Mineral interactions that influence mineral utilization and genetic-mineral interactions in bone development are of particular interest. Developmental bone problems continue to be of great concern to horse owners. Many factors such as rate of growth, body weight, energy nutrition and metabolism, mineral nutrition, heredity and exercise are known to be involved in the development of bone. Studies in which interactions among these factors are better defined could be useful to help establish better management systems to decrease the incidence of skeletal development problems. We have also been studying the role of vitamin E in the nutrition of the horse.
Vitamin E is a valuable antioxidant.
In the horse, vitamin E plays a role in the immune response, in reactions with free radicals produced in exercise and in certain neurological disorders such as equine motor neuron disease and equine degenerative mycloencepholopathy. The vitamin E requirement, measures of vitamin E and relative potency of various forms of vitamin E in the horse deserve further study. Last updated January 12, 1998.