Nutrition
Our Q & A pages are presented as a guide only. Under no circumstances do we make any warranties of any kind, expressed or implied. Also keep in mind that many nutritional studies have been conducted on other species of animals and do NOT automatically carry over to horses.
Articles
Balance
You will see the word “balance” listed multiple times within the framework of the question and answer format below. BALANCE is the key to good nutrition and to HS-35’s unique formula. If the ingredients are not balanced, they are in conflict with each other and will not work. Therefore, it is imperative that a supplement is BALANCED!
FACT: Most health issues are nutritionally related.
Good nutrition is a must! Some people tell us their horses are fat and healthy; their horse(s) live on pasture and hay and don’t need a supplement. Your horse may appear to be healthy, but it is important to remember that many borderline imbalances are sub clinical, which means they may not be readily apparent or affect overall health to the discernable eye. However, they do reduce performance and the ability to reach the horse’s genetic potential. Often times, they are also difficult to diagnose. As you read on, maybe you will recognize or notice subtle signs or issues that you are seeing with your own horses.
FACT: Many issues/problems can be addressed with proper nutrition.
- Reproductive
- Circulatory
- Musculoskeletal
- Immune
- Endocrine
- Digestive
FACT: Nutrition affects every biological system in your horse:
FACT: Poor nutrition can even affect your horse’s behavior and attitude!
- Why do I need to feed HS-35?
- Do I have to feed each horse individually?
- Can I feed more HS-35 than the recommended dosage?
- What are the OPTiMIN® Chelated Minerals found in HS-35?
Questions & Answers
Question: Why do I need to feed HS-35?
Answer: Many vets and even some nutritionists erroneously report/think that healthy horses in moderate work can live a long, useful life on quality pasture or good grass hay. The key word is “quality.” Where do you find “quality” hay and pasture? What constitutes “quality” hay and pasture? In today’s modern world, it’s difficult to find the quality that horses need.
Over time, our soils have become so depleted that our animals can no longer obtain their daily requirements from pasture/hay and cereal grains. It must be provided to them. If you don’t think that soil health plays a role in your horse’s health, think again! Healthy soils produce healthy plants which, in turn, make healthy animals (and people!). We call it the Circle of Life™.
In fact, Dr. Bruce Tanio, one of the nation’s leading biological and energy scientists and head of the department of Ag at the University of Washington , says it best: “Insects and diseases find their host based on imbalance in plants. Imbalanced nutrition. End of subject. That’s it. If you balance the nutrition in plants, in animals and in people, no disease would attack that person/animal and no insect in the world would attack that plant.”
According to World Resources 2000-2001, “About 85 percent of the world’s agricultural land contains areas degraded by erosion, salinization [high salts], compaction, nutrient depletion, biological degradation or pollution over the last 50 years.”
If pastures are deficient, then the hay grown on the same soils will also be deficient. Horses are known for adapting to their environment and can exist on minimum requirements, but for optimal growth, performance and fertility, nutrient supplementation is required. Do you want your horse to just exist or realize his/her greatest genetic potential?
If soils are deficient, the horse has no way to meet the needs of its body. Common trace mineral deficiencies include selenium, iodine and copper. Other mineral deficiencies include iron, zinc, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, copper, potassium, and vitamins A, B, D and E.
FACT: Clinical signs of the above listed deficiencies may be similar to excesses of iodine and vitamin A and are frequently misdiagnosed.
In addition to providing minerals, IT IS ALSO IMPORTANT THAT THEY ARE BALANCED. They must interact with one another as an excess of zinc will prevent copper absorption which, in turn, causes a copper deficiency even if copper intake is adequate. THIS IS WHY “THROWING TOGETHER” SEVERAL VITAMINS AND MINERALS IS SCARY. It takes years of research by trained nutritionists to come up with the right formula.
That’s why HS-35 is so important. The work and research has been done.
Question: Do I have to feed each horse individually?
