Supplements

Vitamin E is one of the supplements we pay particular attention to, especially for horses that are on a dry lot, primarily eating hay, or don't have regular access to lush green pasture.

Fresh green grass is a horse's natural source of vitamin E, and vitamin E levels decrease as forage is harvested and stored. Vitamin E is especially important for normal muscle, nerve, and immune function.

We like Nano-E and Elevate/Elevate W.S. Natural-source vitamin E is generally more bioavailable than synthetic forms, and water-soluble natural vitamin E products such as Nano-E can raise blood vitamin E levels more rapidly.

Vitamin E may also be an important part of the nutritional support plan for horses with neurological conditions, including horses being treated for or recovering from EPM. However, Vitamin E does not replace veterinary treatment for EPM.

For horses needing higher amounts of Vitamin E, we recommend working with your veterinarian and checking blood Vitamin E levels when appropriate.

MSM is one of our favorite all-around supplements, particularly for our older horses.

We use it to support joint comfort, mobility and stiffness. Around here, Buddy, Juliette, Captain and Smarty all get MSM as part of their routine.

With seniors, sometimes the goal isn't making them move like a young horse again — it's simply helping them stay comfortable enough to keep moving, grazing, interacting with the herd and enjoying their day.

We keep mineral and salt blocks available, but this is another area where every horse may have different needs.

Around the farm you'll see different blocks, including:

• Selenium blocks
• Red trace-mineral blocks
• Plain white salt blocks

Which one an animal needs depends on the rest of their diet, forage, commercial feed and mineral intake.

Selenium deserves extra caution. Too little can cause problems, but too much can also be toxic. Many commercial feeds already contain selenium, and selenium content varies geographically, so we don't recommend simply adding more without looking at the animal's entire diet.

Plain salt should generally remain available to horses regardless of other supplementation.

Some horses simply need more help maintaining or gaining weight, particularly seniors, rescues and hard keepers.

We've tried Bloom, which my mom picked up for one of our horses, and so far it seems like a nice product.

We also really like Super Weight Gain, which is one of the products we keep on our Amazon Wish List.

Weight gain should be slow and intentional. Before simply adding calories, we look at the whole horse — teeth, forage intake, parasites, medical conditions, age, feed and why the horse is struggling to maintain weight in the first place.

Black oil sunflower seeds are something we use with several species around the farm, including horses, goats, ducks and turkeys.

They're a calorie-dense addition that provides fat, and many owners — ourselves included — like them for supporting a healthy-looking, shiny coat.

As with any calorie-dense food, the amount matters, especially for easy keepers or animals with metabolic concerns.

We also use biotin products as part of our coat, mane and tail care.

We use a liquid supplement for mane and tail growth and a powdered supplement for overall coat support.

Just remember that hair and hoof quality aren't determined by one supplement alone. Overall nutrition, protein, minerals, health and genetics all play a role.

Electrolytes help replace important minerals lost through sweat and support normal hydration, muscle and nerve function. We especially keep them in mind during hot weather, heavy sweating, travel, illness, or times when an animal isn’t drinking as well as usual.

Electrolytes aren’t something every horse needs added every day. Fresh, clean water and access to salt are always important, and electrolyte use should be based on the individual animal and situation.