Best Horse Supplements UK: What Your Horse Actually Needs

Walk into any equine feed merchant and you'll find shelves of supplements promising everything from glossier coats to calmer temperaments to stronger hooves. But do horses actually need supplements? And if so, which ones? Here's a practical guide for UK horse owners.

Start With the Forage

Before reaching for supplements, it's worth understanding that most horses in light to moderate work can meet their nutritional needs through good quality forage (hay, haylage, or fresh grass) combined with a broad-spectrum vitamin and mineral supplement or balancer. Supplements should fill genuine gaps in the diet, not replace good forage management.

If you're feeding a complete compound feed at the recommended rate, you're likely already getting adequate vitamins and minerals without needing to add more. Over-supplementing is both wasteful and potentially harmful.

Joint Supplements

Joint supplements are the most popular category for horses in the UK — particularly for older horses, those in hard work, or those with a history of joint issues. The most researched ingredients are:

• Glucosamine — supports cartilage production. Most research uses 10,000mg+ daily doses
• Chondroitin — works alongside glucosamine to maintain cartilage integrity
• MSM (methylsulfonylmethane) — anti-inflammatory properties, widely used in equine joint care
• Hyaluronic acid — supports joint fluid viscosity

For horses showing early stiffness or in high-impact work (jumping, eventing, racing), a quality joint supplement is a reasonable investment.

Hoof Supplements

Poor hoof quality — slow growth, crumbling walls, white line issues — is often nutritional in origin. The key nutrient for hoof health is biotin, typically supplemented at 15–20mg per day. Results take time (hooves grow slowly) so allow 6–9 months before assessing effectiveness. Methionine and zinc are also important supporting nutrients.

Calming Supplements

Magnesium deficiency is thought to contribute to anxiety and excitability in some horses, particularly those on high-sugar grass. Magnesium supplementation is one of the most commonly tried approaches for fizzy horses. Other ingredients used in equine calming products include L-tryptophan, valerian (note: valerian is a prohibited substance in competition) and B vitamins.

Results vary significantly between individuals. If your horse's excitability has a sudden onset, always rule out pain, tack fit and management factors before assuming it's nutritional.

Gut Supplements

Horses are designed to trickle-feed and are susceptible to digestive issues including ulcers and hindgut disturbance. Prebiotics (fructooligosaccharides, MOS), probiotics and yeast cultures are commonly added to equine feeds to support hindgut health. These are particularly relevant during dietary changes, antibiotic use, or periods of stress.

When to Consider a Balancer

If your horse is a good-doer that maintains weight on forage alone but still needs vitamins and minerals, a feed balancer is often the most cost-effective solution. Fed in small amounts (200–500g per day), balancers provide a concentrated source of vitamins and minerals without adding unnecessary calories.

Browse our equine supplement range at UK9 Petcare — including joint, hoof, gut and calming supplements from leading UK equine brands.