Grass is the best natural source of Vitamin E. Photo courtesy of Banixx.

How much do you know about Vitamin E and your horse’s requirements for it? Vitamin E is the compilation of eight naturally occurring compounds that have antioxidant properties. Vitamin E is a fat-soluble nutrient, meaning it’s stored in the body’s fatty tissues and the liver. Your horse can store Vitamin E when it is provided in abundance and utilize it later when less is provided.

Dr. Green (also know as grass) is the best natural source of Vitamin E. Once hay/grass is cut, the amount of Vitamin E drops off and will continue to drop over time. So, the older the hay, the less Vitamin E.

What does Vitamin E do?

It’s an antioxidant. A simple explanation of antioxidants is that they bind with free radicals to diffuse them and make them less damaging to the cells. Free radicals are unstable molecules and are a byproduct of the body’s utilization of fuel such as protein, carbohydrates and fats.

For nerves, muscles, reproductive system, and internal systems, Vitamin E is vital to the repair and health of these systems. Horses under stress, such as pregnant mares, nursing mares, young horses, performance horses, and older horses are likely to need more. It’s an essential part of the diet for horses with allergies, those prone to tying up, those with metabolic syndrome, or those recovering from an illness.

How does my horse get Vitamin E?

Fresh pasture is the best supplier. The way we keep our horses now, with less or no pasture, means that horses may not be able get and store up enough Vitamin E.  A diet heavy in hay, not grass, results in a forage where the Vitamin E has dissipated in the drying process and is much less available.

Supplements to provide additional Vitamin E can be from synthetic or natural sources. But it’s important to know that the natural Vitamin E is stored in the horse’s system for about twice as long as synthetically sourced Vitamin E.

What happens if he does not get a sufficient amount of Vitamin E?

Vitamin E deficiency can result in cell damage. This damage can lead to sore muscles, injury, slow recovery from exercise/work (otherwise known as oxidative stress). Oxidative stress is more likely to occur in nerves, muscles and the immune system, as they consume energy faster than other systems in the horse.

How do I know if my horse is getting enough Vitamin E?

There are no recent studies on this; however, in 2007 the National Research Council (NCR) recommended about 500 IU (international units) daily for a 1,100-pound horse in light work, and more for horses in heavier work. For those horses that need more Vitamin E, the recommendation is about 5,000 IU per day.

There is scant data regarding overdosing a horse on Vitamin E; however, in other animals (including humans) excessive Vitamin E can be toxic since it is stored in the fat and it’s not a water-soluble vitamin so the old cliché. “Everything in moderation” is best taken to heart here.

Brought to you by Banixx – the #1 trusted solution for equine and pet owners!

Disgusting tack! Photo courtesy of Banixx.

Tack stiff, grungy and basically…nasty?!

What You Need: Wash cloths (a little abrasive, not soft), hand towel, glycerin saddle soap bar, tack conditioner of your choice and water.

How you do it:

1. Pull the straps out of the keepers each time, and once a month remove reins and the bit to really clean and check the integrity of your equipment.
2. Scrub the tack with a wet washcloth and glycerin saddle soap – a washcloth gets the grunge off the leather better than a sponge. Repeat if needed.
3. Wipe down with hand towel to remove excess water and saddle soap.
4. Using your hands, apply the tack conditioner – use your hands so the conditioner gets on the tack and not soaked into a cloth or sponge.

Clean tack! Photo courtesy of Banixx.

Extra tips:

• If warm water is not available at your barn, then bring some from home in a thermos.
• A scrubby pad (like kitchen scrubby) may be warranted for really grungy tack.
• A cap full of ammonia in about three quarts of water (small bucket) can be a good rinse off (first step) for horribly dirty tack.
• A hex screwdriver is handy for cleaning out the holes.
• Texas Pete’s Hot Sauce will get brass sparkling but be sure to rinse it off well as it will burn a horse’s sensitive skin and irritate eyes.
• The more often glycerin saddle soap is used the more supple your tack will be.
• The thicker tack conditioners (paste rather than liquid), such as Oakwood, are great in wet conditions! If you get caught in the rain, no worries! Wipe the tack off with a hand towel and the tack will be smooth and supple, not be crusty or stiff when it dries.

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Comparison photo courtesy of Banixx.

Got the crud? Or rather, your horse has crud on his legs, body or head? Rain rot, rain scald, scratches, scurf, crud, mud fever, Cannon Keratosis – these issues that may start small but quickly can become very big! We groom groom groom, but some horses are just more prone to ‘getting stuff,’ or your week got out of control and so now your horse has a wretched, unsightly skin condition.

Give this a go (might wear gloves to keep any infection from spreading):

It’s best to NOT pick off scabs as that exposes tissues to bacteria. As the tissues heal the scabs will slough off.

