Question
What do you feel is the most important nutrient that horses may be lacking?
Answer
A nutrient is any constituent that is necessary to support life, and in the horse, these fall under several headings: water, protein, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins, and minerals. The most vial nutrient is water. A horse can survive for weeks without food, but only days without water. Thus water is the most important nutrient for survival. However, I’m assuming that most horse owners are well aware of the importance of water and allow their horses free access to fresh, clean water at all times. You will notice that energy is not listed, because energy is not a nutrient, but is provided by the nutrients – specifically carbohydrates, fats, and to a lesser extent protein.
The other nutrient classes cover specific nutrients that are all essential to support life. Proteins are made up of chains of amino acids, some of which must be supplied in the diet and are therefore termed essential amino acids. These include lysine, arginine, and methionine. The challenge for horse owners is to choose a feed that supplies good-quality protein in the diet so that all necessary amino acids are available for the synthesis and repair of body tissue, enzymes, and hormones.
Carbohydrates are the major energy source for horses and consist of two main types: Structural carbohydrates, which include fibre (forages, beet pulp, etc.), and nonstructural carbohydrates, which include starch and sugars found in grain. Fats are also a source of energy in horses but are also required for various metabolic functions including as carriers for fat-soluble vitamins and precursors for the production of hormones.
The list of vitamins and minerals numbers in the dozens, and a deficiency of any will likely result in poor health and reduced performance. Interestingly, for deficiencies in many of the vitamins and minerals the horse may not exhibit any symptoms and thus the only true method to determine if a diet is deficient it to have a nutritionist perform a complete diet analysis, including analysis of forage sources, grain, concentrates, and supplements.
Mineral balance in the diet is as important as the amount provided and the ratios of several minerals must be taken into account when planning a ration.
In summary, there is no one nutrient that is more important than another with regards to deficiency, but rather all nutrients must be provided in the diet at the correct amount for each specific horse. Balancing the nutrients supplied in the forage, grain, feed, and supplements is a key component to a healthy, well-performing animal. If you are unsure if your horse’s diet is meeting his requirements, talk to an equine nutritionist for diet advice.
