Which general vitamin and mineral supplements do you use?

VioletStripe

VioletStripe

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As title really!

My boy has a himalayan salt block, and in his handful of Hifi gets a scoop of Equivite... which has now run out. So, I'm wondering which supplements you guys rate?

I've quite rated the Equivite, but wondered if people thought there were better ones out there?
 
Equimins advance complete, have just changed to this from pro hoof though, so don't really know if it will make a difference. Also give a bit of extra Mg, salt and acetyl L carnitine, am also considering extra vit E as horse is on very restricted grazing.
 
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Equivita with molasses free chaff and the horses are doing amazing! I add a bit of linseed for the ones who need.
 
Nothing. IF the horses were sufficiently deficient in anything to need something (determined by soil and forage analysis, or clinical signs) then perhaps I would consider supplementing. But in over 50 years of dealing with horses I have NEVER needed to add anything to their feed. My vet friends roll their eyes when supplements are mentioned.
 
Unless the horse has a vitamin deficiency, supplements are excreted. You might as well cut the horse out and just sprinkle the supplements on the poo.
 
case895 said:
Unless the horse has a vitamin deficiency, supplements are excreted. You might as well cut the horse out and just sprinkle the supplements on the poo.
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But you can't know whether your horse has a deficiency or not unless you measure everything going in and then everything coming out, which is of course impossible. My horse has had many positive changes since starting on supplements, from a change in coat colour to quite dramatic improvements in hoof, coat and skin quality, so there must have been something lacking originally.
 
MrsNorris said:
But you can't know whether your horse has a deficiency or not unless you measure everything going in and then everything coming out, which is of course impossible. My horse has had many positive changes since starting on supplements, from a change in coat colour to quite dramatic improvements in hoof, coat and skin quality, so there must have been something lacking originally.
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One horse sample size. No control sample. Subjective measures of change.
 
I feed Oilovite because I'm a victim of marketing.

I used Super Codlivine for my last horse - he honestly looked fantastic on it, better than he ever was before or since with no other changes, but then he went off it ... Might try the new mare on it at some point if I can get a sample; it really is stinky stuff so no wonder it didn't go down well.
 
Nothing; I'm an old school tightwad who also thinks most of those sort of things are marketing for the gullible. At the moment she doesn't even get hard feed. I've got a 24 yo fit, health, uncomplicated horse. The only thing I use is haylege balancer for a few days if she changes field and gets the runs.
 
I use Progressive Earth Pro Balance + & micronised linseed.

I've seen a big difference in him since using it & it doesn't work out expensive, so happy all round.
 
If your forage is good and balanced you won't need anything.

For the rest of us with slightly funky forage sometimes it helps to feed a bit extra. - I'm talking minerals not vitamins here though, they are just a random added extra.
I'm another equimins advanced complete person :p
 
i was wasting money before guessing what they needed before so now feed mine according to what they are lacking in the pasture ( grass analysis).
 
Thanks for the opinions guys!

I am aware that a lot of it passes through unnecessarily, and it is better to do it according to analysis, but as I'm at a livery yard I think it's much easier to purchase an all in one!

Really given me some food for thought - I'll read up on all the recommendations for sure :)
 
MrsNorris said:
But you can't know whether your horse has a deficiency or not unless you measure everything going in and then everything coming out, which is of course impossible. My horse has had many positive changes since starting on supplements, from a change in coat colour to quite dramatic improvements in hoof, coat and skin quality, so there must have been something lacking originally.
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I agree, and my [slow maturing] pony was on good old pasture and forage, and he always got a small feed of Mare and Youngstock [ less than recommended, therefore short of vits and minerals], but when I fed him linseed and minerals his summer coat remained dark bay and his skin stopped itching. So even though he was not competing/hunting it made a significant difference. When groomed he absolutely shone.
 
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Up until recently ive never fed anything to my lot but due to having to restrict grazing because of metabolic issues I have started feeding Spillers Lite Balancer and micronised linseed.
 
case895 said:
One horse sample size. No control sample. Subjective measures of change.
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True, but really it's the only practical way to see if he's lacking in anything. If you don't ever try, you will never know know how much better (or not) your horse could get.
Well worth doing in my opinion, and if there's no change then just stop, it's only a few quid potentially wasted.
 
Sun dried stinging nettles; apparently they are packed with over 60 vitamins and minerals. I used to pick a generous armful and leave them to wilt outside the stable, then throw about 6 or 7 stems over each day. Best of all they are free.
 
Cobbytype said:
Sun dried stinging nettles; apparently they are packed with over 60 vitamins and minerals. I used to pick a generous armful and leave them to wilt outside the stable, then throw about 6 or 7 stems over each day. Best of all they are free.
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Oh yes, I used to hand graze my youngsters in natural hedgerows in winter, folks thought I was a "nutter", till I won the "Show Champion" two years in a row. They still treat me with caution, I am probably re branded as "a white witch"
 
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Forage Plus basic balancer at half the recommended dose, based on forage analysis (I make my own hay so was worthwhile). I was planning to make up a mineral mix but it turned out their balancer actually fit.

Our rescue pony's coat changed totally when he went on this, the rescue centre had been worried he had sweet itch but he now has a lovely glossy and much darker coat. He was at the rescue centre some time (they kept him all summer to check for itching) and he wasn't actually undernourished when they got him, but he obviously had a deficiency (I suspect of copper).
 
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