Benchmark
Histamine & Immune Support Supplement for Horses
A science-forward equine supplement built on radical transparency, real ingredients, and one engineer’s refusal to accept “he seems fine” as a baseline.
See What’s In It Join the Progress Update ↓An Engineer in Pajamas at 2pm
This started with one horse. Lorilei had a severe allergic response after we moved to Land O’ Lakes, Florida. She was on dexamethasone steroids and I couldn’t get her below three tablets a day without a crisis. Twenty-one tablets a week is a heavy laminitis risk zone. The vet had done everything right. I just couldn’t accept that this was as good as it was going to get.
So I did what engineers do. I went and found the studies myself. I read the primary research on mast cell biology, histamine response, and the specific compounds that peer-reviewed science said could make a difference. I reproduced the protocol. It worked.
Lorilei is off dex now. She wears a fly sheet and a fly hood. The supplement didn’t cure her — that’s an important distinction — but it supported her histamine and mast cell response to the point where traditional environmental management actually has a chance of working. That’s the honest version of what this does.
“He seems fine” isn’t a baseline. You need something to measure against.
Lorilei. The reason all of this exists.
Plan A is succeed.
Plan B is succeed.
There is no plan C.
I want to be completely transparent about how this company works, because I think you deserve to know. Improve Equine is bootstrapped on my retirement savings. That’s not a figure of speech. I am funding this business and supporting myself simultaneously on the same pool of money I spent thirty years accumulating.
I’m a U.S. Navy veteran and a systems engineer with thirty years of experience. I don’t do things without a plan, and I don’t do things I don’t believe in. I believe in Benchmark completely. I believe horses need this. I believe the science supports it. And I believe it’s worth the risk.
What I’m asking of you is patience. This product is coming. The timeline is what it is because I refuse to compromise on the quality of how it’s made. When it arrives, it will be exactly what I said it would be — nothing less.
No investors. No VC.
This is entirely self-funded. There are no outside stakeholders. No board. No one to answer to except the horses and the people who care for them.
Why it’s taking the time it’s taking
Reputable co-packers with the right quality standards don’t prioritize small brands. Earning that relationship — not just buying a slot — takes time. I’m not cutting corners to move faster.
What the contract process involves
NDA → formula conversations → pouch design → compliance review → NASC certification → OptiMSM® trademark approval from Bergstrom Nutrition. Then 12–16 weeks of manufacturing runway. Every step matters.
The Road to Launch
Updated as things move. This is the real timeline, not a marketing timeline.
Why Benchmark Is Made the Way It’s Made
Every production decision has a reason grounded in ingredient science.
Decision 01
Powder, not pellets
Pelleting degrades isoquercetin and ascorbyl palmitate. Heat above 60–80°C causes significant degradation of quercetin glycosides. Pelleting routinely reaches 70–90°C.
Benchmark is a powder. That’s not a compromise — it’s the correct form.
Decision 02
Airtight, air-purging canisters
Oxygen and humidity degrade polyphenols over time. The canister actively pushes air out when sealed, maintaining a low-oxygen environment between uses.
Maximum freshness every time. That’s not marketing — it’s chemistry.
Decision 03
AM and PM servings
Isoquercetin and the other water-soluble compounds have plasma half-lives of 11–28 hours. Split dosing maintains consistent concentrations throughout the day rather than a peak then trough.
AM and PM. That’s the protocol. It’s not optional.
Decision 04
Loading phase is non-negotiable
Two weeks at double dose. Isoquercetin must accumulate to therapeutic cell concentrations before it can exert consistent mast cell-stabilizing effects. Skip loading and you are not running the protocol.
Two weeks loading. Then maintenance.
Decision 05
Digital scale + scoop included
Every Benchmark intro kit includes a digital scale and a scoop. A scoop alone introduces variation. A scale does not. When the dose in the research is the dose you are trying to hit, precision matters.
The Benchmark Intro Kit
Everything you need to run the full protocol from day one.
2 × 30-Day Bags
Enough for a full 60-day run including the loading phase.
Airtight Canister
Air-purging design. Protects ingredient potency between every use.
Digital Scale
Precision dosing for your horse’s weight.
Scoop
For daily convenience once your baseline measurement is set.
Protocol Guide
Step-by-step: loading phase, maintenance, AM/PM timing, dosing by weight.
Two Formulas. One Mechanism.
Benchmark MAX wasn’t a marketing decision. It was a clinical one. Lorilei couldn’t stabilize on the original formula. She needed more of three specific ingredients to hold.
Benchmark Original
The foundation formula
The complete eight-ingredient protocol at maintenance doses. For horses with skin hypersensitivity, respiratory inflammation, or joint support needs.
The majority of horses — including Reacher, Tae, and Wick — stabilized on the original formula.
Benchmark MAX
For horses who need more
Benchmark MAX doubles the dose of the three water-soluble ingredients — isoquercetin, bromelain, and ascorbyl palmitate. Because these compounds clear faster, doubling them provides greater coverage across the full 24-hour period.
If your horse is steroid-dependent, has persistent skin flares, or significant respiratory involvement — MAX may be the appropriate starting point. Consult your veterinarian.
“I couldn’t get Lorilei to stabilize on Benchmark. I made MAX for her. She’s been stable ever since.”
