• Save

Not a day goes by that a trainer is not being asked by a client about the importance of supplements for his or her horse.

As equine nutritionists, we are often asked to have a look at this bucket or that pail and are requested to comment on supplement brands, ingredients, dosage or to make a recommendation on which supplement one should feed that will keep the horse healthy, sound and strong.

There also is the matter of those nasty health issues one likes to prevent, like colic, laminitis, inflammation and all those other types of problems.  Their hope is to overcome these with not only proper feed and hay, but also with the right balanced nutrient approach and appropriate supplementation that focuses on the individual horse.

There are surely enough products out there that promise to do that job, but is the trainer now responsible to educate his or her client about the “right” feed and supplement program for his client’s horse(s)?  After all, the trainer’s clients may think that because he is the person working and training the horse, he should know!

But what about those clients who feed several supplements at the same time, by bringing buckets of stuff to the barn. They use one supplement for this problem; another supplement for that problem, and perhaps the “magic” powder for overall health.  You get the idea!  Is the trainer worrying about effectiveness, contraindication, side effects, and if those supplements his client is feeding are even safe and do not test in the show ring? And the big question:  Do they work in the first place?

Well, recent studies have shown that a well-balanced feed program, along with good quality hay, water and the correct nutrient specific supplementation individualized to the horse, can work wonders in restoring overall health, condition and for better performance.  So take some time to check out the quality of your horse’s hay (last week’s tip) and that you provide fresh clean water every day.  And check out the supplements you feed your horse just as carefully as you check the foods you eat.

This tip was brought to you by KAM Animal Services. KAM’s “Equine Learning Circle” will be expanding on this topic and others twice a month in its FREE webinars. Go to www.kamanimalservices.com to sign up for the January 10th (which will focus on your horse’s digestive and gut health) and January 31st (targeting balanced feed and supplements) webinars, which will conclude with a question and answer session. So, be ready with your nutrition questions.