14/12/2025
Vitamin E Deficiency: What Every Horse Owner Needs to Know
Vitamin E plays a crucial role in muscle function, recovery, nerve health and immune resilience, yet many horses don’t get enough, especially through winter when fresh grass (their richest natural source) disappears.
And because vitamin E deficiency can look subtle at first, it often goes unnoticed until performance or wellbeing drops.
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🌱 Why Horses Become Vitamin E Deficient
Most cases develop quietly due to everyday management factors:
• Little or no access to fresh pasture — winter grass contains almost no vitamin E
• Dried forage — hay loses the vast majority of its natural vitamin E during cutting & storage
• Low-calorie or restricted diets — common in good-doers, EMS/laminitic horses & stabled horses
• Increased oxidative stress — exercise, illness, ageing and inflammation raise vitamin E requirements
• Metabolic conditions — EMS, PPID and obesity often increase demand while reducing intake
These scenarios create a perfect storm for deficiency, even in well-managed horses.
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💡 Spotting Low Vitamin E: What to Look For
Early signs can be easy to miss but may include:
• Stiff or sore muscles
• Poor recovery after work
• Reduced energy or mild lethargy
• Immune system dips
• A generally “flat” way of going
• Weak topline despite correct feeding
In more severe cases, neurological signs may appear and this is when vet involvement is essential.
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🌾 Who Is Most at Risk?
Your horse may need more vitamin E support if they are:
✔ On restricted grazing
✔ Eating soaked hay/haylage
✔ A good-doer, EMS, or laminitis prone
✔ Older (PPID)
✔ In moderate to hard work
✔ Recovering from illness or muscle discomfort
✔ Stabled for long periods
Fresh grass supplies 80–100% of a horse’s natural vitamin E, so winter and dietary restriction matter hugely.
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🧪 Why Vitamin E Matters
Vitamin E is a powerful antioxidant that helps the body manage oxidative stress, supporting:
✔ Healthy muscle function
✔ Normal nerve function
✔ Immune performance
✔ Recovery after exercise
✔ Overall wellbeing, movement & comfort
Because horses cannot manufacture vitamin E themselves, diet is everything.
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🐴 Want to Understand Exactly How Much Your Horse Needs?
Our latest Equell article breaks down:
• Recommended IU/day based on work level & health
• Why winter dramatically increases the risk of deficiency
• How to assess your horse’s intake
• The difference between natural and synthetic vitamin E
• When to discuss blood testing with your vet
We break down the science in our latest Equell article on the Insight Stable, link in comments ⬇️
