Horse Supplements: Just the Basics

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By Kentucky Equine Research Staff · October 1, 2014

Forage is a horse’s natural food, and all equine diets should be built around this material. Young growing horses and equines in moderate to heavy exercise may need the important nutrients and additional energy provided by grain meals. Beyond forage and grain, many horses don’t really need to have their rations boosted with extra powders, liquids, or granules of this and that. So why are there so many shelves of equine nutritional supplements displayed at every horse supply store?

Though the average horse in light work gets along fine on grass and a little grain, horses with special needs may do better with just a little bit of dietary help in some areas. No two horses are exactly the same, and their nutritional needs will vary according to their metabolism, age, and work level.

Hoof supplements are designed to provide the specific nutrients that are necessary for the growth of strong, healthy hoof tissue. If a horse has hooves that tend to split or chip easily, it may be hard to keep him from losing shoes, and he might become lame because of hoof cracks. A supplement that contains biotin, methionine, zinc, and iodine can improve the strength of hoof tissue, though it will take many months to grow down from the coronary band...

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