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
Hi Susan,
If your horse is getting a vitamin/mineral supplement, or minerals from a commercially fortified feed, there is no need to add more minerals. If however, your horse is just on hay, then there are many vitamins (along with omega 3 fatty acids) that are deficient. Therefore, adding these to the diet in the form of a vitamin/mineral supplement, is the best approach.
So, either way, you wouldn't need to supplement just minerals, since vitamins are also important.
In the case where a horse is on fresh pasture, no supplementation should be necessary if the pasture is healthy. In that case, however, it is nice to have a mineralized salt block (without molasses) along with a plain white salt block. But the bottom line is... salt. Salt blocks will not provide enough for most horses so plain granulated salt is necessary, offered free choice, or added to your horse's meals (two tablespoons per day, divided between meals).
All the best,
Dr. Getty 
Author of Feed Your Horse Like A Horse
Where are you from? Bayfield, CO