Horses have quite the appetite, especially if they are constantly working and moving, but some animals may struggle with something called Equine Metabolic Syndrome (EMS) or an irregular appetite. These horses will need a specific diet and other changes to their daily life in order to boost their metabolism. Supplements, proper nutrition, and exercise are all necessary to improve your horse’s well-being and performance. This blog will look at some of the biggest nutrients and vitamins needed if your horse is struggling with metabolic issues.
Avoid High-Sugar Feeds
Feeds are now more often filled with concentrates, starches, and sugars compared to natural ingredients. Hays may also be coated in sugars, so owners may want to wash the hay to remove excess sugars that could be causing digestive issues for horses. Getting enough nutrients and a balance of vitamins and minerals is the typical solution for metabolic issues. A horse’s healthy metabolism will look different depending on the breed and the horse’s weight, but the main goal is to avoid insulin resistance and provide enough glucose for the body tissues and muscles.
Provide Antioxidants Through Food Or Supplements
Antioxidants are crucial to health in humans and horses as they help protect our cells and protect from damage caused by free radicals. Common antioxidants include Vitamin E, Vitamin C, Zinc, Copper, Magnesium, and Selenium. The best way to get antioxidants into your horse’s diet is to find a feed that has high-quality antioxidants. If a feed is not available, natural foods like blueberries, carrots, spinach, and beets are rich in these antioxidants.
Horses with EMS or other digestive issues may need supplements to get the proper amount of antioxidants. OralX provides a number of supplements with antioxidants and specific vitamins so you can supplement with exactly what your animal needs.
Increase Fiber
Fiber is the best way to reduce digestive stress in horses because of the high starch content of concentrate feeds. Horses’ metabolism is not designed to handle this excessive starch, and it can cause the production of lactate, which results in impaired metabolism and slower performance. Ensure that your horse is foraging on healthy grains and is getting enough fiber in their daily diet.
Follow An Exercise Routine
Physical activity is the best way to move metabolism along and reduce insulin sensitivity. If you want to improve your horse’s metabolism, focus on improving their exercise routine to limit lactic acid production and starch building up in the intestines. Walking, trotting, or longeing can make a big difference in a horse’s health, even if they are performing or working. A mix of exercises can also help improve metabolism and prevent the overworking of muscles.
Supplements Recommended By Our Experts
It can be difficult to improve a horse’s metabolism with food alone, so finding supplements can help manage a horse’s EMS and give them the extra boost they need. OralX offers a variety of supplements that can help boost your livestock’s metabolism and overall performance. Here are some of our top recommendations for horse supplements.
Vitamin B-1
Thiamine or B-1 is necessary for a high metabolism in horses. The more work and exercise your horse goes through, the more Vitamin B-1 they will need. If your animal is struggling with metabolism or energy levels, getting our Micro B-1 supplement will improve appetite and prevent excessive weight loss.
Cacoliv
This supplement contains a variety of trace minerals that is needed for overall animal health. Iron, copper, and cobalt can affect red blood cell count, metabolism, and coat quality. Stimulating appetite will help horses with a low metabolism who are not eating enough to get proper nutrients. Cacoliv can help improve your horses’ overall health by filling in the gaps in their feed or foraging.
Other Supplements From OralX
Our team at OralX wants to help provide your animals with the best performance and life possible. We have been providing quality products for over 40 years for horses, dogs, pigs, and cows. Keeping your animal healthy can be a full-time job, but our supplements take out some of the guesswork in a healthy animal diet. We only use natural ingredients, so you can have confidence in your animal’s ability to stay on top.
OralX has supplements and vitamins for performance, composure, general health, and more. Each product has been formulated for the specific species and comes with detailed directions so your animal gets the right dose. No matter what areas you are looking to improve, our products are here to help. Shop all of our options here and improve your animals’ overall health.
