Is vitamin B needed during shedding?

A question we get asked a lot is whether extra B-vitamins are needed during shedding or not. The short answer is: No, not if the horse has a functioning large intestine. In the horse's large intestine, which consists of the cecum and colon, microorganisms produce water-soluble vitamins such as B-vitamins. If the microorganisms thrive, the horse is thus self-sufficient in vitamins. However, if the large intestine is imbalanced due to illness, stress, or incorrect feeding, vitamin production does not function as it should and extra support might be needed.

Tips if there is suspicion of imbalance in the large intestine:
- Review the diet, quality of roughage, and the type of hard feed used. Good protein all year-round is crucial.
- Always feed Activ Mineral to ensure the horse has access to all minerals and all 20 amino acids essential for intestinal function.
- Support the intestines with new microorganisms by feeding Hövelers Pur.mash.
- Extra support for B-vitamin production with feeding of Organic Seaweed during shedding, which has a beneficial effect on the entire horse's digestive system. If necessary, a DHA fatty acid source such as Inflaboost DHA can also provide support.

If your horse is energetic, happy and has good coat quality despite shedding, it is most likely in a good balance of nutrition and intestinal health.

More about the large intestine:
- The large intestine consists of the cecum and colon and works like a large fermentation chamber where millions of bacteria and other microorganisms break down plant fibers.
- The plant fibers are converted into energy and digestible proteins.
- Water-soluble vitamins are formed by the horse in the large intestine, and minerals become available and are absorbed.
- The function of the large intestine is very important to be able to utilize the energy and nutrients we give them to keep them healthy and resistant in their immune system.
- Problems with the large intestine's function can lead to health problems such as colic, diarrhea, constipation, fermentation disorders, and infections.
- The most important supply to the large intestine is of soluble plant fibers in the form of cellulose - roughage and grass. If the horse receives too little of this, the microorganisms in the intestine have poor function.
- The intestine benefits most from as few changes as possible in the feeding routine.

Do you have to give the horse B-vitamin supplements?
Under normal conditions, the microbes in the horse's intestinal tract produce enough B-vitamins to meet the horse's needs. However, the horse may suffer from a B-vitamin deficiency if there is a disturbance in the horse's stomach and intestinal tract.

What vitamins are in Seaweed?
Seaweed contains B1, B2, B3, B7, B9, B12, vitamin C, and vitamin E.

Does the horse need B-vitamin supplements during shedding?
There is no scientific documentation that B-vitamin supplements are needed during shedding. B-vitamins are important for metabolism, but if the horse has a functioning diet with enough hay or haylage, the need is met through the mechanism of the large intestine on its own.

What do B-vitamins help the horse with?
B-vitamins work for different things in the body. Both B1 (thiamine), B2 (riboflavin), and B3 (niacin), for example, participate in the body's breakdown of carbohydrates and fats into energy. Specifically for vitamin B1, it is needed to form one of the building blocks in the cells' DNA. B6 is needed for the nervous system to function normally and for the body to form and break down amino acids. Vitamin B6 is also needed when some amino acids are converted into amines, including serotonin and dopamine, which act as neurotransmitters in the brain. Folic acid (B9) is, like B12, necessary for cells, the nervous system, and the production of DNA to function normally. B12 is needed for the body to produce red blood cells, for cell metabolism, and for the muscles to obtain quick energy. Algae meal contains B1, B2, B3, B7, B9, B12, vitamin C, and vitamin E.