K.I.S. Trace® by Thorne Bottom Farm

K.I.S. Trace® by Thorne Bottom Farm is an equine forage balancer built to fill the trace-mineral and nutrient gaps that forage-only diets leave behind. It was developed by Patrice Sager, AHA, PHCP — a professionally certified hoof care practitioner with more than 15 years of hoof-care experience and 6-plus years as a dairy goat production operator — through nutritional study and, per Thorne Bottom Farm, in partnership with an equine PhD nutritionist. The line uses organic trace minerals from Zinpro Performance Minerals®, where the trace mineral is bound to an amino acid so it absorbs efficiently and reaches the organs, tissues, and enzyme systems that need it. There are no added sulfates.

What Does It Do for Horses?

Thorne Bottom Farm formulates K.I.S. Trace® around the minerals that drive whole-horse health — hoof and coat quality, bone and muscle development, appetite, the nervous system, and disease resistance. Owners who feed it report coat quality and hoof strength and integrity that, in the company's words, are "unmatched," along with improved posture and overall condition. The formula carries no prohibited substances and is made in ionophore-free facilities, with no added iron, sugar, corn, soy, or artificial ingredients.

What's In It?

Every version is built on dehydrated alfalfa meal and yeast culture, with L-Lysine, DL-Methionine, L-Threonine, magnesium oxide, calcium carbonate, vitamin E, vitamin A, biotin, and the Zinpro® amino-acid complexes of zinc, manganese, and copper, plus cobalt glucoheptonate. The Original formula is flavored with anise and fenugreek; an Original A/M version uses anise-molasses flavoring with no added sugar. Selenium options span Original, Low Selenium, and No Selenium so the formula can be matched to your region's soil. A 4-ounce serving delivers, among other nutrients, 850 mg zinc, 285 mg copper, 200 mg manganese, 4 g magnesium, and 15 mg biotin.

Why a Hoof-Care Practitioner Built It

Patrice Sager spent years under horses as a hoof care provider before she built a mineral. That perspective shows in the testimonials. Hoof care professional Geri White reports "a tighter hoof connection, thicker / tougher soles, and walls" in a short amount of time for many horses. Dr. Ann-Marie B. Hancock, DVM of True North Equine Veterinary Services says that after using K.I.S. Trace® for over a year she is "pleasantly surprised with the results I see with my equine patients." Ida Hammer of Mackinaw Dells Whole Horse Hoofcare puts it plainly: "We have used other popular minerals on our horses, and there simply isn't any comparison. This is our mineral of choice!"

Powder or Pellets — Which Fits Your Horse?

K.I.S. Trace® comes in a powder and a pellet so you can match it to a fussy eater. The Powder is fed at 2 scoops per 1,000 pounds of horse, and a 20-pound bag lasts roughly 80 days at that rate. The Pellets, made for picky eaters, are fed at 6 ounces (3 scoops) per 1,000-pound horse, with a 20-pound bag lasting about 50 days. Pellet formulas include GI versions that add MOS to support digestive health. A budget-friendly K.I.S. Trace® Vital powder rounds out the line, and $4 samples let you trial a flavor before committing.

How Do I Feed It & Where to Buy?

Order direct from Thorne Bottom Farm at thornebottomfarm.com. Powder runs $104.00–$389.00 and pellets $108.00–$419.00 across 20-, 40-, and 80-pound options, available as a one-time purchase or on subscription, with free US shipping on orders over $50. Sized for the long haul, each bag carries a 1,000-pound horse for weeks, and the product stays shelf-stable for up to a year when stored cool and dry. Thorne Bottom Farm is a family operation in the mountains of West Virginia, and Patrice prefers email for orders and horse-nutrition questions — reach out through the site and she'll help match the right formula to your soil and your horse.