Key takeaways
- Oxy-Gen is a liquid respiratory and performance supplement built around eucalyptus oil, vitamin E, and octacosanol to support oxygen use and stamina.
- The standard Oxy Pulmon protocol is 30cc twice daily for three days to load, then 30cc about two hours before training or competition.
- It is aimed at hard-working horses such as racehorses, barrel horses, and eventers where breathing efficiency limits performance.
- Supplements support a healthy horse but do not replace veterinary diagnosis of coughing, poor recovery, or exercise intolerance.
Oxy-Gen is a liquid oral supplement made to support pulmonary health, oxygen utilization, and stamina in hard-working horses. If you are comparing performance products for a racehorse, barrel horse, or eventer, Oxy-Gen sits in the respiratory-and-recovery category rather than the joint or gut categories, and its appeal comes down to how efficiently a horse can move air and use oxygen under maximal effort.
Below is a plain look at what the product contains, how it is meant to work, how to dose it, and who actually benefits, so you can decide whether it belongs in your program before you shop.
What Oxy-Gen Is and Its Intended Effects
Oxy-Gen Equine has produced performance supplements since 1999. The line includes a top-dress powder, a pre-competition paste, and the liquid most buyers ask about, Oxy Pulmon. The liquid is built around three functional ingredients:
- Eucalyptus oil, used traditionally as a respiratory aid and natural decongestant.
- Vitamin E, an antioxidant that helps protect muscle and lung tissue from free radical damage during intense work.
- Octacosanol, a compound derived from wheat germ that is included for its claimed role in oxygen utilization and endurance.
The stated goal is to help a horse maintain normal pulmonary function so it can take in and use oxygen more efficiently, hold stamina deeper into a run, and recover normally afterward. These are marketing claims from the manufacturer, not disease treatments. Oxy-Gen is a support supplement, and it works best as one part of a program that already includes good conditioning, clean air in the barn, and sound nutrition.
How It Supports Energy, Blood, and Performance
Performance in an equine athlete is limited in large part by breathing. A galloping horse generates enormous pulmonary pressures, and the delicate capillaries in the lungs can rupture under that load. This is called exercise-induced pulmonary hemorrhage, or EIPH, and it is remarkably common. According to the MSD Veterinary Manual, blood is identified in the airways of 45 to 75 percent of racehorses on endoscopic examination, and hemorrhage is detected by bronchoalveolar lavage in more than 90 percent of racehorses. The same source notes roughly 60 percent prevalence in barrel racing Quarter Horses, so this is not a Thoroughbred-only concern.
That physiology is the reason respiratory support products exist. When a horse's lungs are working cleanly and oxygen moves efficiently from air to blood to muscle, the horse can sustain effort longer and clear the byproducts of hard work faster. Oxy-Gen aims at that pathway: eucalyptus for airway comfort, vitamin E to blunt oxidative stress on lung and muscle tissue, and octacosanol for oxygen use.
It is worth being honest about the ceiling. A supplement does not rebuild capillaries or replace veterinary management of a bleeder. What it can do is support a healthy respiratory system so a fit horse performs to its own genuine capacity. If your horse coughs, has nosebleeds after exercise, or suddenly loses its edge, that is a veterinary question first, a supplement question second.
Recommended Dosing and Administration
The Oxy Pulmon liquid has a simple, label-driven protocol. Administer it orally with the included dosing syringe.
- Loading phase: 30cc twice daily for three days.
- Training or competition: 30cc about two hours before the work or event.
- Ongoing respiratory support: a daily 30cc dose can be given as needed.
A half-gallon bottle supplies roughly 65 doses, which makes per-dose cost easy to plan around for a single performance horse or a small string. Give the dose on the schedule rather than doubling up before a big event, since more product is not the same as more benefit, and the pre-event timing exists so the supplement is active when the horse works.
A few practical points. Introduce any new supplement during training, not on competition day, so you know how your individual horse responds. Store the bottle out of heat and sunlight. And if your horse is already on multiple supplements, review the full stack, because the American Association of Equine Practitioners cautions that stacking many products raises the risk of inadvertent overdoses and antagonistic interactions between compounds. Fewer, well-chosen products usually beat a crowded shelf.
Who Should Consider Oxy-Gen for Their Horse
Oxy-Gen is a targeted product, not a daily vitamin for every horse in the barn. It makes the most sense for:
- Racehorses across Thoroughbred, Standardbred, and Quarter Horse disciplines, where breathing efficiency directly limits finish times.
- Barrel horses and speed-event competitors, given the documented EIPH rates in that population.
- Eventers, endurance horses, and hard-working sport horses that repeatedly reach high exertion.
- Horses recovering their normal work capacity after a respiratory challenge, used alongside, not instead of, veterinary guidance.
Supplement use in general is close to universal among owners of working horses. In a peer-reviewed survey of more than 2,000 horse owners published in the Journal of Equine Veterinary Science, 84 percent reported giving their horses nutritional supplements. Popularity is not proof of effect, which is why matching a product to a real need matters more than following the crowd. If your horse is a pleasure mount that hacks lightly on weekends, a respiratory performance supplement is probably solving a problem it does not have. If it competes hard and you are trying to protect its wind and recovery, Oxy-Gen fits the brief.
Because these products are marketed as compliant with USEF and FEI rules and use NASC-recognized ingredients, they are generally suitable for competition horses, but confirm the current rulebook for your discipline before an event.
Where to Compare and Shop Oxy-Gen
Oxy-Gen is sold directly by the manufacturer and stocked by several equine retailers, so prices and pack sizes vary. When you compare, look past the sticker price to cost per dose, since a larger bottle usually lowers the per-dose number for horses on an ongoing protocol. Check the label to confirm you are buying the form you want, because the liquid Oxy Pulmon, the pre-event paste, and the top-dress powder are not interchangeable.
At Equinemedsupplements, the aim is to make that comparison straightforward: clear product details, honest labeling, and supplies alongside the medications and everyday items a working barn already needs. If you are building or refreshing a performance program, it also helps to think about the pieces that work together, and our guide to equine electrolytes and when to use them pairs naturally with respiratory support for horses that sweat hard and travel to compete.
Start with the horse in front of you. Match the supplement to a genuine need, keep the stack lean, and bring your veterinarian into any decision about a horse whose breathing or recovery has actually changed. Do that, and a product like Oxy-Gen becomes a considered choice rather than another bottle on the shelf.
Frequently asked questions
What is Oxy-Gen used for in horses?
Oxy-Gen is marketed to support normal pulmonary health, oxygen utilization, and stamina in performance horses. It is commonly used before training or competition to help hard-working horses breathe and recover efficiently.
How do you dose Oxy Pulmon liquid?
The label directs 30cc twice daily for three days to load, then 30cc roughly two hours before training or competition. Horses with ongoing respiratory challenges may be given a daily dose as directed.
Is Oxy-Gen legal for competition?
The manufacturer markets its ingredients as compliant with USEF and FEI rules and uses NASC-recognized components. Always confirm current rules for your specific discipline before an event.
Does Oxy-Gen replace veterinary care?
No. A supplement can support a healthy respiratory system, but persistent coughing, nosebleeds after exercise, or sudden drops in performance need a veterinary exam.