Identifying Unhealthy Horse Feed and Supplement Ingredients

Dr. Clair Thunes explains what certain feed label terms mean and how to spot potential trouble.
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Identifying Unhealthy Horse Feed and Supplement Ingredients
By educating yourself on common ingredients and how to read a label you are more able to make informed decisions on which products to buy. | Photo: Erica Larson/The Horse

Q: Can you please address the many unhealthy ingredients found in some supplements? Sugar, for example, is too plentiful, and can be the first ingredient in some prebiotics. My horse’s nutritionist has been teaching me now to read labels, but many people don’t know how. This same issue exists with human food and supplements; slick marketing carries the day.

—Lisa Daigle, via Facebook

A: There are definitely times when an ingredient is present in inappropriate quantities in horse feeds and/or supplements

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Clair Thunes, PhD, is an equine nutritionist who owns Clarity Equine Nutrition, based in Gilbert, Arizona. She works as a consultant with owners/trainers and veterinarians across the United States and globally to take the guesswork out of feeding horses and provides services to select companies. As a nutritionist she works with all equids, from WEG competitors to Miniature donkeys and everything in between. Born in England, she earned her undergraduate degree at Edinburgh University, in Scotland, and her master’s and doctorate in nutrition at the University of California, Davis. Growing up, she competed in a wide array of disciplines and was an active member of the U.K. Pony Club. Today, she serves as the district commissioner for the Salt River Pony Club.

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