Answer: Yes. HS-35 is fed according to the horse’s weight. Group feeding is difficult to control. The “alpha” horse will consume the major portion which leaves the other horses with little or no supplementation. Colic and choke incidences are higher in these situations too, which are a result of eating too fast.
Question: Can I feed more HS-35 than the recommended dosage?
Answer: Why would you want too?
INTAKES ABOVE REQUIREMENTS DO NOT IMPROVE PERFORMANCE.
The body will use what it requires and slough off the rest (in most cases) which means you will be wasting your money. HOWEVER, it is important to remember that some of the ingredients such as selenium, IF FED IN EXCESS on a long term basis, can have a toxic affect. There is a built in safety factor, so please feed the recommended amount.
IN FACT, A SURPLUS, IN SOME INSTANCES, CAN BE AS DANGEROUS AS A DEFICIENCY.Follow ingestion instructions not only with HS-35, but with any other product, animal or human.
CALCIUM
Calcium should always be used together with magnesium since the two minerals interact and must be kept in balance at all times. (There’s that word “balance” again!). An excess of calcium can cause magnesium to be depleted and vice versa.
Calcium deficiency, either clinical or sub clinical, has been linked to ruptured tendons, spontaneous fractures, nasal discharges, Azotoria (tying up), poor performance and reduced exercise tolerance. It can take up to 12 months to restore depleted calcium stores in the body.
FACT: Most grains are naturally low in calcium and high in phosphorous.
Calcium/Phosphorous Ratio
Young horses require a calcium/phosphorous ratio of less than 3:1. The ideal is 1:1>2:1. Mature horses over 5 can have acceptable ratios up to 6:1 since bone development is complete.
According to the Manitoba Agriculture, Food and Rural Initiatives, “the ratio should be at least 1.5:1 or 2:1. That means 1.5 or two parts calcium to one part phosphorus. Alfalfa hay will be higher in calcium than grass hays. Oats is very low in calcium, but higher in phosphorus and will have a ratio that is opposite to what you need. If feeding a high grain diet, you may need to purchase a 2:1 or even 3:1 mineral mix to get the ration back in order. Mineral mixes are the easiest way to correct Ca:P balance as well as providing other crucial micro-nutrients.
"You will also notice that many have Ca:P ratios as high as 8:1. This shouldn’t be a concern except with young growing horses where the preferred ratio is 1.5:1 or 3:1. However, no detrimental effects have been reported in growing horse fed wider Ca:P ratios as long as sufficient amounts of phosphorus are eaten daily. Make sure your horse is getting the minimums recommended.”
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Minimum Phosphorus (adapted from the National Research Council [NRC])
- Weanlings 0.30
- Yearlings 0.212
- Up to 2 years old 0.18
NOTE: Be advised that NRC standards were formulated in 1989 and are, in the majority of instances, OBSOLETE! Plus, they tend to provide MINIMUM requirements, not optimal.
WATCH FOR MUCH MORE INFORMATION IN THE UPCOMING WEEKS
Question: What are the OPTiMIN® Chelated Minerals found in HS-35?
Answer: OPTiMIN® Chelated Minerals, produced by Trouw Nutrition USA, are the "gold standard" by which all other organic minerals are compared. Unsurpassed in quality and consistency of performance, the OPTiMIN® technology continues to lead the industry.
OPTiMIN®'s unique manufacturing process guarantees optimal chelation stability, or bonding strength, between the mineral and the organic chelating agent. This stability ensures the compound will remain chelated even in solution (not just in the solid state) and even in low pH conditions. In fact, OPTiMIN®s have over 100 times the bonding strength and over 10 times more chelated mineral in solution than other leading organic products. This enables more of the mineral to reach the site of absorption for greater utilization and greater consistency of performance in livestock, aquacultural and companion animal applications. This advantage also allows OPTiMIN® to be positioned as a partial replacement further enhancing overall mineral efficiency.
Quality research supported by 12 years of real world results make OPTiMIN® the leader in chelation technology.
OPTiMIN® - Where superior chelation technology delivers consistent, profitable performance.