1. Horses primarily get Vitamin E from fresh greens

Vitamin E is essential in a horse's diet, you could say it is one of the most important vitamins. Vitamin E is a very powerful antioxidant and essential for muscles and the nervous system. Vitamin E helps repair damage to muscles and remove waste products from the muscles. This helps keep muscles supple and promotes faster recovery after training. A deficiency in vitamin E can make horses stiff, increase the risk of tying-up and lead to muscle loss.

Fresh grass contains a highly absorbable form of vitamin E and is therefore the main source of vitamin E for horses. Many concentrates also contain added vitamin E, but usually in a synthetic form that horses can hardly benefit from. The amount is also usually too low. For just bodily functions, a horse needs around 1000 IU of vitamin E per day, and this requirement increases rapidly when the horse is performing work.

A horse that can graze for a minimum of 4 hours (without a grazing muzzle) is likely to get enough vitamin E during the summer months. An excess of vitamin E is stored in adipose tissue and used in times of scarcity. If your horse is not on pasture or has very limited access, you should always supplement extra vitamin E. Opt for a natural or naturally occurring form of vitamin E. The combination of wheat germ oil, naturally occurring vitamin E and grape seed extract is most suitable due to its extra powerful antioxidant properties.

2. Horses primarily get Omega 3 from fresh greens

Horses are very good at getting omega-3 fatty acids from fresh grass (if healthy). There are 3 types of omega-3 fatty acids: ALA, EPA, and DHA. EPA and DHA have antioxidant (anti-inflammatory) effects in the body and play roles in hormone balance, nervous system function, bone health, and blood sugar regulation. EPA and DHA omega-3 fatty acids have crucial functions in the body. ALA fatty acids need to be converted by the horse into EPA and DHA.

For horses, fresh grass is the main source of ALA omega-3 fatty acids. Grass is rich in ALA, and horses that graze receive an important source of omega-3 in this way. However, horses not on grass miss this important source and need to be supplemented with omega-3. The most well-known source of omega-3 is flaxseed oil. Flaxseed oil contains ALA omega-3 fatty acids, which are suitable for healthy horses as they can convert ALA into EPA and DHA. However, this conversion process is very inefficient, leading to a significant loss. Horses with conditions such as insulin resistance or laminitis may struggle with this conversion of ALA into EPA and DHA. For these horses, feeding them fish oil or algae as sources of omega-3 is more suitable. Fish oil is rich in EPA and DHA, while algae are rich in DHA. These are more efficient sources of omega-3 fatty acids as they can be utilized directly by the horse, providing immediate anti-inflammatory effects.

3. Not all vitamins are sufficient in hay

A horse only receiving a hay diet will not get all the necessary vitamins. We have already discussed vitamin E, but vitamin D and vitamin A are also lacking when horses are only fed hay.

It is therefore extremely important to ensure that horses receiving only hay are provided with sufficient vitamins (and minerals). The "easiest" way to do this is by feeding a balancer/vitamin pellet. This is a concentrated feed rich in vitamins and minerals. The advantage is that you need to feed very little of it, avoiding negative effects of grains and high sugars. Suitable brands include Agrobs, Metazoa, Equilin, and Vitalbix.

4. Never go longer than 4 hours without food

Horses are designed to eat small amounts throughout the day. Their entire digestive system is adapted to this. Horses also have a relatively small stomach, and saliva is only produced when they chew. Saliva is crucial for maintaining the stomach's acidity. Therefore, everything is interconnected, and the horse is meant to eat continuously throughout the day.

Not eating for a longer period directly affects the stomach, mainly. Continuous production of stomach acid requires a constant flow of food and saliva. If food is absent for an extended period, stomach damage and ulcers can develop very quickly.

It is therefore extremely important for horses to have unlimited access to food. Unfortunately, some horses gain weight if given unlimited hay, but there are ways to ensure that horses always have something to nibble on. Consider offering willow branches, straw, and slow feeders. Less nutrient-rich types of hay can also be a solution to ensure that horses can eat continuously. Grass seed hay and barley straw are excellent roughages to replace part of the regular hay. If your horse really can't have unlimited access to food, ensure they are never without food for longer than 4 hours.

5. Enrich your horse, there is more than hay

Branches, herbs, straw, trees, grasses, vegetables, and fruits. A sand paddock can be "boring" for a horse, so ensure there is some variety and enrichment in the paddock. This way, you can reduce the horse's constant desire for hay and introduce them to new foods. Place some branches for horses to gnaw on. Planting various trees, bushes, and herbs is also enriching. You don't have to provide direct access to your horse, but you can regularly pick them and feed them.

This way, you can discover what your horse enjoys and what their needs are. Also alternate types of hay, nowadays there is more available than just grass hay. Grass seed hay and barley straw are very low in nutrients and therefore suitable for overweight or insulin-resistant horses. This hay should never be fed alone because it is too nutritionally poor. Herbal hay or reeds are good roughages that can be fed regularly.

Introduce your horse to vegetables and fruits as well! Always introduce new foods slowly and carefully observe what is healthy for them.