Horses can get most of the nutrition that they need from foraging grasses and weeds that grow in the fields that they live on. But supplements might be necessary if foraging is scarce or a horse is ill. Young horses that are growing quickly and older horses that are coming to the end of their life may also benefit from supplemented food at mealtime, especially if they are being fed hay bales and other foods rather than foraging.
Luckily, there is no shortage of horse supplements available on the market!
The problem is that with so many options available, it can be tough to determine which would best serve a horse that requires extra nutrition. So, we set out to make the process of choosing horse supplements easy for you. We combed the market for the best supplements out there and created a list that deserve consideration, and we also put together reviews for each option on the list. Hopefully, you will find exactly what your horse needs! Read on to learn about our favorite horse supplements.Â
Quick Glance at the Winners of 2024
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Best Overall
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Formula 707 Joint Equine Supplement |
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Best Value
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AniMed Pure MSM Joint Support Powder Horse |
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Premium Choice
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Nutramax Cosequin ASU Powder Joint Supplement |
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Absorbine Bute-Less Comfort & Recovery Pellets |
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Uckele CocoSoya Granular Horse Supplement |
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The 10 Best Horse Supplements
1. Formula 707 Joint 6-in-1 Equine Supplement – Best Overall
Formula 707 Joint 6-in-1 Equine Supplement is the best overall horse supplement for horses of all ages. Formula 707 Joint 6-in-1 Equine Supplement combines six powerful ingredients to support all of the most important parts of your horse’s anatomy. Horses’ health stems from their hooves and their legs, especially as they age, and this supplement supports joint, cartilage, and tendon health. The six effective ingredients are Glucosamine, Green Lipped Mussel, Collagen, MSM, Bromelain, and Collagen. This supplement comes in pellets that are easy to feed to your horse. However, these pellets are not flavored, so they might not entice all horses at first. Formula 707 Joint 6-in-1 Equine Supplement is also a great combination of effectiveness and affordability.
2. AniMed Pure MSM Joint Support Powder Horse Supplement – Best Value
Horse supplements can be extremely expensive. It can be hard to find effective supplements if you are on a budget. That is where AniMed Pure MSM Joint Support Powder Horse Supplement comes in. This supplement is not only effective, but also affordable. You can get a 5-pound bucket of powdered supplement for half the price of other similar supplements without sacrificing effectiveness. The reason this supplement is so affordable is because it is made from 100% Methylsulfonylmethane. Methylsulfonylmethane helps with recovery, pain relief, and bone health in horses. The biggest downside is that this supplement is unflavored, but as a powder, it is easy to hide in food or liquid. We think it’s the best overall horse supplement for the money.
3. Nutramax Cosequin ASU Powder Joint Health Supplement – Premium Choice
Cosequin is one of the most recognizable names in the supplement world, and for good reason. Nutramax Cosequin ASU Powder Joint Health Supplement is one of the most robust horse supplements around. It is specially formulated to support every aspect of a horse’s joint health. Nutramax Cosequin ASU Powder Joint Health Supplement is made from a combination of glucosamine, chondroitin sulfate, methylsulfonylmethane, avocado, and soybeans. The biggest downside to Cosequin is the price. This is one of the most expensive supplements on the market, but it is worth it if you are looking to boost your horse’s joint health. Cosequin is one of the most effective supplements that money can buy, with a proven track record.
4. Absorbine Bute-Less Comfort & Recovery Pellets Horse Supplement
Absorbine Bute-Less Comfort & Recovery Pellets Horse Supplement is a great supplement for working horses. This supplement is designed to help reduce pain and inflammation from low intensity exercise. Absorbine Bute-Less Comfort & Recovery Pellets Horse Supplement is formulated with Devil’s Claw, Vitamin V-12, and Yucca. These ingredients help speed up recovery times while also being easy on the stomach, so it doesn’t cause gastrointestinal issues. Absorbine Bute-Less Comfort & Recovery Pellets Horse Supplement is also affordable and easy to feed. However, the simple ingredients will not appeal to everyone. Since the ingredients are largely natural, they are not as powerful as some lab-created ingredients.
