Today's horse market holds a bewildering
array of supplements that claim to be essential to your horse's good
health, or promise to cure a variety of ailments. Deciding which claims
are justified and which are the products of the copywriter's imagination
can be both a lengthy process and an expensive one. Manufacturers have
plenty of competition for the horse owner's dollar, and it is often
easier to follow the company's every recommendation rather than doing
the necessary research to determine if your horse really needs a particular
product. For those who do not understand the horse's requirements it
is easy to be swayed by the advertisement words; backed with knowledge
of what the products really do for the horse the owner can make informed
choices about where to spend his money.
A salt block is one of the simplest and most essential equine supplements.
The sodium and chloride provide many functions in the horse's body;
they contribute to the fluid and acid-base balance, nerve impulses and
muscular movements. The requirement for each individual is variable,
dependent on environmental temperature, water intake and exercise level.
Free access salt should be provided. A horse will consume the appropriate
amount, provided adequate water is available; in the absence of a suitable
supply of water one may overeat. With resumed water intake the result
is a loose bowel.
Another common and important supplement for the horse is a trace mineral
block. Unlike the salt block that is white, the trace mineral one is
red and contains the essential minerals required by the horse's body
in very small amounts. Some of those included are copper, zinc, iodine,
iron and selenium; the amount needed in the horse's diet is expressed
in parts per million (ppm). The amounts of these trace minerals required
again varies by individual. Growing foals, lactating mares and pregnant
mares have different needs from the mature horse. Another predisposing
factor is the bioavailability of the minerals, meaning the efficiency
with which the animal absorbs and utilizes the minerals. A third factor
is the amount of minerals found in the soil the horse is grazing or
from which the hay was produced. For this reason it is very important
to feed a balanced ration. Free access to a trace mineral block will
generally provide the proper amounts assuming the rest of the diet is
balanced for the individual.
Many horse owners add a protein supplement to their horses' diets. For
animals with a high-protein requirement - growing foals, lactating mares,
and mares in the late stage of pregnancy - the additional supplementation
may be indicated. Common protein supplements are alfalfa, soybean meal,
legume pellets, milk products and dried brewer's yeast. However, most
rations contain excess protein. There is a mistaken assumption on many
people's part that as the horse's work load increases or as outside
temperature decreases the protein requirement goes up. Additional protein
is not harmful to the horse and some of the excess is converted to energy.
Nitrogen is a product of the conversion process and is eliminated from
the body via urine (urine output is increased as is the ammonia smell).
But protein is an expensive nutrient to feed, and it makes more financial
sense to increase the energy provided by the diet and keep the protein
levels close to the recommended amount for the individual.
Biotin is a currently popular supplement for the horse. It is a part
of the B-complex vitamins, a group of ten water-soluble vitamins. Many
believe that supplementation of biotin to the horse's diet will promote
hoof growth and cure hoof ailments. The normal horse, though, has sufficient
biotin syntheses by the intestinal bacteria at a high enough level that
a supplement is not required. The only time a biotin supplement may
be necessary is with a horse that has a reduced intestinal function.
This may be an older animal, one with an intestinal illness or one that
has been on long-course antibiotics. Some feed companies automatically
add biotin to their commercial feeds and charge the consumer accordingly.
However, it may be wiser to feed a ration that provides the required
nutrients and add an outside source of biotin as your veterinarian or
farrier prescribes.
In the last decade a new food supplement has hit the market that has
veterinarians, farriers and owners impressed by its actions. Methyl-sulfonyl-methane
(MSM) is a source of bioavailable sulfur, a nutrient with assorted uses
in the animal body, one of the most important being the ability to keep
tissues elastic. It is most often used by owners searching for a therapy
for arthritic horses or lameness problems. There is little scientific
evidence of its efficacy, but anecdotal reports are very promising.
It should not be considered a cure-all, even though claims may be made
about its multiple uses. It is still essential that the owner investigates
all possible causes of the discomfort and consults a veterinarian for
diagnosis and therapeutic prescriptions.
There are many other supplement products on the market. The "flex" products
are a chondroitin source that claims to act on joints and elastic tissues
to promote flexibility. Many companies have begun marketing herbal supplements
that contain kelp, rose hip and a sprinkling of vitamins, minerals,
biotin and probiotics, and are designed to affect hoof growth, hair
quality, weight gain and energy level. Other supplements are made up
of individual vitamins to address a specific malady - nervousness, stamina,
etc. Often, in the owner's attempt to cover all the bases of equine
nutrition and performance, they top feed more supplements than there
is grain in the base ration. Some of these supplements may even contraindicate
one another. If a little is good, more is not better.
The important thing to remember is most of these supplements are categorized
as nutritional additives, and therefore, are not under Food and Drug
Administration influence. Limited scientific testing is usually done.
While none of these products are dangerous to the horse themselves,
it is dangerous to rely on them for health care in place of routine
veterinary checks, proper daily maintenance, good nutrition, clean environment
and professional farriery. Take the manufacturer's words with a grain
of salt; advertisements are designed to sell product and may contain
a fair amount of hyperbole. Always consult with professionals before
starting your horse on a new additive.
