Supplementation is a practical way of adding nutrients to the diet, aiming to improve the health and/or performance of the horse. Supplements can be:
They increase the availability of energy in the body. Useful for animals recovering from illness;
Protein and amino acids: although excess protein can be harmful to the horse's health, in some cases, supplementation can be indicated both in the form of crude protein and in the form of specific amino acids.
Used to meet the animal's demand for this group of nutrients, as well as electrolyte replacement - important for athletic horses. In some cases, they are used in specific situations that require minerals, such as anemia, for example;
There are also other types of supplements, such as probiotics and prebiotics, omegas, and those indicated for specific pathologies.
Minerals are elements involved in the formation of body structures, acid-base balance, control of cellular osmotic pressure, absorption, retention and excretion of other compounds and liquids, activation of enzymatic systems, muscle contraction, among others. In addition to constituting organic compounds, such as proteins and lipids. An important observation about minerals is the relationship between them, since sometimes a deficiency of one can result in reduced absorption of another. One example is copper, which, in low concentrations in the body, causes relative iron deficiency, since it reduces its transport throughout the body.
Mineral deficiencies and imbalances play an important role in determining animal condition, fertility, productivity and mortality. Mineral supplementation can be provided in the form of mineralized salt (especially for those raised on pasture) or supplements (the form most commonly used in stabled animals). They are divided into macrominerals and microminerals, depending on the quantity present in the body.
Used to supply vitamin deficiencies, especially in animals that are stabled or have little access to sunlight and fresh forage, as is the case with most athletic horses.
Carbohydrates are the main source of energy for the body, and constitute on average two-thirds of the diet of athletic horses. The intense muscular work required during exercise requires up to three times more energy than in an animal at rest.
Proteins are compounds with several functions in the body: formation of structures; constitution of DNA and antibodies; transportation of substances throughout the body, such as iron and oxygen, among other functions. When we talk about sports horses, we are talking about adult animals, which are already fully developed and, therefore, the protein demand is low, serving only to meet the maintenance demands of the body.
Vitamins function mainly as catalysts for reactions within the body. When we talk about animal nutrition, we consider 12 most important vitamins: A, D, E, K, thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, vitamin B6, B12, pantothenic acid, biotin and folic acid. They are classified as water-soluble and fat-soluble. Water-soluble vitamins are those of the B Complex and vitamin C; while vitamins A, D, E and K are fat-soluble.
The difference between the groups lies in the fact that fat-soluble vitamins can be stored for some time in the body, while water-soluble vitamins are excreted more quickly, requiring more frequent replacement. The vast majority of vitamins are synthesized by the animal's own organism, however, in some cases their supplementation becomes necessary, for example: