It has come to our attention that most of our client’s horses are deficient in Vitamin E. In fact, EVERY horse that we have tested for Vitamin E lately has come back deficient! Why is that? In order for horses to receive adequate amounts of Vit E from their diet, they need to be grazing on fresh pasture 24 hours a day for 6 months out of the year, or 12 hours a day year-round. Unfortunately, most of our island horses do not get that much grazing time, nor do they get adequate amounts of it in their vitamin/mineral supplements. Vit E is an anti-oxidant that plays an essential role in muscle and nerve function, prevention of cell damage, assists in Selenium absorption and in immune function. Deficiency is associated with poor immunity and muscle stiffness, soreness or even damage resulting in overall impaired health and performance.
But before you start supplementing your horse with Vitamin E, please be aware that only natural forms of Vit E are absorbed, and Vitamin E toxicity is also of equal concern. This is where testing is essential to achieve proper balance.