Vitamins & Minerals: A teaser
Balancing the vitamins and minerals to get it just right is a dietary adventure. Hay, pasture, feed, water, oils and sunlight all contribute to the mix. A feed analysis to know what to supplement is essential.
Just to give you an idea why it is so important to get it right, some examples.
Vitamin E, Selenium & Magnesium a powerful triplet
We equestrians have seen our fair share of horses tying up, or at least muscle soreness related to hard training, right? So what is going on here?
Vitamin E and Selenium work in tandem to keep your equine partner healthy and moving. Both have antioxidant properties boosting the immune system. They also influence the smooth workings of your horse’s powerful muscles, as does Magnesium.
You most probably won’t just walk past them when supplementing sports horses. Be careful though not to just heap them into your equine partner’s feed. The right amounts are crucial, whilst it is difficult to over-supplement with Magnesium, Selenium can quickly turn toxic. Vitamin E less so, but still as a fat soluble vitamin your horse cannot get rid off it easily and could interfere with other bodily functions.
The B group, your ally in keeping your equine friend healthy
The Vitamin B group is everywhere, keeping metabolic, energy and nervous systems functioning, contributing to skin, coat, hoof and muscle health. Anaemia? Vit B 9 and 12 are ready to enhance red blood cell production. Your horse has lost its appetite? Vit B1 can help with a jump start, and whilst its at it help the above mentioned triplet with the muscles as well. The good news is as a water soluble vitamin excess is easily peed out, but if you don’t want your money to go with it, there is no point in over-supplementing either.
The Calcium and Phosphorus pair work on healthy bones and nerves
Calcium and Phosphorus play a crucial role in the growth and health of your horses skeleton. Neglect the them at the peril of potential fractures and bone chips. These two minerals have to dance together, don’t let them compete and get their rations right. We’ll dive into ratios of minerals and their effects later.
Want your horse to shine health? Get your Omegas straight
All three omegas 9-6-3 can be found in most equine diets. The question is how much of which?
Omega 9 is the least of our worries, it is considered a non-essential fatty acid, as horse can convert unsaturated fats found all over their diets into Omega 9 to balance its hormones.
Omega 6 though is an essential fatty acid and usually takes over in horse meals, plentiful in grain mixes, and oils commonly used to add shine, such as sunflower and corn oils.
But these aren’t necessarily the most healthy of shines. Omega 6 has an inflammatory effect, which has its uses but in excess can foster skin allergies, such as sweet itch, metabolic syndromes and inflammation in other parts of the body, such as joints.
The other essential fatty acid, Omega 3 rules in the pasture, but the content it relatively low. And hay well has none of any of the three.
So, if we want Omega 3 to be in the lead, and we do as it has anti-inflammatory effects we need to counterbalance, linseed (flax) would be your go to ally, fed as oil or micronised seeds will set the balance straight.
The Balance Challenge
These are just some examples of why balancing is key for optimum health. It can be tricky to get it right considering that vitamins and minerals can be present in undesired amounts in several of the common feeds we offer. Which to cut out, which to give preference to?
One solution is to supplement with what is present in lesser amounts, taking into account the delicate ratios when it comes to certain minerals, which compete inside the body of your horse.
You won’t know who is competing with who until you analyse your equine friend’s diet in detail. And not all horses need the same amount of vitamin and minerals, it all depends on age, activity and health status.
If you feel you want to get it just right, get in touch for a consultation.