All-In-One Supplements for Horses: Convenience and Quality Count

Providing horses with an optimal diet often depends on a combination of traditional ration components, like good-quality forage and well-formulated concentrates, and nutritional supplements. Some horse owners use more than one product to address various health and performance issues. All-in-one supplements have become part of the nutritional landscape in recent years, and their convenience has resonated with horse owners.

Aside from the health benefits of the individual ingredients in an all-in-one product, the primary nutritional benefit involves consistency, according to Kathleen Crandell, Ph.D., longtime nutritionist with Kentucky Equine Research. “With an all-in-one supplement, when fed properly, the owner can be sure that the horse receives consistent amounts of the given nutrients. For horse owners, there is comfort in this consistency and in knowing a horse is nourished well.”

Convenience ranks high on the list of practical advantages of feeding an all-in-one supplement. “One refrain from horse owners is the allure of one container and one scoop. This lends itself to accurate feeding for owners, barn employees, and farmsitters; easy packing for travel; and quick reordering when supplies run low,” Crandell said.

In addition to convenience, cost savings becomes a benefit for some horse owners. “Feeding horses well is rarely an inexpensive endeavor, but this is particularly true for horses that require specific support. In many instances the individual costs of three or four supplements is far greater than an all-in-one product, so comparative shopping is often advantageous for the horse owner.”

For Kentucky Equine Research, the idea for an all-in-one sprung from the company’s popular diet evaluation service. “Total Wellness came about when we found that so many horse owners were using the same complement of products, so it seemed natural to combine them to simplify feeding,” explained Crandell.

Many of the evaluations were being conducted on high-performance horses, so Total Wellness features elements important to the caretakers of those horses: biotin for hoof strength and coat brilliance; proven joint support for maximal comfort and athletic output; and essential antioxidants for muscular rebound.

The individual components of any all-in-one supplement should be the highest quality and supported by research when possible. “Horse owners should use the same level of care when selecting an all-in-one product as they do when choosing individual supplements. Select products manufactured by reputable companies with established research programs and on-site nutritionists,” recommended Crandell.

When a horse is doing well on a medley of supplements, it can be daunting to remove those from its diet to start an all-in-one product. Working with a professional equine nutritionist can help horse owners make the switch to an all-in-one product and can assist in fine-tuning the diet if necessary. Contact a Kentucky Equine Research advisor today.