Is your horse getting the vitamins and minerals it needs ?

The Essential Role of Vitamins and Minerals in Your Horse's Diet

While traditional feed forms the backbone of a horse's diet, it doesn't always provide all the nutrients necessary for maintaining peak health and performance. This is why understanding the role of supplements is vital for ensuring your horse receives a balanced diet.

Traditional Feed and Its Limitations

Traditional feed typically consists of grains and concentrates, which provide energy and proteins but often lack a complete vitamin and mineral profile. While these feeds support energy levels, they may not offer the full range of nutrients necessary for optimal health, leading to potential deficiencies.

Understanding Nutrient Needs

Horses require six essential nutrients: carbohydrates, fats, proteins, vitamins, minerals, and water. While most traditional feed provide the six essential nutrients, it's often insufficient in vitamins and minerals, which play critical roles in supporting bone growth, energy production, and overall bodily functions.

Minerals like calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, and sodium are crucial for growth, nerve function, and hormone production, while trace elements such as iron, zinc, and selenium, although needed in smaller amounts, are equally important for maintaining health.

Different Horses, Different Needs

The nutritional needs of horses can vary significantly based on their activity levels:

• Sport Horses: These horses have higher nutritional demands due to their intense training schedules. They require additional proteins and amino acids for muscle regeneration, electrolytes to replace those lost through sweating, and antioxidants like Vitamin E and selenium to protect muscles during exercise.
• Leisure Horses: Even horses with lighter workloads need a balanced diet to maintain health. Supplements can ensure they receive adequate nutrients without adding extra calories.

The Role of Supplements

Ensuring that your horse receives the right balance of vitamins and minerals can often require supplementation. TRM SpeedXcell is a liquid multivitamin and mineral supplement that can help fill the nutritional gaps left by traditional feed diet. It is particularly beneficial for performance horses, providing essential vitamins and minerals to support energy levels and overall health.