, and how to store it. Well done, Valley Vet! If only there was something similar here *sigh*...

*Pure Kräutermischung. Mit Vitalstoffen für: den Pferderücken. Speziell auf die besonderen Bedürfnisse von Pferden eingestellt, die sehr rückenempfindlich, vermehrt sensibel in der Sattellage oder im gesamten Wirbelsäulen- und Rücken-Muskulaturbereich sind. Zur Aufwertung der Grundnahrung mit rein pflanzlichen, vitalisierenden Nähr-und Aufbaustoffen, die für den Pferdekörper besonders nützlich sind. Als Kur oder für Langzeitgebrauch. Hinweis: Nicht zur Verabreichung an trächtige Stuten bestimmt.

1 comment:

Zoe said...

I am shocked. It's a legal requirement in the UK.