Supplements

If you’ve ever stood in the supplement aisle and felt like you were staring into the nutritional equivalent of the Wild West… you’re not alone.

Because here’s the truth most companies won’t tell you:

Equine supplements are barely regulated.

Companies must use ingredients approved for use in animals, but they don’t have to tell you how much. So they can add a tiny pinch of an ingredient and say, “Now with added ____!” That is all it takes. If it’s detectable, the level doesn’t matter. Then owners who are only trying to do right by their horses, buy it and cross their fingers.

Anyone can mix powders, slap on a shiny label, and call it “advanced,” “premium,” or “scientifically formulated.” Basically all they cannot say is that it can “cure” anything. I’m not saying there aren’t effective supplements on the shelves. I’m saying that they are limited in efficacy and most always stretched in truth when it comes to the label.

A supplement should exist for one reason:

To correct a documented deficiency or meet a specific physiological need.

Testing Matters — The Right Testing

Before adding supplements, you need actual data — and that means:

Forage testing: If it’s feasible, will show you what your hay/pasture is actually providing.

Bloodwork (in specific cases): Useful for vitamin E, selenium, iron overload, metabolic markers.

Mane mineral tests: Let’s talk about this one for a hot minute. It’s everywhere- kinda drives me crazy, and I could probably do a whole Feed Scoop Friday on this topic!

A mane mineral test does NOT accurately tell you your horse’s current nutritional status.

It does NOT accurately tell you what they’re deficient in.

It does NOT guide a balanced diet.

This test has been debunked for DECADES! It has widely been documented that the same horse sent to different labs has different results. In fact, the SAME horses sent to the SAME lab under different names have had different results. Until the testing can produce accurate results-this is a TOTAL WASTE…for balancing nutrition.

Here are a couple studies done 32 years apart with similar conclusions.
Journal of Equine Veterinary Science, Volume 10, Issue 6, November–December 1990, Pages 412-416)
Journal of Equine Veterinary Science, Volume 119, December 2022, 104145

Your Horse Is Not a Small Human
• “I take a multivitamin, so my horse should too.”
• “I take probiotics, so he needs three kinds.”
• “I take joint supplements, so he needs the mega-ultra-joint stack.”

But horses aren’t humans.
They’re hindgut fermenters with completely different absorption pathways, metabolic priorities, and mineral interactions.

Supplementing based on shiny labels instead of biology is how you end up with imbalances, wasted money, or both.

🔍 Where We’re Going Next

This post is your warm-up. May is going to be dedicated to Supplements.

Over the next few Fridays, we’re doing deep dives into the supplement categories horse owners spend the most money on — and get the least clarity about:

• Joint supplements
• Hoof Supplements
• Calming supplements
• Pre-, pro-, and post-biotics

We’re going to break down what works, what doesn’t, what’s overhyped, and what actually matters for your horse’s physiology.