Today, there is a wealth of knowledge regarding the minerals, vitamins, and other supplements that are important for horses. The individual horse's needs depend on various factors such as daily exercise and workload, age, lactation or pregnancy, and of course, the nutritional values of the forage. The starting point is always an analyzed forage that the horse should receive as much as possible of. The forage can then be supplemented with supplements as needed. Today, for example, we know that the soils in Sweden are generally deficient in selenium, which is why this is almost always supplemented with a good and correctly composed mineral feed.
Minerals and Supplements in Various Forms for Different Horses
The selection of feed supplements on the market today is extensive, and it can be challenging to choose. However, the most important thing is that your horse gets the minerals and vitamins it needs. They come in slightly different forms and from different manufacturers, and you may need to experiment to find what suits your horse best. Some horses are picky and may not like something in the minerals, for example, and horses are experts at sorting out what they don't like. Pelleted minerals are an example of something that some picky horses tend to sort out and leave behind. In such cases, you can try powdered minerals that are mixed thoroughly into the feed and cannot be sorted out as easily. A powdered mineral feed is also more concentrated, and a smaller quantity is needed to achieve the same values as an equivalent pelletized feed, which is often combined with various flavorings.
