Your Horse's Supplement Requirements

Horses like all animals need certain supplements to maintain their health. Before horses were domesticated they knew what they should eat to be healthy. This was mostly grass but I'm sure there were other plants that supplied some of the nutrition that grass didn't. In today's world owners tend to treat their horse somewhat like they would treat their dog or cat.

Dog and cat food may not contain all the supplements needed for a healthy lifestyle due to the fact that we control what they eat. We are often guided in how we feed dogs and cats more by commercials for commercial food on TV than by feeding them natural foods like theye ate when they were in the wild.

Horses on the other hand are eating a very similar diet to what they ate in the wild. Horses that are not working very hard will probably do well on just the grass in their pasture along with eating a good type of hay. When they are working hard they may need more nutrients and vitamins. This is where the supplements will come into play. If you do need to feed your horse a supplement it should be made with natural ingredients.

Unless your horse is acting sluggish or losing weight his diet is probably all right. When you feel you should give it health supplements try some grain or maybe alfalfa pellets. Don't overdo it as you could cause problems with their joints or possibly colic.

Mineral deficiency is fairly common in horses but is relatively easy to cure. If you have a good pasture and feeding good hay you probably don't have to worry but growing foals, mares that are nursing and hard working horses may have to be supplemented. Foals may need a natural supplement that contains calcium or possibly phosphorus. Biotin should be added to your horse's diet if they have any hoof problems. Selenium is another mineral that could be missing from your pet's diet. This can often be found in an enriched salt block. Be very careful with adding selenium to your pet's diet as it can be harmful if overdone. Study up on it or ask your vet to make sure of the amount to give them.

Salt is one of the minerals that should be provided for your horse. Many owners put out salt blocks but it's probably better to provide their salt along with other health supplements. Salt blocks tend to get dirty and the horse won't use them or if they are in a they could attract deer which can eat valuable grass or even the horse's hay.

Overall horses are probably healthier than other pets due to most of them being outside in the fresh air and eating natural food. A horse's digestive system is different from other animals and creates many of the nutrients that are essential to its good health. Hay and grass does especially well in their system, providing most of what keeps them healthy. Be sure there is an adequate supply of clean water available for your pet especially when feeding hay or grain.

If you think your horse needs supplements it would be a good idea to either learn all about them or better still consult your veterinarian. As stated earlier normally a horse that has access to good pasturage and is fed a good type of hay will not need much in the way of supplements. By feeding them some grain and providing salt you will probably have given them all they need in the way of health supplements. If it appears they need a supplement its best that you run it by your vet or at least study up on it before giving it to them