5. Uckele CocoSoya Granular Horse Supplement
Uckele CocoSoya Granular Horse Supplement is a weight boosting supplement that is packed full of fat and caloric energy. The fatty acids also help promote a healthy and glossy coat, strong hooves, and body condition. Uckele CocoSoya Granular Horse Supplement is made from 98% fatty acids and is driven by coconut oil and soybean oil. This supplement comes in a gallon jug and is a powder that is easy to add to your horse’s grain. It is also available in a 5-gallon jug and a 30-gallon jug if you want to stock up for the long haul. You can save money by buying in bulk if you choose.
6. AniMed Glucosamine Joint Support Horse Supplement
This glucosamine supplement not only supports joints and protects them from injuries but also contains ingredients that help support a horse’s overall health. Included are omega 3 fatty acids to help reduce inflammation and improve airway and lung functionality over time. Also included is vitamin C, which helps support the immune system, and selenium, which acts as an antioxidant and helps maintain muscle integrity.
This formula is designed to help repair damaged tissues and encourage the production of synovial fluid, which is what lubricates the joints. This is an easy supplement to work with: Just sprinkle the powder over your horse’s feed daily. The package contains a 70-day supply for one horse. It can be given to other animals that need joint support too, such as goats and dogs.
7. Majesty’s Flex Wafers Joint Support Horse Supplement
Majesty’s Flex Wafers offer superior joint support for horses of all ages. The formula is designed to support a horse’s full range of motion so they can continue doing all the activities that they enjoy without huffing and puffing in pain at the end of the day. It can also help reduce pain and inflammation due to arthritis as your horse ages. This product is made with five different supportive ingredients, including glucosamine, yucca, MSM, ascorbic acid, and chondroitin sulfate.
The product comes in wafer formula, which acts as a treat for your horse during snack time and gives you an opportunity to bond with your horse through hand-feeding. Because you can hand-feed the wafers to horses that need supplementation, there is no need to separate their feed from the feed of other horses that do not require supplementation.
8. Farnam Apple Elite Electrolyte Horse Supplement
Hard-working and highly active horses lose electrolytes quickly, which need to be replenished to avoid dehydration and mineral loss. Farnam Apple Elite electrolyte horse supplements are designed to replenish lost fluids and nutrients after a long day in the competition ring or on the trail. This is also a great supplement to provide horses on hot, sunny days when overheating and dehydration are risks. It comes in powder form and can be added to either the water or feed tub.
The product can be used in advance to support a horse’s electrolyte needs. For example, you can use the supplement a day before heading off to a show or competition to ensure that they have the support that they need while performing. As the name suggests, this powder is flavored to taste like apples. Adding it to your horse’s water supply will encourage increased water consumption when necessary.
9. Vetoquinol Zylkene Equine Behavior Support Horse Supplement
This supplemental product is designed to help relieve stress and encourage calmness in horses. It contains no ingredients that will make your horse drowsy. However, it does contain ingredients such as alpha-capsazepine (found in cow’s milk) that helps naturally balance stress hormones and offer comforting effects without any manmade chemicals or medications. Vetoquinol Zylkene was designed by veterinarians as a safe and effective alternative to prescription drugs.
This product can help your horse get through many types of stressful situations without losing their appetite for food and water. Your horse can travel, compete, visit the vet, and get used to new social settings with ease and with complete mental alertness. This product is lactose-free and has no artificial flavors or colorings, so it will not upset horses with sensitive digestive systems.
10. Horse Health Products Vita Biotin Hoof Horse Supplement
This supplement is meant to combine with regular feed for optimal nutrition intake. Horse Health Products Vita Biotin horse supplements are infused with dehydrated alfalfa, wheat middlings, veggie oil, molasses, ground limestone, and biotin. These ingredients work together to enhance digestion, carb digestion, and hydration maintenance. This supplement also provides a nice dose of calcium to support proper bone growth over time.
Horses Health Products Vita Biotin is designed to improve hoof health, add shine to the coat, and improve overall brain health. It comes in powder form and includes a measuring scoop so you always know exactly how much you are offering your horse at any given time. One problem we experienced is that the powder quickly falls to the bottom of the feeding tub, which means that slow-eating horses may miss out on some of the supplementation that they are being offered.
