Recommendation on mult-vitamins for horses?

Question

I am using Select II right now but it is getting so darn expensive. Does anybody out there have a vitamin/mineral recommendation that is equivalent to Select II with out making the horse "hot", and that is affordable?

Answer 1

I really like and have used the MVP suppliments.

If your horse eats grain and alfalfa use the Mega-Mag

if your horse eats grain and grass hay use the Mega-Cell

I order mine from United Vet Equine.com

I found that my black horse stays very depp black all year on this just like using Black as Knight. Her coat is very nice and shiny and she has wonderful hoof growth and texture.

I just added a new horse who is an 8 year old gelding, he is buckskin and after two months on the Mega Cell I am noticing that he is very deep golden highlights in his coat. He is really shiny and showing dapples on his shoulders.

His coat did not look like this when he came.

Answer 2

I have been using a product made by Blueridge Botanicals, called HP1. You can buy it on a month to month basis or 3,6 12 month auto-ship schedule and the price drops considerably.  It is a 100% certified organic product so I know my horse isn't getting a lot of fillers and by-products. His eyes are bright, muscle tone is solid and his mane, tail and coat are the best they have ever been. His attitude is great and he is not hot! I can't believe this product. I have tried Platimun Performance but I have to agree with Horse Journal that it is very pricey and not complete. I also feed the Win-treats to my other horses. I have used Missing Link and I like it - I just can't believe the difference since I changed to HP1. I don't know how much Select II is but I have found that I have been able to cut way down on the oats I was feeding so that was a savings.

Answer 3

PONY NUTS! VERY CHEAP! VERY GOOD! HEALTHY!

I USE THAT FOR ALL MY HORSES FEEDS ALONG WITH A SPOON OF THIS http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/pr...

Answer 4

I would ask my vet about it. Vets are always up to date on supplements. A vet will know the best information and how your horse should react to different supplements.

Answer 5

I used to give one to all my growing horses that was made by Buckeye, but I'm drawing a blank on the name....it might have been Grow & Win, and they make it for older horses too.  Purina makes one too.  If you go to the Buckeye website, they've got a huge list of stuff.  If I remember correctly, it came in a large 50lb bag like grain does, but you only give like a coffee cup full per day.  We gave it to our yearlings, broodmares, etc, and saw some really good results with hair coat, hooves, etc, without them getting hot.  We show western pleasure, so that was a priority!

Good luck!

Answer 6

I'm sure everyone has their favorite - we're giving 1 lb/day of Stay Strong metabolic pellets.  For the fatties, that's all they get in terms of grain - 8 oz 2x/day, but it can be top-dressed on hard feed as a vitamin supplement, for horses getting grain for calories.  You can google it for the nutritional info.

Answer 7

Talk to your vet about dosing and buy human vitamins on sale.

Cheaper and higher grade. Especially some of the crazy mega dose vitamins for humans that probably equal about what a horse needs/day   ;)

You can also check out smartpakequine.com for some of their formulations, they are cheap.

Don't leave out a selenium supplement if you are in a deficient area.

Also with humans fat soluble vitamins are stored for long perionds, water soluble vitamins are stored for 24-72 hrs (1-3 days) so you don't necessarily need to give vitamins every day but could do every 2nd or 3rd day depending on the horse (and if horses excrete/store vitamins at a similar rate)

Answer 8

If your horse gets adequate food and forage and doesn't have any documented diagnosed health problems, supplements are unnecessary.  They can actually be detrimental because they induce an imbalance, especially in minerals.  It is an expense that benefits no one except the seller of the supplements.  Most of them cannot even be absorbed by the horse.