Supplementing vitamin E

Noble

Noble

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Looking into the possibility that my horse is lacking in vitamin E or that supplementing may be beneficial to him.

A bit of back ground, he had lig snip for mild KS 2 years ago, N & F for PSD (thickening) 1.5 years ago, SI injected 3 months ago. All successful according to vet a sports horse lameness specialist.

On to today, obviously he has spent most of the last 2 years rehabbing after treatments but even with correct work is lacking top line. It is improving but so slowly, gone from N/M to M/W saddle, I would have expected more by now he still looks weak. When checked by vet/chiro he often has sore muscles over his back but he starting to hold the changes and is seen 3 monthly.

He is generally laid back to ride although will throw in huge spooks for no reason, struggles with raised poles and hollows/struggles to rein back. A week ago he has suddenly started to hike his right hind when transitioning to walk from trot, just one stride??? Awaiting vet/chiro to come out ASAP and will get normal vet out if required.

Anyway back to the original question do you think vitamin E supplement would be beneficial, he is on a low starch/sugar high oil diet. Does anyone use this one? Any other ideas appreciated, thank you.

https://www.pharmahorse.co.uk/vitamin-e-excellent-horse.htm
 
Apparently, high oil diets can cause issues with the ability to utilise vitamin e so it’s recommended to supplement with extra anyway.

ETA Some vit e supplements are synthetic and some are natural. I think the synthetic ones aren’t supposed to be as effective.
 
That link doesn't work for me.

My mare tested -ve for PSSM1, but had all the symptoms including the tense back muscles and hitching up a hind leg. She improved dramatically within 48 hours after I added vit E to her diet. I use Forageplus natural vit E at about 5000 iu per day along with micronised linseed. My vet is in full agreement with her management.
 
all our horses are supplemented with equimins vit e oil. That is a natural one and I cannot speak for any other product. I know it does a lot of good and there is a lot of info available about vit e deficiency.

The product you have highlighted has selenium included. Are you feeding any other supplement with Se in it as you may then be overdosing Se. It is very difficult to see from the doseage instructions how much vit E you would be supplement with that product and therefore how cost effective it would be compared to other makes.

You may need to supplement with high oil, how much vit E is your horse getting from the remainder of his diet? where is it coming from?
There is a lot of reading about vit e on the forage plus site articles which may help you.
 
Hi Paddy he is on 1/2 the recommended amount of vit/mins from equibalancer (thoroughbred formula), half recommended amount cushcare condition, 2 stubbs scoops grass chaff, one small scoop speedibeet one large mug micronised linseed and salt split over 2 feeds. Happy to swap the cushcare condition as it has been a recent addition for safe calories.
 
Noble said:
Hi Paddy he is on 1/2 the recommended amount of vit/mins from equibalancer (thoroughbred formula), half recommended amount cushcare condition, 2 stubbs scoops grass chaff, one small scoop speedibeet one large mug micronised linseed and salt split over 2 feeds. Happy to swap the cushcare condition as it has been a recent addition for safe calories.
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Forgive me if I'm wrong, but that diet does not show any protein content, and if you are working him, I can't see how that diet will help him build up muscle at all. I know you are all for low sugar/starch, but DO weigh your feed, not just go by scoops. You may be surprised how little food he is receiving.
 
He has 1.5 kgs cushcare condition which is 13% protein, the grass chaff I don't measure but 2 large stubbs scoops again approx 13% and the speedibeet I add for moisture content at 9% protein, linseed for extra calories. I add the vit supplement only as he is on half the recommended amount of cushcare to top it up. He is on add lib haylage overnight and we still have grass while he is out daily. Hopefully this explians more. Any better suggestions welcomed.
 
Linseed isn't a bad protein source. Any reason why you're only using 1/2 the recommended amount of the Equibalancer? Winter grass is low in vit E and if you're feeding high oil (which I don't think you are from what you've said) then you do need to supplement it. I use forageplus natural vitamin E

ETA I've just looked at the balancer and I don't know the price but I think thete are better out there. One with a decent essential amino acid profile might help (forage plus, equimins, progressive earth all do good balancers)
 
Hi Sel thanks for your reply, he is only on half the balancer as a top up as he is on half the recommended cushcare condition which is a complete feed in itself and fairly high oil and calories. Already looking to move to progressive earth, so that's a good start. I was just looking at the symptoms of a lack of vit e and musing as to whether supplementing may help with the above (soreness/reinback/polework) issues.
 
Noble said:
Hi Paddy he is on 1/2 the recommended amount of vit/mins from equibalancer (thoroughbred formula), half recommended amount cushcare condition, 2 stubbs scoops grass chaff, one small scoop speedibeet one large mug micronised linseed and salt split over 2 feeds. Happy to swap the cushcare condition as it has been a recent addition for safe calories.
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It is impossible to tell what he is getting in vits and minerals by splitting it, I cannot find what has been added to cushcare. The vit E in equibalancer seems to be 2000iu per kg. The vit E in my ordinary supplement (equimins) is 17000iu per kg and I feed vit e on top of that. I think it may be better, in view of your problems to put him on a full dose on one quality supplement. If you are going to supplement vit E on top of an ordinary supplement (which I do) then choose one without selenium as there will be sufficient selenium in your ordinary supplement and you could be overdosing.
 
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