Behind the Scenes with Kelsey Bornt, Lifestyle Product Specialist with Purina Animal Nutrition

Kelsey currently lives just outside of Middlebury, VT on a 30-acre farm with her husband, 2 dogs, and 5 horses. Her official job title with Purina is Lifestyle Product Specialist but, she’s also an equine nutrition consultant for multiple feed stores across Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine.

How did you first get into the equine industry?

I grew up on a farm and we always had horses around. My aunt and cousin would always give me pony rides on their horses and then I got my first pony for Christmas when I was four years old. At first it was just trail riding on our farmland, but eventually I started taking lessons and moving up from my little pony to my first show horse when I was eight years old. Since then, I have owned, trained, and shown my own Morgan horses and have worked for a few great trainers along the way.

Take us through a typical day for you?

My alarm goes off at 5am and I am in my barn, coffee in hand, by 5:15am. I do all my morning chores and put the horses out for a few hours while I do some computer work in my home office. Around 8am I bring the horses back into the barn and head out to whatever appointments I may have. Usually 80-85% of my workday is spent in the car, driving from horse farm to horse farm and to the feed stores I oversee. Appointments at farms usually consist of talking with barn managers/owners, looking at horses and weighing them, and then going over diet plans. The feed store appointments are more business oriented. I meet with the business owners to discuss future events and numbers. I try to be back home around 4pm every day, and head out to the barn to work my 2 training horses and do evening chores around 6pm. After chores, it is the normal “dinner/clean/tv” routine until I do night check at 9pm and then my day is done!

What are the most important roles of your position?

I would say the most important role of my position is to make sure everyone is on board with the nutritional program we decided upon and making the connection between the customer and the feed store. The easier you can make it for everyone involved, the better.

How do you help your clients select the best nutrition program for their horse(s)?

There are so many things that go into selecting the best nutrition program, but really it comes down to what is best for the horse and what the customer will be happy with. On the horse side of things, we look at their age, weight, and body condition score. We also look at what exactly their “job” is, what their activity level is, etc. On the customer side of things, we discuss price point, horse performance, and simplicity. The best program is the one that allows horses to perform their best so owners are happy.

What sets Purina apart from other equine feeds?

Research and quality! Rarely do horse owners realize that Purina Animal Nutrition has a state- of-the-art research facility in Missouri to not only study the effects of their own products/programs but also animal health in general. There are multiple published research articles that have come from the scientific studies done at the farm. Purina is also one of the few companies that tests each load of ingredients coming into each mill for quality and nutritional value. This ensures every horse gets the most consistent nutrition possible and the customer gets exactly what they pay for.

Why is it important that your clients focus on a proper nutrition program?

A proper nutrition program from the start ensures that their horse will reach its full potential and have a long, healthy life.

How is your industry evolving?

I would be lying if I said the horse feed industry was not cutthroat nowadays! There are so many new companies formulating their own products and of course, as horse people, we all have our own ideologies of how horses should be fed. And we cannot forget that “Dr. Google” always has to lend its hand in some way as well.

How does your career satisfy you as a professional in the horse industry?

Morgan show horses will always be my first love but this job has allowed me to experience all the different disciplines horse owners enjoy with their horses. All in the same day, I can see western pleasure Quarter Horses, high-end grand prix horses, reiners, polo ponies, and trail horses by traveling to different farms. It really is eye opening to see the differences between them!

What is the most important bit of advice that you can give our readers when it comes to equine nutrition?

I think my favorite saying is, “let the horse show you.” If you want to try something, whether it be a feed or supplement, give it 60-90 days to show you a difference. If you don’t see a difference it’s probably not worth your money.

Can you truly see a difference between a horse on your program versus a horse on another feed company’s feed program? How and why?

Now that I have probably seen thousands of horses in my travels, I can honestly say I can walk onto a farm and tell you what kind of feed program they are on. There is just a difference in a way a horse holds its weight, its topline, and its hair coat based on what they are eating. Different ingredients, different formulas, and a difference in quality lead to different looking horses!