What Are Two Major Minerals That Are Important For A Balanced Diet For Horses?

Minerals are inorganic nutrients that horses need in relatively small amounts. The essential major minerals include: Calcium (Ca) Phosphorus (P)

What is the most important mineral for horses?

“Horses foremost need the minerals salt, calcium and phosphorus,” states Mays. “Salt is lost through sweat and urine so it should be available free choice to the horse at all times. Calcium and phosphorus are needed for healthy teeth and bones.

What do horses need for a balanced diet?

When feeding horses, it is important to recognize that there are six basic nutrient categories that must be met: carbohydrate, protein, fat, vitamins, minerals and water. Often, feed companies will balance the first five nutrients for us; however, it is critical not to forget about water.

What is the most important part of a horse’s diet?

The most basic requirement in a horse’s diet is long-stem forage. Ideally, this comes in the form of fresh grass. If grass is not available, free-choice grass hay is the next best choice. Keeping hay in front of horses at all times allows them to most closely mimic their natural grazing behavior.

What are the two most common feeds for horses?

Roughage/Forage Roughage, found in hay or grass, is the bulk of the horse’s food. Grass or alfalfa hay, or a combination of the two, are good sources of roughage. Grass hay is generally higher in fiber and dry matter than alfalfa, but alfalfa may be higher in protein, energy, vitamins and calcium.

What minerals do horses eat?

Thus proper mineral nutrition is vital to have a healthy horse. The minerals that are needed in the largest quantities by horses are referred to as the macro-minerals. These include calcium (Ca), phosphorous (P), magnesium (Mg), potassium (K), sodium (Na) and chloride (Cl).

What are horse minerals?

Macro minerals include calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, sodium, potassium, chloride, and sulphur. Meanwhile iron, manganese, copper, iodine, zinc, cobalt, fluoride, and selenium round out the list of trace minerals. Let’s turn a spotlight on a few of the minerals our horses need to be healthy and happy.

Do horses need mineral supplements?

To ensure a horse’s health, it is important to provide a well-balanced mineral supplement containing all essential minerals, especially when horses are not fed fortified grain and are fed forage-only diets (hay or pasture).

What does vitamin K do for horses?

Menadione is a form of Vitamin K3 that is commonly used in equine feed and supplements. Vitamin K is involved in forming blood clots which is necessary for proper wound healing. It also helps to support healthy bone density and cardiovascular function.

How do horses get minerals?

Forage is the ideal energy source for horses. But most forages don’t meet the horse’s daily vitamin and trace mineral needs. If your horse gets enough energy from forages, you may consider feeding a ration balancer to provide vitamins and minerals the forage lacks.

What are 3 things horses eat?

In simple terms, horses eat grass and hay or haylage, but salt, concentrates and fruits or vegetables can also enhance their diets, depending on the required work regime and available feed.

What keeps a horse healthy?

Daily exercise is a must
Even if you don’t exercise your horse frequently (meaning it doesn’t do heavy tasks or train), giving it time to walk and gallop around every day is very important in keeping it healthy.

What are the main ingredients in horse feed?

Equine Feed Ingredients

• Complex carbs, such as alfalfa, grain hay, and beet pulp.
• Simple starches, such as barley, corn, and oats.
• Fats, including vegetable, corn, and fish oils.
• Proteins, such as dried whey, or linseed and canola meals.

What are the two main types of feed?

There are two basic types: fodder and forage. Used alone, the word feed more often refers to fodder.

What are the 3 most common uses for horses?

In high-income countries, horses are primarily used for sport, breeding, animal assisted therapy, or as companions for leisure.

Why are vitamins and minerals important for horses?

Vitamins and minerals have many important roles to play in the body from maintaining normal metabolism, building tissues such as hoof horn and functions such as muscle contraction.

What is the best trace minerals for horses?

Magnesium and potassium are vital for muscle and nervous tissue function and cellular health. And additional smaller (trace) amounts of minerals like cobalt, copper, iodine, iron, selenium, and zinc are also necessary to maintain healthy, productive horses.

Why do horses need vitamin A?

Vitamin A is important in equine diets because of its powerful antioxidant action. This vitamin also supports vision, reproductive functions, and the equine immune system.

Why is zinc important for horses?

Zinc (Zn) is an essential trace mineral that is required in the horse’s diet to support the proper function of many enzymes and proteins. It is involved in antioxidant protection, immune function, protein synthesis, and cellular communication.

Why is magnesium important for horses?

In addition, Magnesium is necessary for the maintenance of electrolyte balance, particularly for Calcium and Potassium. Magnesium is also a very important as a co-factor in enzymes. Horses that are deficient in magnesium show a variety of symptoms, including nervousness, muscle tremors and incoordination.

Why is iron important for horses?

Iron is an essential mineral that horses require to transport oxygen throughout the body. However, this highly reactive element can also contribute to oxidative damage by forming free radical molecules in the body.