Horses Need More Than a Trace of Minerals

By Dr. Martin Adams

Many people provide horses with a trace mineralized salt block with the assumption that this will provide all of the minerals that a horse needs. Unfortunately, when this occurs not all mineral needs may be satisfied. The typical trace mineralized salt block provides only a fraction of a horse's trace mineral needs and does not provide the major mineral (except sodium and chloride) and vitamin needs. Most trace mineralized salt blocks contain 95 percent or more salt and contain only a "trace" of minerals.

Minerals are inorganic elements that are needed by all animals to remain healthy and productive. Some minerals are essential components of bone, teeth, blood cells, vitamins, hormones and amino acids. Minerals that are required in larger amounts are referred to as major minerals. These are calcium, phosphorus, potassium, magnesium, sodium, chloride and sulfur. Minerals required in smaller amounts are called trace minerals. The trace minerals required for horses are copper, zinc, manganese, selenium, cobalt, iodine and iron. A mature horse consuming the recommended amount of a typical trace mineralized salt block would only receive a small portion of its trace mineral requirements and none of its major mineral needs.

Forages and grains contain sufficient levels of some of the minerals and vitamins required by the horse, but many areas of the country may be deficient or low in certain minerals, so that forage and grain grown in those areas will also be deficient. Grass, hay and pasture tend to be deficient in the major minerals, sodium and phosphorus, and in the trace minerals of zinc, copper and selenium; and, in meeting the requirements of even mature horses in maintenance. Also, while pasture is a good source of vitamin E and usually provides an adequate amount for a horse's needs, hay contains very low levels of vitamin E and will likely result in a deficiency without supplementation.

It is apparent that proper mineral and vitamin supplementation may require more than just a trace mineralized salt block. To insure a horse's good health, it is important to provide a well-balanced mineral supplement containing all essential minerals, especially when horses are not provided with fortified grain and are fed forage-only diets (hay or pasture). Southern States has several horse mineral products available: EquiMin Horse Mineral (granular product in 25-lb pail), EquiMin Horse Mineral Block (25-lb)and Horse Mineral (granular product in 50-lb bag). These supplements provide the proper calcium to phosphorus ratio, and all other essential minerals and vitamins in balanced amounts for horses on grass or mixed (grass and legume) hay and pasture feeding programs. EquiMin Horse Mineral products also contain yeast culture, organic trace minerals and biotin to insure good health and appearance.

Martin W. Adams, Ph.D., is Nutritionist and Sales Manager, Horse Feed Sales, Southern States.