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 of 11 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 top 11 favorite horse supplements.
Buckeye Nutrition Ultimate Finish 25 horse supplement is made up of 25% fat to help horses gain weight quickly without the need for extra feed. Containing flaxseed, veggie oil, oats, soy, and a host of supplemental vitamin and mineral nutrients, this product will help fill in the gaps when your horse is not getting enough to eat, save you money on commercial feed, and help enhance the nutrition that your horse gets if they forage.
This formula also includes rice bran, which serves as a source of antioxidants that will help keep your horse’s immune system in good shape. It’s low in sugar, so you don’t have to worry about your horse’s blood sugar levels being affected, no matter their age. This formula comes in nugget form that is easy for horses to eat and digest and will not be left behind at the bottom of the feeding tub, like some powder supplements can.
Pros
Designed to help horses gain weight
Includes all essential vitamins and minerals for good health
Includes antioxidants to support a healthy immune system
Cons
The packaging does not seal well after the initial opening
2. Probios Equine Probiotic Soft Chew Horse Supplement — Best Value
These are the best horse supplements for the money when it comes to balancing and maintaining a healthy digestive system. They are designed to encourage the growth of healthy bacteria that will help keep up your horse’s appetite and ensure that whatever they eat is thoroughly and properly digested. These supplements can be used when the seasons change, since your horse’s diet and eating habits may be affected, to help balance nutrition and keep stress levels low.
This supplement is apple-flavored, which is hard for horses to resist, so you can expect them to eat every morsel, whether it is fed to them alone or with a bale of hay or a bucket of veggies. When your horse’s digestive system is in good shape, their bones, muscles, brain, coat, and immune systems benefit. This supplement gets at the heart of the nutrition issues that horses with digestive problems tend to develop.
Pros
Helps balance the digestive system
Features an irresistible apple flavor
Can be used to support digestion during stressful season changes
Cons
Does not contain added vitamins and minerals
3. Finish Line Horse Products Performance Builder – Premium Choice
Anyone who has ever had an underweight horse with atrophied muscles, or a performance horse that needs to gain strength and mass, knows how frustrating it can be to build muscle mass up. The Finish Line Horse Products Performance Builder aims to make that process easier. This product promotes healthy muscle development in horses, promising rapid results. With this performance builder, you’ll begin seeing results in just a few weeks, instead of waiting months to see progress.
It will help your horse perform better without creating dangerous or unhealthy growth. With high-quality ingredients, like Gamma Oryzanol, L-Leucine, Calcium HMB, spinach, pea protein, and healthy botanicals, this performance builder produces results with a product your horse will love. With only 1 fluid ounce per day, you’ll begin seeing rapid results in your horse. This product is proven safe and effective for horses of all ages, including weanlings, and it’s a great option for promoting health and mass in pre-sale horses.
The best part about this product is that it is not a steroid or medication. It’s a natural-based product that works with your horse’s own metabolism to produce results in as little as 2–3 weeks. It features butterscotch flavoring, making it highly palatable for your horse and making it easy to administer without a fight. Even the pickiest horses seem to love the taste of it. It doesn’t just support muscle development and growth, but it can encourage your horse to eat more when mixed into food, helping you increase calorie intake. Better yet, since it’s not a steroid, it won’t alter your horse’s temperament or behavior.
If you’re looking for a product that is effective at increasing muscle development and creating a shinier coat, then you’ll love the Finish Line Horse Products Performance Builder! All in all, this is our premium pick for best horse supplements of the year.
Pros
Promotes healthy muscle development and shiny coat
This joint support supplement is veterinarian recommended and trademarked, making it a product that is unique from others on the market. Containing both glucosamine and chondroitin, which are compounds derived from natural plant foods such as soybeans and avocados. These compounds help protect joints and cartilage so your horse can get around with ease and age without pain.
Also included in this supplemental product is ASU, a compound that works with glucosamine to ensure proper joint growth and stability. The ingredients list is short and includes only essential components, aside from natural and artificial apple flavoring. This is the perfect supplement option for horses that perform in shows, race, or work hard on the farm.
