When it comes to keeping horses feeling their best, owners often find themselves juggling multiple supplements—one for digestion, another for joints, another for respiratory support, and perhaps another for coat condition or overall wellness.
Multiplasan takes a different approach. This herbal and mineral supplement has been used for more than 75 years in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland, and it’s now being introduced to horse and pet owners in the United States by Cynthia Beyersdorff of Beyersdorff Health.
We spoke with Cynthia about Multiplasan, the horse that inspired her to bring it to America, and why she believes supporting the whole horse is an important part of long-term wellness.
The Horse That Started It All
Although Cynthia didn’t create Multiplasan, one particular horse convinced her that more American horse owners needed to know about it.
Broadway was a Selle Français show jumping stallion in Germany who had developed serious respiratory problems. “Nothing seemed to help this stallion until it started taking Multiplasan,” Cynthia says. “When we saw that, we knew we had to bring this supplement to America!”
Broadway belonged to a young rider in southern Germany and had been unable to compete because of equine asthma. According to Cynthia, his owner began giving him Multiplasan while also using an equine saline nebulizer. “After three weeks, Broadway was back in the show jumping arena,” she says. “He was our inspiration!”
That experience ultimately led Cynthia to introduce Multiplasan to the U.S. market.
What Is Multiplasan?
Multiplasan is an herbal and mineral feed supplement designed for horses, dogs, cats, and sheep. Rather than focusing on one particular area of the body, Cynthia describes it as a whole-animal supplement intended to provide broad nutritional support.
“A lot of equine and canine supplements in America only treat one symptom,” Cynthia explains. “Multiplasan has a whole different approach. Multiplasan supports the whole horse or dog from the inside out.”
Another unique feature is its feeding schedule. Multiplasan is generally used for a four- to six-week period rather than being fed continuously throughout the year.
For younger and performance horses, Cynthia recommends using it twice a year for about four weeks as part of their overall wellness routine. Older horses or animals with more health concerns may be given a six-week course.
What’s Inside Multiplasan?
Multiplasan contains a blend of herbs and minerals, including:
- Nettle leaf
- Licorice root
- Peppermint leaf
- Juniper berries
- Gentian
- Restharrow root
- Added minerals
Cynthia says the combination is just as important as the individual ingredients. “Multiplasan’s secret is how these ingredients, together with the added minerals, work together synergistically to address your horse’s or dog’s health holistically.”
Each herb has traditionally been used for different nutritional and wellness purposes. For example, nettle is naturally nutrient-rich, while peppermint is commonly associated with digestive and respiratory support. Gentian is a bitter herb traditionally used to support appetite and digestion, while juniper and restharrow have historically been used to support normal urinary function.
Licorice root is another ingredient Cynthia particularly values for its traditional use in digestive and respiratory support. Rather than viewing each ingredient separately, however, she believes the strength of Multiplasan comes from the complete herbal-mineral blend.
Which Horses Can Benefit?
Multiplasan isn’t designed exclusively for elite performance horses.
Cynthia says she has seen owners use it with everything from competition horses to older horses who simply need additional nutritional support. “If you have an older horse or an older dog with a lot of complaints, you will really notice a difference in your horse’s or dog’s overall health, wellbeing, and energy level if you give it Multiplasan for six weeks.”
For younger or performance horses, she views the supplement more as periodic nutritional support.
Owners who use Multiplasan have reported noticing changes in energy, coat condition, digestion, movement, and overall appearance, Cynthia says. Experiences will naturally vary from animal to animal.
Why Cynthia Believes in the “Whole Horse”
One idea comes up repeatedly when Cynthia talks about Multiplasan: you can’t always look at one part of the horse in isolation.
“I wish more horse owners understood that health is more complicated than just giving supplements designed to treat a certain symptom,” she says. “If you want to have a healthy animal and lasting results, you have to treat your whole horse.”
Nutrition is part of that equation, too. A carefully balanced diet can only do so much if the horse isn’t efficiently digesting and utilizing those nutrients. For Cynthia, supporting digestion, hydration, normal body function, and overall nutritional balance all fit into the same bigger picture.
“You have to treat the ‘whole’ horse if you want your animal to be healthy. You can’t just support one system in the body or fight one symptom. You really have to support all of the systems in your horse’s body, because they all work together.”
Bringing European Naturopathic Traditions Home
Cynthia’s interest in herbal wellness is rooted in both her professional background and her lifelong love of horses.
She grew up with horses in Massachusetts before moving to Europe after college and eventually becoming a naturopath in Munich, Germany. “I think my journey is bringing everything I have learned as a naturopath in Germany back to New England and sharing it with horse people here.”
After seeing herbal and naturopathic products widely used in Germany, bringing Multiplasan to American horse owners felt like a natural extension of that experience. And for Cynthia, Broadway remains the horse who proved just how meaningful that journey could be.
A Different Way to Think About Supplementation
Horse owners have more supplement choices than ever before, and finding the right nutritional program for an individual horse can take some research. Multiplasan offers something a little different: a European herbal and mineral formula intended to support the horse as a whole, rather than concentrating on a single area.
For Cynthia, that’s the most important thing she hopes horse owners remember. “You really have to support all of the systems in your horse’s body, because they all work together.”
Interested in learning more about Multiplasan? Visit Beyersdorff Health or stop by The Cheshire Horse to learn more about whether it may be a good addition to your horse’s wellness routine.
As with any supplement, individual results may vary. Supplements should not be used as a substitute for veterinary diagnosis or treatment. If your horse has respiratory, digestive, metabolic, or other health concerns, consult your veterinarian before making changes to their feeding or supplement program.
Jennifer Keating is an equestrian and the e-commerce copywriter for The Cheshire Horse. She’s been competing on the hunter/jumper and Arabian circuits for years and has earned nearly 20 national championship titles along the way. She’s still actively showing while also writing about the products and gear she knows from real experience in the barn and the ring.