vitamins and minerals
Certain types of horses are at higher risk of developing vitamin deficiencies than others. It may be because they are unable to eat adequate amounts of fortified concentrates or consume enough green grass. Sometimes age plays a role too. At-risk horses will benefit from a balanced, low-calorie vitamin and mineral supplement. Who is at risk? Easy keepers eating a handful or two of grain a day and/or those on restricted pasture Horses and ponies in... Read More »
Category : Macro & Micro Minerals | Tips and Topics | Valuable Nutrients
Guaranteed analysis of minerals and vitamins Macrominerals (calcium and phosphorus), microminerals (copper, zinc, and selenium), and vitamin A are required to be listed in the GA. They are all important to your horse’s wellbeing. Minerals and vitamins are added to commercial feeds because their content varies considerably between different types of forages (hay and pasture). Seasonal and geographical differences also affect the forage’s nutrient... Read More »
Category : Other Topics of Interest | Tips and Topics
Here are five tips to make sure your feed room and hayloft are ready for winter. 1. Clean out your feed room. A clean feed room will help to reduce feed losses due to insect and rodent damage. It will also give you more room to store and properly manage your feed, hay, and supplements. Toss any feed or supplements that are out of date, moldy or that rodents or insects have damaged. Clean up any spilled feed that may attract hungry... Read More »
Category : Digestive Health | Essential Vitamins | Fat & Fiber | Health & Management | Tips and Topics | Valuable Nutrients
Vitamins and minerals are vital to the horse’s physical well-being. Without sufficient vitamin and mineral intake, it is impossible for horses to remain healthy. Even those horses asked to perform no exercise need proper vitamin and mineral fortification when concentrates and pasture are fed at less than optimal levels. Easy keepers, senior horses, and horses on restricted feeding programs are most often at risk for deficiencies. It is up to horse... Read More »
Category : Health & Management | Tips and Topics
Interesting fact: Water makes up about 65% of a mature horse’s body weight. For a 15.2-hand, 1,000-pound horse, that amounts to 650 pounds or 85 gallons of water! In order to maintain proper hydration, horses must drink significant quantities of water. In a cool environment, an inactive horse may drink around seven to 10 gallons daily. In a hot or humid environment, however, a horse might drink more than 20 gallons of water a day. This is precisely... Read More »
Category : Electrolytes | Tips and Topics
Packed with energy Fat is an effective energy source for horses. Pound for pound, fats provide 2.25 times more energy than carbohydrates. In a natural state, horses consume only small amounts of fats, but they digest and absorb them well. Fats are broken down into fatty acids in the small intestine and stored as triglycerides in the adipose tissue of the body. Fat is utilized to fuel long-term, slow work. Some fat is necessary Fat is necessary for the... Read More »
Category : Fat & Fiber | Nutritional Minutes | Tips and Topics
Vitamins are organic compounds, which, when provided in the proper amounts, play a major role in the well-being of your horse. They are vital to the promotion and regulation of virtually all of the body's normal functions. Vitamins are available to your horse through a variety of sources, ranging from forages, such as grass and hay, to concentrates and supplements. Some vitamins, such as vitamin K and the B vitamins, are actually manufactured by the... Read More »
Category : Essential Vitamins | Nutritional Minutes | Tips and Topics
If you’ve spent any time around a stable during the summer months, then you are probably acquainted with the smell of equine sweat. The sharp odor may be indicative of hard work, but sweat loss also points to a significant management concern: electrolyte supplementation. Electrolytes perform critical functions in the horse’s body. Most notably, they help regulate nerve and muscle function by carrying electrical impulses between cells. In addition,... Read More »
Category : Electrolytes | Tips and Topics
Feeding directions are an important place to start. As human beings, we have the ability to manage our own daily food intake, but our horses don’t have that choice. They depend on us to provide the feed they need to survive. In the old days, the components of a horse’s diet were limited to plain grains and basic forages (hay and grass). Modern technology has changed that and now feed manufacturers have a wide range of ingredients at their disposal.... Read More »
Category : Health & Management | Nutritional Minutes | Tips and Topics
Elevate® and the Breeding Horse Vitamin E is an essential component of body-wide antioxidant defenses. These defenses play a vital role in ensuring healthy immune, cardiovascular, and reproductive function in the horse. As increased demands are placed on horses during breeding season, one can justify the added benefit of supplemental vitamin E to the mare, foal, and stallion. Natural vs. Synthetic Vitamin E The most common source of vitamin E used in... Read More »
Category : Essential Vitamins | Tips and Topics
Providing proper nutrition for your horse is one of the most basic ways to ensure his well-being. High-quality forage and well-formulated, properly fortified concentrates should provide the basis for his diet. Occasionally, however, these components are not enough to guarantee optimal health. In cases in which beneficial nutrients cannot be delivered through a diet of forage and concentrate, scientifically proven supplements should be considered. Care... Read More »
Category : Essential Vitamins | Tips and Topics
Vitamins are often clumped together as a single entity, and the contributions of individual ones are sometimes overlooked. In recent years, scientists have been taking a closer look at vitamin E. Though the nutrient was first discovered more than 80 years ago, the scientific community continues to find new uses for this much-heralded vitamin. The far-reaching effects of vitamin E in equine nutrition are well known. Vitamin E plays imperative roles in... Read More »
Category : Essential Vitamins | Tips and Topics
Does your horse struggle with dull, flaky hair coat? Are his mane and tail dry and brittle? The quality of your horse’s hair is based in part on his genetic makeup, but nutrition can also play a role. Nutrients affect hair quality Protein: Skin and hair need protein. Proteins are made up of different amino acids and each amino acid has a purpose. Protein deficiency is rarely seen, but your horse may be lacking certain amino acids that affect hair... Read More »
Category : Health & Management | Nutritional Minutes | Tips and Topics
What are electrolytes? Imagine you are riding your horse on a hot summer day. If you do more than walk, you both begin to sweat. After a good workout your horse’s coat is soaked and in some places even frothy. As you remove your helmet, the sweat runs down your face and you taste the saltiness on your lips. That salty flavor is from the electrolytes that, along with water, make up sweat. Electrolytes serve multiple functions in your horse’s body. The... Read More »
Category : Electrolytes | Nutritional Minutes | Tips and Topics
Love takes many forms Approaching the barn you slide the heavy, hanging door back and the deep rumble sets off a chorus of whinnies, nickers, and lip-smacking. You think to yourself, what a nice greeting! The horses are so happy to see you because they love you, right? After all, you’re the one who feeds them. And no horse is happier to see you than the stout, vocal pony at the end of the shed row. Eventually they are all rewarded for their heartfelt... Read More »
Category : Health & Management | Nutritional Minutes | Tips and Topics
