Balancing Act - Designing A Diet For The Modern Horse

Let me know what you think Sarah when you get a chance to read it!

Glad you liked the article Gypsy!

I heard that horses that are on less than 6 lbs of grain a day need a vitamin/mineral supplement. Is this true?

Would a vitamin/mineral deficiency cause my horse's coat to not be as shiny as before? (she is groomed every day)

Perhaps? It depends on what you are feeding *like, rolled oats, or COB feed...etc, etc* - and what else your horse is getting. Pasture, Good quality hay...If your horse is getting a fortified feed.....hmmm...maybe 3lbs a day isn't enough?

Maybe adding a scoop a day of a vit/min could help - but I would definitely discuss this with your Vet, or even call Smartpak and ask them. I like the fact that they don't push anything on you.

When I called them, they asked me what Nelson is eating - and I told them he is on full turn out, getting 24/7 access to Grass Mixed Hay, and he is getting 8lbs a day of

ProAdvantage Grass Formula

ProAdvantage Hi-Fat Formula

And they told me he doesn't need any type of vit/min addition.

She is eating a half scoop of:

Calm & Cool 12

And a half cup of: Purina Horse Feeds - NATURE'S ESSENTIALS

Once a day.


She is on full turnout 24/7 and gets approximately half a bale of hay each day (she shares a full bale with one other horse)

This will depend greatly on what "grain" you feed - and whether it has added mineral vitamins.

Generally horses require a certain amount of a vitamin mineral supplement in order to stay healthy... how much will depend on the horse, the workload and how mineral rich/depleted their forage/hay source is.

Often a lack of shine to the coat is showing a lack in the dietary needs - I've found it to be most commonly protein that needs increasing, though not always... it can also be a few other things too. (Lice - which are emerging right now in many places of North America, worms, stress (physical or mental) are a few)

Well I know she does not have worms (she gets wormed and I do fecal samples) and she has no little bugs on her! So I'm guessing vitamin and mineral deficiency.

I moved her in August and her spring coat just isn't looking as good as it did last year. The grass is not as rich out here as it was back home...

I am not understanding why your girl is getting only 1/2 a cup of the Amplify, when the bag states you should be giving a min of 1lb a day....as it is, your mare is getting only 1 cup a day...far from 1lb.

I am not a Nutritionist - but in order for your horse to get the required doses, don't you have to feed what they say? Meaning...your mare probobly isn't getting the nutritional value of the amplify, getting only 1/2 a cup per feeding.

So with the Calm and Cool - what would 1/2 a scoop equal? 2lbs? So if you are giving her 2lbs per feeding, that would be 4lbs a day, and the bag states that you have to feed 6lbs a day to ensure your horse is getting the needed nutritional value out of the feed.....

I would say, I would add a Vit/Min suppliment - or up the feed she is already getting to what the bag states they should be getting....but again, definitely talk to someone who knows the answer.

She gets too fat on more Amplify and more grain. Hence why I cut her back.

I'm going to get her a mineral supplement because without it she isn't getting the amount she needs and I cannot give her that much grain or else she will become obese. She is a VERY easy keeper

That makes a lot of sense! Great choice, I too would do the same. After reading the feeding requirements on each product you are giving her, and seeing how you aren't feeding the required amounts.

Why are you giving her a fat supplement to begin with if she gets fat easily??

Why not go with Enrich32 and then add the Amplify IF needed.... 1lb a day would be good nutrition level then you just add calories as needed