Vitamins Are Important for Athletic Horses

Vitamins perform many critical functions in the horse’s body. Though they are needed in only small amounts, vitamins are important for many aspects of growth, tissue maintenance, and metabolic functions. Many vitamins regulate glucocorticoid synthesis, thus limiting some of the negative responses associated with stress, and are therefore necessary to athletic horses.

Vitamin A is required for development of epithelial cells. Vitamin A is also important in maintaining the integrity of mucous membranes, tissues that are put under considerable stress in exercising horses.

Vitamin E, fund in abundance in fresh grass, is an important antioxidant that protects against oxidative tissue damage induced by exercise. Though non-grazing horses can tolerate low dietary levels of vitamin E for at least four months, supplementation may help horses that are training and racing. Nano-E, a dietary supplement available from Kentucky Equine Research, delivers natural-source vitamin that is highly bioavailable to horses.

The influence of vitamin D on calcium metabolism is not as great in horses as it is in other domestic animals under normal conditions. For most horses on normal diets, deficiencies are not likely.

The requirements for water-soluble vitamins can usually be met by practical diets. Vitamin C has been studied most during recent years, mainly because it is also an antioxidant which prevents radical-induced oxidative damage. Decreased synthesis of vitamin C due to intense exercise, stressful conditions, and infections may increase requirements.

Regarding B-complex vitamins, horses that are anemic, perform poorly, or have low serum values may benefit from daily supplementation. In particular, horses with poor hooves may show improvement after supplementation with increased levels of biotin.

Horses that have access to fresh forage will get an adequate amount of several vitamins just from grazing. Commercial feeds contain some vitamins, and other needs can be met by the use of a dietary supplement that supplies necessary nutrients not available from the standard diet. Owners who feed a commercial grain product should check ingredients before adding a vitamin-mineral supplement to be sure they are not oversupplementing their horses.