Equine Nutrition and Bone Health
Bone health is important for all horses but it is especially important for young growing horses and equine athletes. Maintaining the equine skeleton in optimal condition is vital for proper growth and for minimizing the risk of injury since healthy bones contribute to density, strength, and the ability for self-repair. In general, good bone health promotes longevity and soundness throughout your horse's life. Fortunately, with proper nutrition, exercise, and management strategies, we can help our horses maintain optimal bone health.
The Nutrients Needed for Optimal Bone Health
The strength of bone is derived from a mineralized cartilage framework. Bone is a dynamic tissue and is therefore responsive to forces placed upon it. Bone health is also affected by changes in the amounts and ratios of calcium, phosphorus, and magnesium in the horse's diet. It’s important to note that nutrients necessary for healthy bones can be found in fresh green forage which can help horses retain and improve bone density as well as their overall health. However, when access to green forage is limited or diminishes, this can adversely affect bone health within a matter of a few weeks. Consequently, as bone density decreases, the performance of horses can also decrease while the chance of injuries such as bone fractures increases.
What’s more, copper, zinc, manganese, vitamins A and D, and other nutrients also have significant effects on bone development. According to the equine nutrition experts at Kentucky Equine Research (KER), some vitamins need to be present in the nutritional intake of horses, while others can be synthesized by a healthy horse. When pastures can’t always provide the necessary nutrients for your horse, you should consider nutritional supplements designed to support the maintenance of bone health, especially for performance and growing horses.
The Importance of a Well-Balanced Diet and Exercise
A well-balanced and well-fortified diet is important in maintaining equine bone health but exercise also plays a significant role in developing bone strength. What’s more, horses that do not receive free-choice exercises, such as those on stall rest or those managed in a stable environment (show horses and racehorses), can be prone to demineralization of bone. This is especially common in young horses undergoing the transition from significant turnout to minimal or no turnout when they begin training. To prevent demineralization of bone during stall rest or when limited turnout is available, at Source For Horse, we provide KER equine nutrition products with the appropriate proteins, vitamins, and minerals necessary for strong bone development.
Why Calcium and Phosphorus are Important for Equine Bone Development
Calcium and phosphorus make up 70% of a horse’s bone. Ideally, there should be a two to one ratio between calcium and phosphorus which is what you should be looking for when considering commercial feeds. Grass hays tend to be lower in calcium than alfalfa whereas rice bran is low in calcium but high in phosphorus. When planning your horse’s diet, it is important to know about what food source can provide so you can create a balanced diet that will promote bone health and prevent potential injuries.
Since your horse may not always be able to receive all the needed vitamins and minerals from food sources, it is vital that you include supplements to balance its diet. The supplements should, of course, include calcium, phosphorus as well as micronutrients like magnesium, zinc, copper, manganese, and vitamin D. For example, if your horse is exercising, calcium may be lost in sweat which means its calcium requirements must increase. Similarly, intense exercise builds bone mass which will require greater amounts of calcium.
However, whenever you add supplements to your horse’s diet, you should make sure that you are not overfeeding it with minerals as they can harm your horse. That’s why you should always consult with your vet or an equine nutrition expert to formulate a balanced diet needed for your horse.
Source For Horse Nutritional Products
At Source For Horse, our nutritional products are chosen with care in order to provide horses with the nutrients needed to improve their health and performance. Consequently, we offer you advanced equine nutrition products by KER which continually develops innovative solutions to deal with the health and nutritional challenges inherent in modern horse management, including unique nutritional supplements, exclusive feed ingredients, and partner feeds. We can also provide you with Hallway Feeds which has been at the forefront of equine nutrition for racehorses and sport horses for fifty years running. Hallway Feeds provides strategic nutrition and customized feed programs to help fuel the success of horses and horsemen around the world. If you have any questions about equine bone health and nutrition, Ashley Moore, our equine nutrition and wellness advisor, will be happy to answer them.