38/ OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2018 THE RIDER


Equine Wellness: Health and Nutrition with Jean Klosowicz, Superior Equine Health and Nutrition Inc.


Four Must-Have Minerals In The Horse’s Diet


Jean Klosowicz Equine Nutrition Consultant & Educator


Many horse owners take it


for granted that their horse’s diet is complete when feeding a diet of hay, or hay combined with a fortified feed. Hay is “incom- plete” when it comes to nutri- tion, although it serves the need for fibre intake, protein, and calories. It is nearly void of vi- tamins, and always variable when it comes to essential min- erals. Fortified feeds are sold as “generic” feed products and may or may not compliment the defi- ciencies in the hay. And, more importantly, what is described on the label is not necessarily “enough” for your horse. Take for example “selenium added” and Vitamin E, as well as “con- tains pre/probiotics”. If you take a closer look at the amounts they usually do not meet what is needed for proper health. So let’s take a look at four


minerals that are essential and are often under-supplemented:


nervous system issues. Fortified feeds have relatively low guaran- teed levels of Vitamin E and used more of an antioxidant for the product, not so much a supple- ment for your horse. Supplemen- tation should be at the rate of 1200 IU per day but some studies are suggesting amounts as high as 5000 IU day. This would depend on exercise level and specific health issues such as tying-up where high levels are recom- mended. Vitamin E has little to no toxicity. It is best to feed this vi- tamin with a little oil or fat for better bioavailability to the horse. Depending on where you get


Salt (Sodium Chloride):


Sodium is important because it controls fluid balance in the body. Although Chloride is commonly found in forages, the amounts can vary considerably. This is where a hay analysis can help. It is safe to assume that all diets will be deficient of Sodium, hence the need for salt licks and loose salt. The best way to give your horse salt (and monitor in- take) is to give your horse loose iodized salt at a rate of 1 oz (2 tblsp) per day in cool weather, and increase as needed in warm/hot weather. When choos- ing salt licks, look for plain


white blocks; do not rely on min- eral blocks to provide the needed nutrients for a horse.


Selenium: It is safe to assume that most of Canada’s selenium levels are deficient in soils, un- less you happen to live in the midwest provinces. Therefore it is highly recommended to add additional selenium into the diet besides what is given in fortified feeds. Also, blood testing can determine if your horse is defi- cient or not. Deficiencies in Se- lenium can lead to muscle issues, poor immunity and fertility, and inflammation. This is one of


these minerals where too much is not a good thing. Toxicity may occur if too much is given at one feeding, or at amounts of 20 mg per day. Most supplements/feeds


your hay, Zinc and Copper are often deficient as well. A hay analysis can determine where these levels are at before supple- menting correctly. We can all agree that all


horses are not created equally; many have special circumstances that require attention when it comes to their diet. Although the


rate of metabolism and genetics (easy vs hard keepers), weather, environment, management, hous- ing and quality of feeds, forages and supplements. For example horse in stress


may require additional sources of Magnesium and Vitamin B’s. Those that are recovering may re- quire antioxidants such as Vita- min E and C. Senior horses slow down production of Vitamin C so may require supplementation. Look for low NSC and low calo- rie forages for Easy Keepers, while Hard Keepers usually re- quire a fat supplemented diet. Cold weather and winter condi- tions require additional hay for horses to keep them warm and weight on. The quality of forages and feeds can greatly affect bioavailability of nutrients and therefore the overall condition, health, weight and performance of your horse. In the long run it is better to choose “quality” prod- ucts to see the benefits. Not sure where to begin with


your horse’s nutrition? I would suggest start with a hay analysis, collect feed tag information, gather up your supplements’ in- formation, and enter the results into the Feed My Horse Equine Nutrition Software. This soft- ware helps you assess your horse’s current diet and helps you define an optimal diet. For more information visit my website at www.superiorequinenutrition.co m.


will provide 1-2 mg per day, how- ever it is important to consider the “total’ amount given from all sources of feeds. Is a natural source of selenium better? Stud- ies have proven yes, so look for supplements that contain sele- nium yeast, complimented with natural Vitamin E, as the two work together for better bioavail- ability.


Iodine: Iodine is similar to sele- nium in that too much or too little is not beneficial. Iodine’s major role is to keep the thyroid gland functioning properly by produc- ing adequate levels of thyroid hormone. Kelp is a popular way to supplement Iodine, but you should have blood work done prior to supplementing. Iodine toxicity are at about the same lev- els as for Selenium. A 500 kg horse will require about 3.5 mg per day from an iodine source.


Fit is Everything.


Vitamin E: Although pastures are usually plentiful when it comes to this vitamin, levels in grains and hays are significantly deficient, Vitamin E supports op- timal control of inflammation, protects muscles and red blood cells, and aids in good immune function. Deficiencies can lead to


NRC gives guidelines for horses in general based on weight, class, and activity level, other factors that require consideration for type and amount of supplementation include: stress (training, compet- ing, shipping, etc), disease/injury, life stage such as senior years,


Superior Equine Health & Nutri- tion Inc. 338 Hwy 638, Bruce Mines, ON P0R 1C0 cell: 705.260.0293, email: su- periorequine@gmail.com facebook: @SuperiorEquine All articles are for general


information purposes only and are not intended to replace the ad- vice of a veterinarian, or provide a diagnosis for your horse.


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