So just what do horses need

[Yardbird]

One mineral supplement supplies in a "dose" 175 mg copper 525 mg zinc 6g magnesium 10 mg biotin etc...etc.... Another balancer in one serving supplies 80 mg copper 15 mg biotin 3 mg magnesium 300 zinc, plus vits a and d etc......But how much does a horse need?How dos an owner choose which to feed?

 

[Shay]

It varies depending on what else is fed - and from where. Every horse will get different amounts through their feed or grazing and there is very little practical way to know exactly what your horse gets naturally. You can have your grazing and forage analyzed but the exact composition will vary through the year and from batch to batch.

You can get a rough idea by looking up typical soil / grass analysis for your area. But unless you grow your own mot people don't know where their hay was cut from.

You choose what to feed by looking at the horse you have in front of you and feed to age, workload and condition. If you have a particular issue you want to address you might supplement for that purpose. If you don't feed hard feed you might consider a balancer. At a very basic level - in terms of vits / mins - they are pretty similar. Its the other stuff in there , and the price, which might influence choice.

There are vits / mins which are toxic in large amounts - like selenium - so you will want to watch you don't overfeed those. There are also some which are antagonistic so you need to feed in balance - like calcium and potassium.

Basic rule of thumb for ease? If feeding hard feed then do so at the manufacturer's recommended rate and you'll get pretty much everything needed. If not feeding hard feed choose a suitable complete supplement or balancer from a reputable company. There are loads of recommendations on here.