What’s In It — And Why
No proprietary blends. Every ingredient is listed, every dose is justified, every study is linked.
Real Animals. Real Outcomes.
These are the horses Benchmark was developed on. These are their actual outcomes — not marketing copy.
Severe allergic response, steroid-dependent, laminitis risk. Couldn’t stabilize on the original formula — needed higher doses of isoquercetin, bromelain, and ascorbyl palmitate. Now stable on Benchmark MAX. Off dex. Still wears a fly sheet and fly hood.
Wick had a persistent soft cough. I put him on Benchmark. His cough is resolved. The same mechanism that addresses skin issues also addresses airway inflammation. It’s the same biology.
Reacher was the “healthy horse” I measured everything against. What the protocol revealed: healthy looks very different when you actually track it. He had room to improve too.
Tae is part of the herd that Benchmark was developed and tested on. His outcomes contributed to the protocol refinement alongside Lorilei, Wick, and Reacher.
What Benchmark Is. What It’s Not.
I want to be clear about this because I think it matters more than almost anything else on this page.
Benchmark is not a cure. Lorilei still wears a fly sheet and a fly hood every day. What Benchmark does is support the histamine response and mast cell activity to the point where traditional management methods actually stand a chance of working. It lowers the inflammatory load enough that the tools you already have can do their job.
Use it as a protocol. Run the loading phase. Split the servings. Be consistent. Track your horse’s baseline. Use it alongside everything else your veterinarian recommends — not instead of it.
Be first in line when Benchmark launches.
No spam. No pressure. Just a notification when the product is ready to ship — and first access before it opens to the public. Benchmark and Benchmark MAX launch simultaneously.
Progress Update members are notified first and have first access to order.
Benchmark — Questions & Answers
Straight answers. No marketing language.
What is Benchmark by Improve Equine?
Benchmark is a science-forward equine supplement designed to support healthy histamine response, mast cell function, and immune regulation in horses. Every ingredient was selected from peer-reviewed research. There are no proprietary blends. Every dose is justified and every study is linked in The Library.
What does Benchmark do for horses?
Benchmark supports the horse’s natural histamine response and mast cell activity, supports normal inflammatory response in skin, airways, and joints, and provides antioxidant support at the cellular level. It is not a treatment or cure. It is a daily supplement protocol designed to support the body’s existing immune mechanisms.
What ingredients are in Benchmark?
Benchmark contains eight active ingredients: Spirulina, Quercetin, Isoquercetin, MSM (as OptiMSM®), Bromelain, Ascorbyl Palmitate, and DHA from algae. Every ingredient is listed openly. There are no fillers, no proprietary blends, and no hidden ingredients.
What is the difference between Benchmark and Benchmark MAX?
Benchmark MAX doubles the dose of the three water-soluble compounds — isoquercetin, bromelain, and ascorbyl palmitate. These ingredients have shorter plasma half-lives, meaning they clear the body faster. MAX was developed specifically because Lorilei, the horse Benchmark was built around, could not stabilize on the original formula and required higher concentrations to hold. Most horses stabilize on Benchmark Original. Benchmark MAX is for horses who don’t.
Why does Benchmark use isoquercetin instead of quercetin?
Standard quercetin in its aglycone form is only approximately 4% bioavailable after oral administration. Isoquercetin — the glycoside form — is absorbed significantly faster and at higher concentrations, making it approximately 1.5 times more bioavailable. Benchmark uses isoquercetin because the goal is to match the doses used in peer-reviewed research, and those doses require a form the body can actually absorb.
Why does Benchmark use OptiMSM® instead of generic MSM?
OptiMSM® is manufactured by Bergstrom Nutrition using a multi-stage distillation process. It is the only MSM produced in the United States and the only form used in published clinical research. Generic MSM is typically produced by crystallization, which does not remove contaminants to the same standard. When the dose in the research requires a specific level of purity, the manufacturing source is not a preference — it is a requirement.
What is the loading phase and why is it required?
The loading phase is two weeks at double the maintenance dose. Isoquercetin must accumulate to therapeutic concentrations in the cells before it can exert consistent mast cell-stabilizing effects. Skipping the loading phase means you are not running the protocol. It is not optional.
How long does it take for Benchmark to work?
The loading phase runs for two weeks. After that, the horse transitions to the maintenance dose. Observable changes in comfort level vary by horse, severity of the underlying issue, and environmental conditions. The protocol is designed for consistent daily use, not short-term or as-needed supplementation.
Is Benchmark safe for horses with Cushing’s disease or metabolic issues?
Benchmark contains no added sugar, no molasses, no salt, and no electrolytes. The ingredient profile was designed with metabolic safety in mind. As with any supplement change for a horse with a diagnosed condition, consult your veterinarian before starting the protocol.
Why is Benchmark a powder and not pellets?
Pelleting requires heat that routinely reaches 70–90°C. Isoquercetin and ascorbyl palmitate begin to degrade at temperatures above 60–80°C. Producing Benchmark as a pellet would destroy a meaningful portion of the active ingredients before the horse ever consumed it. Powder is not a compromise — it is the scientifically correct form for this formula.
When will Benchmark be available?
Benchmark is currently in production. Co-packer contract negotiations are underway. After signing, manufacturing takes 12–16 weeks. Progress Update members are notified first and have first access to order before public launch. Join the Progress Update ↓