Dampen the area with water, apply a small amount of Banixx Medicated Shampoo, gently massage the shampoo in to the skin surface, let it sit for 10 minutes, then rinse and towel dry.

For extra ‘power’, spray with Banixx Horse & Pet Care Spray.

Another option is to dampen the area with water, apply a small amount of Banixx Medicated Shampoo, gently massage the shampoo in to the skin surface, go for a ride, muck some stalls, etc., — when you come back rinse the area with water and towel dry.

For itchy spots: For horses that itch at the same areas (allergies or whatever). Wash the area (or whole horse) with Banixx Medicated Shampoo and once dry apply Banixx Wound Care Cream or Banixx Horse & Pet Care Spray. Repeat every few days if the itching persists. Also, follow up applications of  Banixx Horse & Pet Care Spray between washings are effective at providing relief and soothing the skin.

Girth galls: We all do our best to avoid them, we feel terrible when it happens, but it does happen. Clean gently with Banixx Horse & Pet Care Spray, allow it to dry and apply Banixx Wound Care Cream. Repeat the application of Banixx Wound Care Cream daily.

Banixx Medicated Shampoo and Banixx Wound Care Cream have chlorohexidine that helps with killing bacteria/fungus, but are ultra-enriched with moisturizing, rejuvenating marine collagen. The Banixx product line has no clinical odor, no sting, no alcohol, no steroids, and is non-toxic. So safe and easy to use, with no worries!

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Boadie blowing at the wet shavings in his stall.

Did your horse just snort, or was it something else? The noises that our horses make may sound similar but have different meanings. What often gets labels as a snort may not actually be a snort.

Snore – A short, course sounding, inhale: This is a mild alert, often heard when investigating something new, taking in scent/smells. Your horse may snore when he walks out of the barn into the crisp morning air.

Blow – Intense and non-pulsing exhale: An alarmed/attentive reaction (yes, this is the one just before the horse becomes a kite!). It may be associated with aggression or fear. Your horse may blow when a plastic bag goes flying across the ring ‘thwapping’ on every jump standard it passes, or when the water heater in his winter bucket gives off a little steam as it warms your horse’s overnight supply.

Snort – Nostril vibrations that create a pulsed sound that is slightly longer than a blow: This is a reassuring one, telling you all is well. It may be referred to as a “purr” and usually has a positive/content association, such as at feeding time. His ears may be forward during a snort, an indicator that the horse is content/happy. Your horse may snort when he pokes his nose into his dinner while standing in a warm, dry stall on a cold night.

Some horses seem to snore, blow and snort more than others – why? Are certain horses more of the “watchdogs” of the herd (farm)? Some more hyper aware of differences? And some more verbal (like some people)?

What are your thoughts and experiences? The Banixx team would like to hear from you!

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25 year old Thoroughbred – T for Texas. Photo by Laura Gingrich

It takes a long time to make a good horse. So how do you keep him/her in the best of shape?

As a horse ages, he needs more care, not less. The factors below affect the longevity of your horse:

• Environment/Management – Horses require fresh air or good ventilation, good footing (difficult footing can harm soft tissue) plus good access to quality fodder/grass and clean water.
• Dental Care – Regular dental care helps maintain a healthy mouth so the horse can chew properly. If he cannot chew properly, then he cannot break down the food, and his digestive system is unable to absorb vital nutrients.
• Diet/Weight Management – Older horses, just like people, do well when they are not overweight. Be aware of and test for metabolic issues such as Cushing’s Disease and hormonal imbalances.
• Exercise – In younger years give your horse occasional breaks from work, but keep him in regular exercise when he is older. Use it or lose it applies to our senior friends!!
• Hoof Care – This is vital for overall support as your horse ages. Barefoot would seem to make sense but may not be the best option for all.
• Preventive Medical Care – Vaccinations, deworming, and maintenance for joint issues and arthritis. Dietary improvements and growth of veterinarian knowledge help us keep our equine partners healthy and happy longer.

Some additional things you can do to help your aging equine partner:

• Space out vaccinations (rather than give all at the same time) along with spacing other stressful events such as shoeing, traveling, deworming, etc.
• Deworming needs may change; perhaps pull a fecal to verify needs.
• Soak hay, soak grain (a senior formula), soak hay cubes.
• Be vigilant to adjust feeding needs.
• Adjust for seasonal issues – such as clipping, blanketing, protection from the bugs/heat etc.
• Herd management – the older horse may not be able to handle the herd dominance during feeding and with shelter arrangements.

Brought to you by Banixx – the #1 trusted solution for equine and pet owners! Learn more about Banixx  by clicking here: