Basic Supplement Feeding Guidelines for Practical Equine Supplements
As the person behind the creation of the Practical Equine Supplement line of products, I have been asked many times to give feeding recommendations for our supplements.
To do this you first must gather as much information as you can about your horse’s diet and nutritional needs, then identify areas where deficiencies would occur based on that information.
These are the most important areas you need to consider before adding a supplement to a diet:
A. Environment
- Air quality: Is there plenty of fresh air in the barn?
- Water supply Is there an ample supply of fresh, clean water?
- Shelter: How is the horse housed-stall, paddock or pasture?
B. Roughage source
Is there good quality hay or pasture available free of mold and weeds at all times?
C. Exercise (energy demand level)
High Performance, such as: racing, 3 day eventing, hunter/ jumper, lactating mare or breeding stallion.
- Pleasure riding.
- Limited riding or retired.
D. Body Condition
Is this animal over weight, underweight, just right?
E. Overall Health
- Are there noticeable health issues (has a veterinarian been consulted)?
- Does a blood test document deficiencies? (e.g. Selenium deficiency)
As a general rule, if a horse is being fed over 5 lbs. per day of a commercial grain mix manufactured by a reputable company and good quality forage, then the basic minimum mineral and vitamin requirements should be met.
Selenium levels may not be sufficient, depending on the local soil levels. Click this link: https://mrdata.usgs.gov/geochem/doc/averages/se/usa.html for selenium deficient areas in the U.S. As an example, most forage and grains grown in the North East U.S. are deficient.
Depending on the type of forage being fed, Macro-mineral levels may be being met, but may not be balanced. A forage analysis test should be performed to determine the nutrient values of the hay. This is very important since the forage portion will likely make up 90-95% of the daily diet. Once this information has been gathered, it can be used to determined what supplements should be added to balance the diet for optimal performance.
Let’s take a look at the Practical Equine Supplement Line and where the supplements would fit in a diet and why you would use them.
Equi-Min Bits
This is a well-balanced mineral pellet designed to be fed at either a 2 or 4 ounce per day measure based on the type of diet being fed. Adding Equi-Min Bits helps ensure the vitamins lost during the storage of hay are replaced in the diet. Equi-Min Bits can be safely fed at all stages of life and performance levels.
- All Forage diet consisting of mostly mixed grass hay or pasture or a oat based diet with no other source of minerals or Selenium use 4 ounces/day/1000 pounds.
- Mixed grass hay or pasture and less than 5 pounds of a fortified grain mix. Use 2-4 ounces/day/1000 pounds.
- Mixed grass hay or pasture and more than 5 pounds of a commercial grain mix. Use 2 ounces per day.
Equi-Sel Vit E Bits
This is a pelleted organic Selenium Yeast and Vitamin E supplement that has been proven in the field to safely increase and maintain critical selenium levels which lead to enhanced immune system and antioxidant state.
The organic form of selenium differs from the mineral form as it can be stored in muscle tissue for use when the body cells call for it and since it is much more easily absorbed and utilized, it can be fed at a much lower rate to realize the benefits.
To achieve the same results with the inorganic mineral form of selenium, you need to feed many times the recommended amount to a level where it can be toxic to the horse. By using selenium yeast the vitamin E can be utilized as it is intended for increasing cell wall integrity and the selenium as an antioxidant and immune system booster.
Proper levels of selenium have many other benefits; here are some of them.
Racing and Performance Horses Helps reduce muscle fatigue & tie-up, lowers stress levels, improved immune system and overall health.
Bred Mares/Foals Improves IgG transfer to foals, the selenium in Equi-Sel Bits can be transferred through the placenta and milk from the mare to the foal improving the antibodies available to the foal when it is born and while it is nursing. With a healthy immune system there will be an over-all improvement in the foals health and the ability to fight infections it is exposed to in the new environment.
Breeding Stallions: Studies have shown a 70% increase in viability and mobility in sperm cell when the diet has been fortified with selenium yeast. A huge benefit in reducing rebreeding’s. The antioxidant’s also help with muscle fatigue and reduce stress levels.
Equi-Sea Bits
Since it’s estimated that nearly 90% of all equines have had, have or will have stomach ulcers during their lifetime, an economically priced extremely effective antacid supplement should be part of every horse owner’s feeding program. The only true way to test for ulcers is to have the horse scoped by a veterinarian.
Equi-Sea is a pelleted supplement with the active ingredients derived from the calcified skeleton of the red seaweed (Lithothamnion Calcareous). The unique “open porous” structure provides a large area to volume ratio allowing for greater contact with the digestive juices resulting in a much better buffering action thus providing protection in the non-glandular mucosa area of the stomach.
Equi-Sea is also a source of highly bioavailable Calcium and Magnesium essential minerals for skeletal growth, muscle integrity and function along with the calming action of magnesium. The alfalfa base is very palatable and the pellet form is readily consumed reducing sorting and waste and also provides a source of calcium and fiber.
Horses displaying any of signs of ulcers such as: reluctance to run and jump, not wanting to eat or leave the barn would benefit from being fed in small meals and adding Equi-Sea multiple times during the day (three to four times) at a rate of 2 ounces per feeding up to 8 ounces per day for severe cases. Since even the most simple change in routine such as trailering a horse to a show or new barn, deworming, feed or forage change, injury or stress from physical activity can trigger an ulcer attack, feeding a preventive dose of 2-3 ounces per feeding can greatly reduce a sever occurrence.
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