Best Vitamin and Mineral Supplement for Horses: What Does Your Horse Need?

Updated: October 15, 2026

Everyone likes choices. Walk down the supplement aisle of any feed store, or scroll through the endless options online, and it's easy to feel overwhelmed.  

At BioZyme®, we have created research-proven products for horses to feel their best, move with ease, and live their best life. Vitalize® is a line of supplements for horses, dogs and cats with proven solutions to keep your animal healthy and performing.  

Why Are Vitamins and Minerals for Horses So Important? 

A horse’s nutritional needs go far beyond calories and protein. Vitamins and minerals are essential nutrients that support nearly every bodily function, from building strong bones and maintaining muscle to supporting immunity, hydration, nerve function, vision and overall condition. 

Those needs remain important throughout every stage of a horse’s life. Growing horses need nutrients to support skeletal and muscle development. Working horses have increased demands for muscle repair, hydration and electrolyte balance. Pregnant and nursing mares require additional nutrients, while senior horses may need extra nutritional support to maintain body condition and overall health. 

Vitamins and minerals also play important roles in less visible areas of health. They support the nervous system, help maintain normal immune function, and contribute to healthy skin, hooves and coats. 

Because many of these nutrients work together, more is not necessarily better. The goal is to provide a balanced diet that meets the horse’s requirements without creating excesses or imbalances. 

Does My Horse Need a Vitamin and Mineral Supplement? 

The short answer is no - not every horse needs an additional vitamin and mineral supplement. However, many horses can benefit from one. The more thorough answer starts with understanding what your horse is already receiving from forage and feed. 

Horses on a forage-based diet may be more likely to have nutritional gaps. Once forage is cut and stored, some nutrients decline over time. Vitamin E, for example, begins decreasing after forage is harvested, with levels continuing to fall during storage. 

Forage diversity matters, too. Horses evolved grazing over large areas and consuming a variety of plants. Today, many domestic horses rely primarily on one or two types of pasture grass or hay. And because plants can only take up minerals available in the soil where they grow, regional differences in soil mineral content can affect the nutritional value of forage. 

Horses with higher nutritional demands, including growing, pregnant, nursing, or performance horses, may also require additional supplementation. 

A horse receiving a fortified feed below the recommended feeding rate may have another gap. If feed is designed to provide vitamins and minerals at a specific daily intake, feeding only a small amount means the horse may not receive the full nutritional package. 

The best way to understand what your forage provides is through hay or forage testing. From there, you can identify what, if anything, needs to be added. 

It is also important to remember that two horses eating the same diet may not utilize every nutrient exactly the same way. Ingredient quality, digestive efficiency, and nutrient utilization all influence how effectively nutrients are used by the horse. 

Signs a Horse Might Not Be Getting Adequate Vitamins and Minerals 

Vitamins and minerals contribute to overall wellbeing and longevity, but nutritional deficiencies are not always obvious. Some horses may show outward changes, while others may have no visible signs at all. 

Potential signs that a horse’s diet may need closer nutritional evaluation include: 

• Dull or poor-quality coat 
• Weak or poor-quality hooves 
• Poor performance or tiring easily 
• Muscle weakness or difficulty maintaining condition 
• Getting sick more frequently 
• Poor growth or skeletal development in young horses 
• Low appetite or decreased water intake 
• Breeding or fertility challenges 

It is important to remember that these signs are not proof of a vitamin or mineral deficiency. Many different factors can contribute to changes in health, performance, or appearance. A veterinarian, bloodwork when appropriate, and a hay analysis can help determine whether a nutritional deficiency is actually present. 

There is another side to the equation, too: more is not always better. Excessive supplementation can create nutrient imbalances or, with certain minerals, toxicity. Selenium is one example because the margin between adequate and excessive intake is relatively narrow. 

The goal should not be to add as many supplements as possible. Instead, build a balanced diet that supplies what the horse needs without unnecessary excess. 

Vitamins and Minerals Horses Need 

Vitamins and minerals are essential nutrients, meaning horses require them for normal body function. Unlike some nutrients that the body can produce or obtain through other metabolic pathways, all minerals must ultimately come from the diet. 

Minerals are generally divided into two categories: macrominerals and trace minerals. Macrominerals, such as calcium, phosphorus, sodium, chloride, and magnesium, are required in larger quantities. Trace minerals, including copper, zinc, selenium, and iodine, are needed in much smaller amounts. 

