Supplements                                                   reproduced in part with permission from HappyHaflingers.com and author Haley Madden

In an ideal world, horses would get all the nutrition they need from hay and grass. However, often hay and grass does not provide the appropriate vitamin and mineral balance to keep a horse at his best.  Testing your hay can help tell you what your horse is deficient in, and then you can supplement as needed.  Keep track of what is in each supplement so you do not feed too much of any nutrient, vitamin or mineral.  A good quality vitamin/mineral can help add nutrients your horse isn’t getting in his feed.  

Different supplements you might consider are joint supplements for horses doing heavier or advanced work, hoof supplements to strengthen hoof walls and help maintain a healthy hoof, and flax seed for essential fatty acids and a shiny coat.  If you are unsure of your feeding regime, contact an equine nutritionist or your vet for more clarification.