Ask the Nutritionist: Dr. Getty's Forum for Equine Nutrition
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Dr. Getty
Hi Dr Getty, got a question:
With all of the fortified feeds, supplements, etc, I am wondering if some of us are overdosing our horses. If a healthy horse is on a good fescue pasture, gets good Timothy (or good grass hay), a flake of Alfalfa (small one!!!) and salt, where can one find a LOW level mineral balancer, if neccessary? I am worrying about selenium being in everything, all the probiotics,(WHY does my young, strong 5 yo need probiotics, every day!!!) and iron. I thought horses never need iron. We work 5 days a week, moderste riding, we are in good weight, so why do I worry? I feel like I need a general vit-mineral to offer just in case! Am I crazy? Everybag of stuff I pick up is loaded with a ton of extras. This bothers me.
Thanks!!!
Where are you from? ga
How did you locate this forum? internet
Hi Vicki,
I can understand your concern, and it is very easy to overdose a horse when one feeds a commercial ration, along with an overall vitamin/mineral supplement and then sometimes, adds to the mix a hoof or joint supplement that has even more nutrients.
But, in your case, you are feeding a forage diet, which is great. But, there are gaps that could be filled in by a comprehensive vitamin/mineral supplement. You want vitamins, not just minerals, since it is impossible for horses to get everything they needs from the same diet day in and day out.
Even if we were to eat a nutritious meal, but have the same meal each and every day, we would develop deficiencies because no one food can give us everything we need. That's why we eat a variety of foods. But horses do not get a variety of things to eat (as they do in the wild, for example).
Iron is typically not needed in large amounts because most forages have adequate iron. However, the amount added to most multiple supplements is minimal. I have a problem when people add "blood builders" to horses' diets, leading to excessive amounts of iron.
And, probiotics, as you mentioned, are not always necessary, especially for a healthy horse that has access to pasture. They are often added to provide extra protection for horses that are kept on dry lots, for example. And, their addition is not at all harmful.
So, here are a couple of suggestions. Since you are in Georgia, the soils are not adequate in selenium, so it won't hurt to have some in the mixture. I would recommend Accel or Equi-Shine Ultimate Supplement.
Accel does have probiotics and also contains additional amino acids, which you may wish to consider since you are not feeding a large amount of alfalfa (alfalfa adds amino acids that are not found in grasses to a large extent). It is in an alfalfa-meal base and it very palatable.
Equi-Shine Ultimate Supplement is also a good choice and is more basic in its components, without the probiotics. It is in a flaxseed meal base, and therefore provides some omega 3 fatty acids. It also has the amino acids so both of these supplements are good for a grass-based diet.
I hope this is helpful. Thanks for asking!
All the best,
Dr. Getty 
Where are you from? Colorado