This article has not yet been professionally approved. The information is based on the sources listed below.
Supplements for horses: types, benefits and choosing one
Mineral feed, herbs, oils, hoof and joint supplements: which types of supplement exist, when one makes sense and how to choose a product based on the declaration and your ration.
The short answer
Legally, supplements are complementary feeds: they only cover the daily requirement together with the rest of the feed 1. They make sense if the ration does not supply a nutrient in sufficient amounts or if there is an increased requirement 2. Which product fits is therefore shown not by the advertising, but by comparing the declaration with the overall ration of hay, pasture and concentrates 3.
What counts as a supplement?
In everyday language, a supplement is anything that goes into the feed bowl alongside hay, pasture and concentrates. Legally, feed law distinguishes between feed materials such as linseed or brewer's yeast and compound feeds. Complementary feeds are compound feeds with a high content of certain substances; they only cover the daily requirement together with other feeds 1.
Mineral feeds are a special group of complementary feeds with a high crude ash content 1. Vitamins and trace elements are added to these products as authorised additives 4.
The most common types at a glance
| Type | Typical purpose | What you check |
|---|---|---|
| Mineral feed | Macrominerals and trace elements, vitamins | Does the composition suit your hay? |
| Feed materials such as linseed, oil, brewer's yeast | Energy, fatty acids, protein | Amount and contribution to the overall ration |
| Special supplements for hooves, coat or joints | Individual substances in higher amounts | Overlap with the mineral feed |
| Electrolytes | Replacing losses through sweat | Does the horse actually sweat noticeably? |
| Herbal mixtures | Complementing the ration | Hidden trace elements, doping relevance |
Rough classification by purpose; not an assessment of individual products.
When does a supplement make sense?
The basis of feeding is sufficient forage, water and a source of salt 53. A supplement makes sense if the ration does not supply individual nutrients in sufficient amounts or if there is an increased requirement, for example due to work, breeding or age 2.
A promise of effect on the packaging, on the other hand, is not a reason. Feeds must not carry disease-related claims to cure 1. If your horse shows health problems, a veterinary check comes before choosing a product.
How to choose a product
- Read the composition, the analytical constituents and the additives per kg 1.
- Convert each content using the planned daily amount in kilograms.
- Add up the contributions of all products the horse already receives.
- Compare the total with the requirement and the maximum contents for the whole ration 4.
- Note which gap the product is meant to close so that you can review it later.
Why more is not better
Many horses receive several products at the same time. The same trace elements add up from different sources, and some have a narrow margin between requirement and excess 25. Oversupply often shows non-specifically in the horse and cannot be recognised from a distance 6.
One mix instead of many tubs
If you feed several supplements, you can also combine the substances that are missing by calculation in a single supplement. At Equivora, such a pellet mix is created from the ration analysis of an individual horse: a substance only goes in if the calculation shows a gap. We only include selenium and iodine with a lab value; without a hay analysis there is no targeted addition of selenium and iodine.
Key takeaways
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a supplement and a complementary feed?
In everyday use, both words mean the same thing. The legal term is complementary feed: a compound feed with a high content of certain substances that only covers the daily requirement together with other feeds 1.
Which supplement does my horse need?
That cannot be answered in general without looking at the ration. Many horses mainly need a suitable mineral feed, because hay supplies macrominerals and trace elements in very different amounts. Which substances are missing is shown by a ration calculation with a hay analysis 53.
Can supplements cause harm?
Yes, if they create an oversupply. Signs are often non-specific 6. The permitted maximum contents for additives refer to the whole ration, including the natural contents in the forage 4.
Do I need to check supplements especially carefully for competitions?
Yes. For horses in competition, there are lists of prohibited and controlled substances. Check the ingredients and the manufacturer's notes before every competition 7.
Sources & studies
The content is based on the references listed below. It does not replace individual veterinary or feeding advice.
Show list of sources (7)
- Verordnung (EG) Nr. 767/2009Placing on the market and use of feed, labelling and claims; definitions of complete feed (Art. 3(2)(i)) and complementary feed (point (j)), content of feed additives (Art. 8), feeding instructions (Annex II No. 4). Link to the current EUR-Lex consolidated version (as of 26 December 2018).
- NRC – Nutrient Requirements of Horses, 6th ed.International reference for the nutrient requirements of horses (National Research Council)
- Coenen M, Vervuert I (2020): Pferdefütterung. Begründet von H. Meyer. 6., aktualisierte Aufl., Georg Thieme Verlag, Stuttgart. ISBN 978-3-13-241778-6Standard reference work on equine nutrition in German-speaking countries; Table 4.17 mineral recommendations (recommended supply and minimum requirement), Table 4.18 derived sweat volumes per work level and weight class, Table 4.19 electrolyte performance requirement per sweat volume (in addition to maintenance requirement)
- Verordnung (EG) Nr. 1831/2003Feed additives – authorisation and use; “daily ration” based on 12% moisture (Art. 2(2)(f)), renewal of authorisation and automatic continuation (Art. 14(4)), general conditions of use (Annex IV: natural plus added amount; complementary feed, diluted as specified, at most at the level for complete feed). Link to the current EUR-Lex consolidated version (as of 27 March 2021).
- GfE (2014) – Empfehlungen zur Energie- und Nährstoffversorgung von PferdenSpecialist reference in German-speaking countries (GfE, German Society of Nutrition Physiology), Committee for Requirement Standards
- Liburt NR (2026): Nutritional Diseases of Horses and Other Equids. Merck Veterinary ManualSpecialist overview, as of February 2026: energy surplus, non-specific signs of deficiency and risks of oversupplementation; no basis for a remote diagnosis.
- FEI Clean SportInternational rules on prohibited substances in equestrian sport