That does not make trace minerals less important. A nutrient required in tiny amounts can still have a major role in normal body function. 

Vitamins are also divided into categories based on how the body handles them. Fat-soluble vitamins, including vitamins A, D, E, and K, can be stored in the body. Because they can accumulate, excessive supplementation of some fat-soluble vitamins can create problems. Water-soluble vitamins are generally not stored in large amounts, and excesses are typically excreted in urine. 

Horses must obtain all minerals from their diet, along with certain vitamins. This is one reason forage-based diets deserve careful consideration. Hay and pasture provide many nutrients, but the amounts vary based on plant species, maturity, growing conditions, soil, harvesting and storage. 

What Are the Most Important Minerals for Horses? 

There is no single mineral that is most important for every horse. Nutritional requirements depend on the horse, the forage, the rest of the diet, the horse’s stage of life and activity level. However, several minerals deserve particular attention when evaluating an equine diet. 

Salt, providing sodium and chloride, is essential for nearly every horse. Horses lose electrolytes through sweat, particularly during exercise and hot weather. Supplemental salt may come from the diet, loose salt, a salt block, or a combination of sources. Keep in mind that some complete supplements contain limited salt because high inclusion rates can affect palatability. 

Calcium and phosphorus are critical for bone development and maintenance, making both the amounts and their relationship to one another important. 

Copper and zinc are common areas of concern in forage-based diets and contribute to numerous functions, including connective tissue, hoof and coat health, and normal immune function. 

Selenium is essential, but it has a lower toxicity threshold than most trace minerals, so total intake from all sources matters. 

Magnesium is required for normal muscle and nerve function. Many adult horses at maintenance receive adequate magnesium, but requirements can increase with growth, lactation, or increased work. 

Iodine is also essential, although most horses receive adequate amounts through iodized salt and fortified feeds. 

The Most Important Vitamins for Horses 

Among the vitamins, vitamin E deserves particular attention in horses consuming primarily stored forage. Fresh, growing pasture is a naturally rich source of vitamin E, but levels begin declining once forage is harvested and continue to decrease during storage. That makes vitamin E one of the more common nutritional gaps in horses eating a mostly hay diet. 

Vitamins A and D are also important for normal health. However, both are fat-soluble vitamins, meaning the body can store them. More is not necessarily better, and excessive supplementation can create problems. 

B vitamins are a little different. Horses can obtain some B vitamins through microbial production in the hindgut, but certain circumstances may increase nutritional demands or affect production and availability. Stress, heavy work, illness, certain medications, and some feeding programs may influence B-vitamin needs. 

As with minerals, the goal is not simply to provide large amounts of individual vitamins. A balanced approach considers the horse’s forage, feed, workload, life stage and overall diet. 

How to Choose a Vitamin and Mineral Supplement for Your Horse 

Choosing a supplement should start with evaluating the horse’s entire diet, not the supplement shelf. Begin with hay and pasture, then consider any fortified feed, concentrates, supplements, treats and other nutritional products the horse receives. 

Next, match the product to the horse’s lifestyle and nutritional needs. A growing horse, pregnant mare, performance horse and mature horse in maintenance do not necessarily require the same nutritional support. 

Consider whether a vitamin and mineral supplement or a ration balancer can fill nutritional gaps. If a horse is consuming a fortified feed at the manufacturer’s recommended feeding rate, an additional supplement may not be necessary. 

It is also worth looking at the whole feeding program. Sometimes the best solution is not adding another product but simplifying the diet and choosing one well-rounded supplement rather than layering multiple single-nutrient products on top of one another. 

And remember, nutrient content is only part of the equation. Nutrient utilization matters, too. Supporting healthy digestion and efficient nutrient use can help a horse make better use of the nutrients in the diet. Ingredients that support digestive function, such as a research-proven prebiotic like AO-Biotics® Amaferm®, can be a valuable addition to a well-designed nutritional program. 

Finally, consider manufacturing quality and cost. Choose products formulated specifically for horses and produced in facilities with strong quality control practices. And when comparing products, look at the cost per day and the nutrients delivered, not simply the price of the bag.  

Reading a Vitamin and Mineral Supplement Label 

The supplement label can tell you a lot about what you are actually feeding your horse, but you have to know where to look. 

Start with the guaranteed analysis. This section identifies the nutrients the manufacturer guarantees are present in the product. Look for key nutrients listed with their amounts rather than relying solely on an ingredient list. 

