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Ask the Nutritionist: Dr. Getty's Forum for Equine Nutrition

   Welcome to my forum. 

Here you will find more than 6 years of questions and my answers. It is searchable and offers a great deal of information. 

Currently, I am discontinuing new questions. This may change in the future, but in the meantime, please know that It has been a true pleasure serving you. 

Take a look at my Nutrition Library and Tips of the Month for a variety of answers on selected topics. Be sure to sign up for my monthly e-newsletter, Forage for Thought

I also have a growing number of recordings on "Teleseminars on Nutrition Topics that Concern You" as well as the new, Spotlight on Equine Nutrition Series -- printed versions of favorite teleseminars.

And finally, look for my articles in a variety of local publications and online newsletters, as well as the Horse Journal, where I am the Contributing Nutrition Editor.  

 

All the best,

 Dr. Getty 

 



Ask the Nutritionist: Dr. Getty's Forum for Equine Nutrition
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Too many supplements?

Hi Dr. Getty - I have been told that supplements are BAD and that I am feeding too many and just to be on the safe side I would like to confirm this with you? My horse is fed:

Morning:
800g 12% Epol Rider cubes (chemically balanced)
30ml Flax Seed Oil
30ml Sunflower Oil

Evening:
1.4kg 12% Epol Rider cubes (chemically balanced)
30ml Flax Seed Oil
30ml Sunflower Oil
30ml Apple Cider Vinegar
Small dose of vitamins and minerals (my horse is given less than the recommended amount of Epol Rider Cubes so I give her the supplement to make up for what she is not getting)
1 scoop Herbal Supplement - Sport Horse Mix (amino acids etc. formulated for the sport horse)
1 scoop Herbal Supplement - Rejuven Mix (has devils claw; msm; vitamin c; glucosamine etc. in to help prevent arthritis)
1 handful of full fat soya.

My horse also grazes from 8am - 6pm or later and has adlib grass mix at night (which is chemically balanced). I have spoken to the herbal supplement company and she says that all of her mixes could be used together (there are 7 of them) and that it wouldn't do any harm. I also give her electrolytes when she sweats heavily. Am I going overboard with the supplements??

My horse is worked 6 days a week and I am busy getting her fit for eventing next year - she is 15 years old and is thriving and looking fantastic (I get a lot of lovely comments on how good she looks).

Re: Too many supplements?

Hello Christine,

I think you're doing a fine job. You're reducing the amount of the vitamin and mineral supplement to compensate for the chemically balanced ration, which is excellent. I'm not sure what is in the sport horse herbal mix so I can't comment on any overlaps. The herbs that you are offering for joints appear to be worthwhile.

I am in favor of using supplements correctly to balance out a diet. Domesticated horses eat the same diet day after day, and therefore, cannot possibly get all the nutrients they need. So, there are bound to be gaps, which supplements can fill.

Keep up the great work!

Dr. Getty

Re: Too many supplements?

hi dr. getty ... happy thanksgiving to all ... what are the benefits of apple cider vinegar as a supplement? ... thank you, lorraine

Where are you from? tampa, fl

How did you locate this forum? sue

Re: Too many supplements?

Hi Lorraine,

Apple cider vinegar is sometimes used to help with repelling insects. However, it is not very effective, in my opinion. Horses generally like it. It is also used as a "health tonic" but the benefits are non-specific.

All the best,

Dr. Getty

Re: Too many supplements?

wow, I would go out of my mind trying to feed that many individual supplements to one horse. It must take you 10 minutes! I have often wondered about the suppliments too. Some of my boarders want to use so many of them and I alway try to find out why. I don't think they really know why most of the time. When one starts they all want to use something. I charge extra for each suppliment (to feed) because it is so time consuming.
Do you feed all of these suppliments because you dont feed grain? Are these the suppliments that would be in grains?

Where are you from? Maine

How did you locate this forum? typed in equine nutrition forums

Re: Too many supplements?

Hi Sass,

Supplements are just that -- supplements to the diet. Grain is high in starch and contains some protein. But, in terms of enough vitamins and minerals to support a horse's health, grain falls way short.

Think about it -- if you ate the same thing every day of your life, no matter how nutritious is was, you couldn't possibly get all the nutrients you need. To get a lot of the correct nutrients, you need to eat a variety of foods.

Well, horses in the wild do get to eat a variety of foods. They nibble all day long on different grasses, flowers, tree leaves, berries, seeds, bark, etc. So, they get the vitamins and minerals they need by eating a large assortment of feeds.

But, domesticated horses are fed the same thing day in and day out. This is why it is so critical to add a comprehensive vitamin/mineral supplement to the diet to fill in the gaps.

There are other supplements, as well, that help a horse deal with joint problems and hoof problems. These are designed to provide the extra nutrients necessary to help rebuild these tissues.

All the best,

Dr. Getty

Re: Too many supplements?

I love making my horse's food! I spend about 5-10 minutes a day doing it but it is very little out of the 3 hours plus I spend with her. Mixing her food is definitely one of my favourite chores but I can imagine it can't be fun at a boarding stable - you could suggest that your boarders mix their supplements, oils etc. together and keep them in small containers and then you can just mix it in with the feeds? Will save alot of time ;-)

Dr. Getty - I have just bought my horse the herb Rosehips, I have heard that rosehip tea is good for their kidneys as well as many other benefits, would the dried herbs have the same effect?

Where are you from? South Africa

Re: Too many supplements?

Hi Christine,

Rose hips are high in bioflavonoids, which are strong antioxidants and beneficial for all body tissues.

Dried herbs have less activity than fresh ones, simply due to the drying process. Liquid preparations are often more potent.

All the best,

Dr. Getty

P.S. I enjoy mixing my horses' feed too. But, it is often very difficult in a barn setting to do extra things. Premixing, as you suggested, is a good idea.