The warm and wet summer that we have had so far has done wonders for grass growth and should mean there is a plentiful supply of hay and haylage for next year. However, this abundance of grass doesn’t provide horses with all the vitamins and minerals that they need daily.
Lush summer grazing can be problematic as it provides a very high calorie and sugar content that is not suitable for all horses.
Vitamins are important to the horse as they help to carry out functions such as:
- Production of skin, bone and hooves
- Immune function
- Repair and maintenance of cells
- Nervous system function
Grass can provide a range of vitamins for the horse such as Vitamin E, which is an antioxidant and will help to fight free radicals within the body. Vitamin C is also abundant in fresh growing grass; however, the quantity of vitamin C rapidly decreases when grass is turned into hay.
Grass is naturally very low or contains no minerals at all and the levels of present minerals can be very variable in pasture. In general, grass can provide some Calcium, Potassium, Iron and Magnesium, however it is very low in Macro minerals.
Pasture management also has a direct impact on the nutritional quality of pasture, and this can be changed via fertilisation, reseeding, harrowing, rolling and the removal (or not) of horse’s droppings. Horses are also very picky eaters and will not eat areas of grazing land that have been used as toilet areas.
In the summer months, a very common mistake is made by many horse owners who believe that horses turned out on good grazing do not need supplemental feed. Whilst in some cases this is partly true, as good summer grazing is high in calories and will therefore help horses to maintain or even gain weight over the summer. However, even the best grazing will not provide horses with a balanced source of vitamins and minerals no matter how much they eat.
If you have a good doer or a horse that doesn’t require a hard feed in the summer, a vitamin and mineral supplement is the best thing you can feed over the summer to ensure that a balanced diet is still being provided. Providing a balanced diet is important to the health and well being of the horse.
When choosing a vitamin and mineral supplement to feed, look for some that contains a broad spectrum of vitamin and minerals, and which has been formulated to balance a forage-based diet. An added bonus is a supplement that contains Chelated Minerals, these are minerals that are bound to protein molecules meaning that the body can utilise them much better than inorganic minerals and therefore you horse will be getting the most from the small amount of supplementary feed that they are getting.
Feedmark's New Benevit
Formulated based on the latest equine research and findings of the National Research Council, New Benevit™ provides 24 vitamins and minerals at proven levels to meet your horse’s nutritional needs. Chelated Copper, Zinc and Manganese optimise mineral absorption whilst Beetroot provides antioxidants to neutralise free radicals and support blood flow. Linseed provides essential fatty acids to optimise skin, hair and hoof health. This grain-free formulation with no added Iron is the gold-standard vitamin and mineral supplement that is suitable for all. Find out more >>