Keeping a Backyard Horse

Non-Feed Supplements

Walk into your local feed store, and I bet you'll be quite surprised at the varied amounts and types of vitamin and mineral supplements available to horse owners. The most important thing to keep in mind when faced with so many supplements, is the simple fact that horses should get most, if not all, of their required vitamins and minerals from good quality forage (hay and grass). If you're not sure how good your horse's forage really is, you can add a small amount of vitamins and minerals by adding a cup or two of a standard mature horse feed.

Certain vitamins dissolve in water, in which case, any amount left unused by the body will simply be flushed out in the urine. But other vitamins dissolve in fat tissue, where they are actually stored in the body. So you can see how it would be possible to give your horse too much of a vitamin, possibly giving her an overdose. Before you decide to use supplements like this, be sure to have a long talk with your horse's veterinarian to make sure she really needs the supplement.

There are, however, two minerals that a horse owner can, and usually should, supplement. These are called sodium (salt) and selenium. A body needs salt just as much as it needs water. The sodium ion is partly responsible for the way muscles, including heart muscles, contract. Selenium is also necessary to the body in trace amounts. An excellent way to supplement these minerals is to offer them free choice. Salt and selenium blocks are available at feed stores for around $7.00. Salt blocks will be white, selenium brown. Selenium blocks also contain regular salt. Do NOT use a yellow one; these are intended for cattle. Buy a small, flat-bottomed feeder or bowl to keep them in. Wall hangers are available for smaller blocks, but horses can bend them and they could cause injury, especially in a confined space such as a stall. One tip about these blocks: keep them dry! Rain will dissolve them quickly and then you've wasted your money and your horse has lost the benefit.

At first, you may not see much indications that your horse is using these blocks. But don't worry! We know when we're lacking in these minerals, and we'll certainly use them if they're available to us. However, be sure to talk to your vet about selenium levels in your area; some places are so low in naturally-occurring selenium, that more supplementation could be required. NEVER add selenium (other than a free choice block) to your horse's feed unless your vet instructs you to. Too much could be fatal to your horse.

There are also numerous supplements for just about everything under the sun. Some say they're good for healthy hooves, shiny coats, mood stabilizing, blood strengtheners, to prevent chewing wood, and the list goes on. Now, I'm not saying these products are worthless, because they are useful under certain conditions, but the kind of horse that would really need these additional supplements is going to be a high performance horse: race horses, rodeo horses, broodmares, or any other animal required to be at the top of their game. Your average backyard horse (barring specific medical conditions) can probably live a lifespan of 20-30 years and NEVER need one of these supplements. So don't think that if it's expensive and at the feed store, your horse must need it. Always discuss supplements like these with your vet before giving them to your horse. You're better off safe than sorry.