Pros
Veterinarian recommended
Contains glucosamine and chondroitin
Supports both joints and cartilage
Cons
Much more expensive than most other options on the market
5. LubriSyn HA Hyaluronic Acid Horse Joint Supplement
This all-natural joint supplement contains only four ingredients: glycerin, xanthan gum, citric acid, and potassium sorbate. These ingredients work together to lubricate joints to minimize aches and pains. This is a particularly effective product for older horses, whose natural joint fluidity has broken down. It can help them loosen up and move more easily so they are less likely to become lame, overweight, and/or ill.
LubriSyn HA Hyaluronic Acid horse joint supplement comes in liquid form and is both odorless and tasteless, so your horse will never know that it is in their feed. It coats hay and other food products and does not drop to the bottom of the feeding tub, where it will never get consumed. Being in liquid form, this product is easy for horses to absorb, even if they have digestive issues.
Pros
Contains all-natural ingredients
Effectively lubricates joints for natural pain relief
Comes in a tasteless, odorless form
Cons
May not produce noticeable results in younger horses
6. AniMed Glucosamine Joint Support Horse Supplement
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.
Pros
Promotes joint, inflammatory, and lung health
Designed to repair damaged tissues
The package contains a 70-day supply
Cons
Is not flavored for optimal palatability
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.
Pros
Comes in a convenient wafer form
Includes five powerful ingredients for joint support
Easy to administer
Cons
Not designed to be mixed in with feed
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.
Pros
Quickly replenishes lost electrolytes due to excessive sweating and activity
Comes in powder form and can be added to feed and/or water
Can be used before increased activity to prevent dehydration and loss of minerals
Cons
Contains artificial flavors
It may be too sweet for some horses
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.
Pros
Helps relieve stress in a variety of situations
Contains no artificial ingredients
Lactose-free
Cons
Too expensive to use regularly — it’s designed for occasional use
This is a basic supplement for overall health that is unique because it can accommodate not only horses but also dogs and birds. The formula is designed to promote healthy digestion, a smooth and soft coat, a powerful immune system, and an enhanced sense of well-being. Thomas Labs brewer’s yeast supplements include garlic, selenium, essential amino acids, and chromium.
They also include naturally derived yeast, which is what provides a rich source of B vitamins that will help boost your horse’s metabolism and enhance their overall immune system. This product comes in powder form and is easy to mix in with the feed. However, we are not fond of the fact that the powder becomes compacted and sticks together in high-humidity settings, even when the lid is tightly sealed.
Pros
Support overall health and vitality
Suitable for horses, dogs, and birds
Cons
The powder does not hold up well to high-humidity environments
The powder easily falls to the bottom of the feeding tub if not mixed with water before administration
11. 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.
Pros
Offers support for overall health
Includes real food like dehydrated alfalfa and limestone
Cons
Contains vegetable oil that could contribute to unwanted weight gain
Includes acetic acids as preservatives, which are not nutritional or necessary
Buyer’s Guide: Selecting the Best Horse Supplements
Buying 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.
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
All the horse supplement options on our list can be used alone or in conjunction with others. Hopefully, our reviews have provided you with enough insight to determine which products will or will not accommodate your horse’s needs now and in the future. Every option on our list is worth considering because they have been shown to provide positive results that any horse owner should be happy with.
We highly suggest checking out our first option, Buckeye Nutrition Ultimate Finish 25 horse supplements. They are designed to help horses gain weight when necessary and contain all the essential vitamins and minerals that your horse needs for optimal health. The second option on our reviews list is also worth a look. Probios Equine Probiotic Soft Chews is affordable, comes in a tasty apple flavor, and helps balance digestion for optimal nutrient absorption.
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.
Rachael has been a freelance writer since 2000, in which time she has had an opportunity to research and write about many different topics while working to master the art of fusing high-quality content with effective content marketing strategies. She is an artist at heart and loves to read, paint, and make jewelry in her spare time. As a vegan, Rachael is obsessed with helping animals in need both in her community and anywhere in the world where she feels she can make a difference. Animals also happen to be her favorite topic to write about! She lives off the grid in Hawaii with her husband, her garden, and her rescue animals including 5 dogs, a cat, a goat, and dozens of chickens....Read more
