Vitamins and Minerals Information

One of the most commonly asked questions we hear is "Why do horses need a feed supplement?" The answer is relatively simple. Horses evolved to have access to wide open plains with a huge range of herbs, plants, legumes and roots abundantly available to them, all of which provide vital vitamins, minerals and trace elements. The modern horse now grazes in fenced paddocks on cultured pasture that offers, at best, a small variety of grass species.

Increased exercise levels are also usually required of today's horse, therefore the provision of energy in the diet needs to be adjusted accordingly. Traditionally, a mix of cereal grains has been used to meet these needs, but it is important to recognise that such 'straight' feeds are also deficient in some micronutrients and may in fact unbalance the diet. This again indicates a need for general vitamin and mineral.supplementation. Many commercially prepared concentrate feeds now contain additional vitamins, minerals and trace elements to compensate, but remember the micronutrient requirements are only satisfied when these feeds are fed at the recommended amounts, as stated on the sack. These tend to be fairly large amounts and many horses would either gain too much weight or simply not eat such large amounts of feed. Again these are incidences where a general purpose supplement might be necessary.

Ensuring that your horse's diet contains the correct balance of micronutrients is essential in maintaining health and vitality. You will need to consider the characteristics of your individual horse, i.e. his age, lifestyle and workload, together with other factors such as his diet and daily routine, in order for you to make the most accurate choice of supplement to best meet his needs.

Oils

A major advantage of using a complementary feed supplement is that it allows additional micronutrients to be included in the diet without increasing energy provision. Oilovite, a general purpose supplement rich in soya and cod liver oils, will enhance coat condition ,yet provide only negligible amounts of energy. However, there are instances when small amounts of additional energy may benefit condition, especially during the winter months or to give your horse just a little bit more 'lift'. This is when you can look at feeding oils, such as Omega Oil, Linseed or Cod Liver Oil, which all provide a full complement of micronutrients and are valuable sources of slow release energy. Oil provides 'slow release' energy. Having no post meal peak of glucose (the spurt of energy we get from eating chocolate), makes it ideal for those requiring calm energy for work without 'hotting up'. Oil is also a very efficient form of energy. One study showed that when 10% of the diet's starch is replaced by oil the waste heat produced within the body fell from 77% of the energy available (DE) to 66%. Thus the energy available for work rose from 16% DE to 36% DE (Scott et aI 1993). As oil provides over twice the amount of energy as an equivalent weight of cereals, using oil allows the concentrate ration to be cut down, promoting a natural fibre-based diet, without loss of energy. Up to approximately 300ml of oil can be fed daily to an average sized horse without compromising gut health. However, remember any alteration to the diet should always be done gradually and this is vitally Important when changing to an oil based diet as metabolic pathways within the body have to adapt. Around eight to ten weeks is sufficient.

Electrolytes

Electrolytes, through their interrelation with water, are crucial to a large number of reactions throughout the body. The principal electrolytes are sodium, chloride and potassium, although magnesium, calcium and phosphorous are also important where sweat losses occur. As electrolytes are lost through sweat, the main symptom of electrolyte deficiency is dehydration and associated signs, such as poor performance and poor appetite. Deficiency can also predispose to azoturia, or 'tying up'. For horses working up to medium levels of work electrolyte requirements will be met through normal diet, for all but sodium. Most equine feeds are not good sources of sodium and therefore supplementing the diet daily with ordinary rock salt (sodium chloride) is a good idea. As the level of work increases, especially in warmer weather, sweat losses become more significant. The horse uses fluid loss (both sweat and urine) as his main method of avoiding overheating. The electrolyte balance within the body controls the thirst mechanism, the provision of electrosalts may be necessary to ensure your horse drinks sufficient amounts. Daily salt should be upgraded to a broad spectrum electrosalt mix whenever hard work or sweat losses occur. NAF Electro Salts can be added to feed or dissolved in water, whichever your horse prefers.

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Horns Farm Saddlery

Reading Road (A327)

Finchampstead

Berkshire

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