Ask the Nutritionist: Dr. Getty's Forum for Equine Nutrition
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All the best,
Dr. Getty
Hi Jeni,
Good question! Magnesium (the main ingredient in Quiessence), should be balanced with calcium. This is generally not an issue when grass hay (and especially some alfalfa) is fed and therefore, the dosage for insulin resistance is 1 ounce scoop per 250 lbs of body weight (half that for behavioral or muscle problems)
So, if your horse has a cresty neck, for example, give this amount of Quiessence until you start to notice an improvement and then reduce the amount of Quiessence to a maintenance dose of 1 scoop per 500 lbs of body weight. If his neck starts to develop more fat, you can increase it.
But a high level of magnesium should not be maintained indefinitely due to the risk of enteroliths (intestinal stones). It is best to evaluate your hay for calcium and magnesium levels. Magnesium is poorly absorbed, so I generally go with a 50% absorption rate. For example, if 20 lbs of your hay provides 10 grams of magnesium, I assume that only 50% of it (or 5 grams) is actually absorbed. Then, I supplement Quiessence to give enough magnesium to reach half the calcium level. If 20 lbs of your hay provides 30 grams of calcium, I'll supplement 10 more grams of magnesium (to bring the total to 15 grams) so it is half the calcium level.
I hope all these numbers didn't confuse you! Bottom line... full dose of Quiessence until you see improvement and then a maintenance dose is best.
All the best,
Dr. Getty 
Author of Feed Your Horse Like a Horse
I was wondering how long a horse should be on Quiessence? Can they be on it indefinitely or should it only be until you see signs of improvement?
Where are you from? Bayfield, CO