The calcium-to-phosphorus relationship is another important consideration, particularly when evaluating the entire diet. Aim for more calcium than phosphorus, generally between 1.1:1 and 2:1. 

On an equine supplement label, review both the minimum and maximum selenium levels, due to the narrow margin for toxicity. 

Then look at the serving size and feeding rate. Nutrient amounts on the label only have meaning when considered alongside how much product the horse is actually consuming. A supplement may contain impressive nutrient numbers per pound, but if the horse is fed only a fraction of the recommended amount, the actual nutrient contribution will be much smaller. 

Feeding instructions are also important. You want a flexible product – can it be top-dressed and fed free-choice?  

Look for ingredients that provide additional nutritional value, such as digestive-support ingredients or prebiotics, when they fit your horse’s overall feeding program. 

Finally, be cautious of products built around oversized promises. Claims that sound too good to be true deserve a closer look. A quality supplement should have a clear nutritional purpose and fit logically into the horse’s complete diet. 

The best supplement is not necessarily the one with the longest ingredient list. It is the one that helps fill the nutritional gaps your horse actually has. 

What is the Best Vitamin and Mineral Supplement for Horses?  

Which is the best vitamin and mineral supplement for horses in your stable? We have the answer for you – Vitalize® Equine Vitamin & Mineral Supplement. This highly-fortified, loose vitamin and mineral supplement for horses is designed to support nutritional and digestive health. It contains Amaferm, a prebiotic research-proven to enhance digestibility, ensuring they get the most nutritional value from every bite they consume. 

Vitalize Equine Vitamin & Mineral Supplement  

This highly fortified, loose vitamin and mineral supplement is designed for horses as a daily top-dress or free-choice supplement to support nutritional and digestive health. It contains a full spectrum of vitamins, minerals and industry-leading organic trace minerals to balance forage-based or non-fortified diets.  

It contains AO-Biotics® Amaferm®, a prebiotic research-proven to enhance digestibility and safeguard the hindgut. In addition to digestion, our formula also improves your horse's bloom, giving them a healthy, shiny coat and supporting optimal body condition.  

Vitalize NutraLick GI Tub 

If you prefer the convenience of a tub, Vitalize recently launched the Vitalize NutraLick GI Tub, a highly-fortified, free-choice vitamin and mineral lick tub for horses on pasture, designed to support nutritional and digestive health. The tub also contains Amaferm to support digestibility and gut health. It delivers industry-leading levels of vitamin E, biotin, and B vitamins alongside organic selenium. The comprehensive vitamin and mineral package in the 50-pound tub supports horses on a variety of diets. 

The Added Benefits of Vitalize  

It should be no surprise to you that we think the best vitamin and mineral supplement for horses is the Vitalize Equine Vitamin & Mineral Supplement.  

In addition to containing our research-proven, proprietary prebiotic Amaferm that enhances digestibility, the Vitalize Equine Vitamin & Mineral Supplement is 

• Fortified with organic trace minerals and high levels of vitamin E, biotin, and B vitamins.  
• Improves your horse's bloom, giving them a healthy, shiny coat and supporting optimal body condition.  
• Comes in two sizes, 50 lb and 12 lbs, ideal for any stable. 

 The Choice is Yours!  

We know you have choices when it comes to selecting a horse vitamin and mineral supplement. We think that Vitalize offers the best vitamin and mineral supplement for horses. Our products contain the unique and research-proven prebiotic Amaferm, industry-leading organic trace minerals and are backed by decades of research. We know that 70% immune response for horses lives in the gut, so giving your horse a good gut feeling goes a long way to keep them healthy, happy and performing.  

Get Your Vitalize Today  

In addition to the Vitalize Equine Vitamin & Mineral Supplement, Vitalize also offers a multitude of other supplements, for your horse’s head-to-tail support. Not only can you give your horse the best vitamin and mineral supplement for horses on the market, but you can also give them the best supplements. 

If a loose mineral isn’t for you, we recently introduced a tub - Vitalize® NutraLick GI Tub, a highly-fortified, free-choice vitamin and mineral lick tub for horses on pasture, designed to support nutritional and digestive health. 

It is easy to purchase Vitalize products. You can purchase them online or from your local authorized BioZyme dealer. 

Become a Dealer    

Perhaps you have been thinking about selling a high-quality equine supplement. We know you are passionate about horses. Learn more about how you can become a BioZyme dealer.