What should horse owners who are concerned about bone health be considering?
If you have concerns about bone health, either in the mature performance horse or in the growing horse, we recommend working with your veterinarian. It is critical to consider the horse’s total diet, including forage and concentrated feeds. A correct balance of nutrients – especially minerals – is very important for developing and maintaining healthy bone over the course of a horse’s life. At SmartPak we love the easy-to-use online software from FeedXL (www.FeedXL.com) which helps you identify nutrient deficiencies or excesses, balances mineral ratios, assesses any feed or supplement in your horse’s diet, and more.
Besides diet, there are additional management factors that can influence bone health, such as avoiding excess stall time, providing plenty of turnout, and keeping your horse in a consistent exercise program that’s appropriate for his individual needs.
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