• Nutrients through pasture may be limited.Caballos image by rasanty from Fotolia.com
  
  Because of demanding training and performance schedules and a more routine diet, today's equine partners may need their diet supplemented. Pasture grasses become sparse at certain times throughout the year and may even be unavailable completely. The available grass or hay tends to be of limited varieties and therefore provides limited nutrients. Commercial feed companies attempt to offer complete feeds but often can't meet each individual horse's needs. Age and injury often result in diet supplementation as well.
  
  

Joint Supplements

• Stress from competition can damage joint cartilage and fluid.fast for cash image by Lydia from Fotolia.com
  
  Wear and tear from age, daily training and competition can cause damage and inflammation to the joint capsule. Cartilage that protects the bones during movement can thin, and the crucial components of joint fluid can break down or become insufficient in volume. Supplements containing glucosamine, chondroitin sulfate and hyaluronic acid help replace these lost or absent fluids. MSM, methylsulfonylmethane, provides sulphur, which is a crucial building block for joints, cartilage, hair and skin. While MSM can be fed alone, it is usually combined with other joint supplements to aid in repair and reduce inflammation.
  
  

Fatty Acids

• Vegetable oil is one of many ways to provide fatty acids.bottle of oil image by Adrian Hillman from Fotolia.com
  
  Omega fatty acids are supplemented to improve hair coat and digestion and provide usable energy without increasing feed consumption. All fats occur in the form of triglycerides, which are broken down into three fatty acids and one glycerol molecule by digestive enzymes. They are then absorbed by the small intestine. Sources such as flax seed, corn oil, soybean oil, rice bran and black oil sunflower seeds can provide omega fatty acids. Omega-6 and Omega-3 are most important to the horse and should be fed at a ratio of up to 5:1. Feeding at least as much Omega-6 with Omega-3 is vital for reducing or regulating inflammatory responses.
  
  

Minerals

• Minerals are required for proper muscle, bone and ligament development.horse 8 image by Harvey Hudson from Fotolia.com
  
  Most equine diets require mineral supplementation. Minerals play important roles in the development and maintenance of muscle, bone and ligaments. They also work synergistically with vitamins, hormones and amino acids. To meet mineral requirements, macro-minerals are added to the feed to balance the diet. The seven required macro-minerals in a horse's diet are calcium, phosphorus, potassium, chloride, sulfur, magnesium and sodium. Through sweat, many horses lose sodium chloride which can be replaced by providing a salt block. Add dicalcium phosphorus to complete diets that are deficient in calcium and phosphorus. Or like salt blocks, trace mineral blocks are an easy way to provide these trace minerals.
  
  

Vitamins

• Horses require outside exposure to sunlight in order to synthesize vitamin D.horse image by Witold Krasowski from Fotolia.com
  
  Lipid-soluble or fat-soluble vitamins require absorbable fat in order to be absorbed in the small intestine. Vitamins A, D, E and K are lipid-soluble. The horse is able to synthesize vitamin D by exposure to sunlight. Microbes existing in the cecum and large intestine produce vitamin K. Vitamin A, derived from green forages, is retained in the liver. Good quality diets, especially those containing grain, provide sufficient quantities of vitamin E. Water-soluble vitamins such as C and B-complex(thiamin, niacin, riboflavin and biotin) are produced within the horse and aren't required in large amounts through the diet. If necessary, one or all of these vitamins can be supplemented through pre-mixed and balanced commercial supplements in the form of pellets, paste or powders.