Buyer’s Guide: Selecting the Best Horse Supplements
Buyer’s Guide: Selecting the Best Horse SupplementsBuying horse supplements should be about more than just deciding which are most affordable and which claim to do what you need them to. There are several things that you can do to make the supplement-buying process more convenient and ensure great results as time goes on. Here are a few tips and tricks to consider.
How to Know What Your Horse’s Exact Needs Are
Before you consider which supplements to offer your horse, it is important to understand what kinds of supplementation they need. Just because they do not seem to be acting or looking themselves does not mean that just any supplement will take care of their problems. It is extremely important to have a veterinarian visit your horse for a checkup and tests that will help you determine what kinds of supplements you should be offering your horse.
Your vet can help you decide which ingredients to look for and which to avoid, which is especially important if your pet is susceptible to allergens of any kind. You should keep an eye on how your horse is acting and document any changes in coat health, lung health, joint or bone pain, and overall health so your vet can more easily help you identify the types of supplements to look into.
Deciding How Often to Offer Supplements
Once you decide which types of supplements to offer your horse, you need to figure out how often those supplements should be fed to them. For instance, if your horse needs a supplement that offers vitamin C to increase their immune system, should they be fed a vitamin C tablet once a day or once a week? It all depends on their current vitamin C levels which brings us back to the veterinarian.
Blood tests can be done to determine exactly what amounts of nutrients are being absorbed and digested into your horse’s body for active use. These tests will help you determine whether your horse is deficient in any specific nutrient, and if so, the severity of the deficit can be estimated. You can then choose supplements that meet those deficiency needs and experience a happier and healthier horse when all is said and done.
Figuring Out If Combining Supplements Is Right for Your Horse
Your horse may be deficient in multiple nutrients, or they might have a nutrient deficiency along with a joint issue. Regardless, it can be confusing as to whether you should combine supplements to meet all your horse’s needs. If you are offering your horse truly natural supplements that are designed to target specific needs, you can combine supplements to create a custom treatment protocol that meets their current and long-term needs.
If you are ever in doubt, contact your veterinarian so you can work together to create the custom protocol that your horse needs. You may need to experiment a bit, but with the help of a vet, you should be able to avoid the stuff that would cost you money without improving the health of your horse overall. If anything, you can get expert advice about the specific nutrients that your horse needs, then you can decide how best to provide those nutrients through supplements at home.
- Related Read:Â CBD For Horses: What Is It Good For?
Storing Your New Horse Supplements
Another thing to think about when buying horse supplements is how you will store them. What kind of packaging does the supplement product come in? How well does the package seal out air? These are important questions because if a supplement gets exposed to air unnecessarily, it can become rancid and un-useful prematurely. So, check out user reviews, and contact the selling company to find out how their package performs.
If necessary, you can purchase a 5-gallon bucket with a lid or another similar container to store your horse supplements in that will help protect them from the elements. Supplements that do come in protective containers should not be left outside, even if they claim to be weather resistant. Moisture and humidity can change the integrity of a supplement product and make it less effective as time goes on.
You may need to store a supplement in the fridge or in a dark space within your home. Some supplements may do well in sunlight and can be kept next to the food bowls. Take the time to find out the best storing practices before buying a certain horse supplement to ensure that you can meet its demands.
Conclusion
Whether you are looking for an affordable option to help give your horse an edge or an all-in-one supplement to boost overall health, these supplements represent the best on the market. There are supplements available at every price point. There are pellets and powders, joint supplements and vitamin supplements, large tubs, or small targeted regimens.
For the best overall choice, we like Formula 707 Joint 6-in-1 Equine Supplement. For the best horse supplement for the money, our favorite is AniMed Pure MSM Joint Support Powder Horse Supplement. Whatever your supplement needs are, there is a product here that can benefit your particular horse.
But make sure to check out all the options on our review list! Many can be combined to create the optimal supplement that keeps your horse healthy and active throughout their childhood, adult, and senior years alike. Which horse supplements does your horse need, and do any on our list seem to fit the bill? Let us know what you think in our comments section.
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Featured Image Credit: Pixabay
