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Zinc is an essential trace mineral that plays a vital role in numerous enzyme systems throughout the horse’s body. From supporting healthy hooves, skin, and coat to aiding in reproduction, immune function, and bone development, zinc is crucial for your horse’s overall health and performance. It also supports insulin regulation, wound healing, and even coat colouration.
The National Research Council recommends a zinc intake of 40 mg per kg of dry matter in the diet. While many commercial feeds provide between 20–40 mg/kg DM, studies show that most pasture and hay sources are naturally low in zinc.
For reference: A 500 kg horse in light work requires around 400 mg of zinc per day.
To ensure your horse gets enough, especially if grazing on zinc-deficient pasture, a balanced mineral supplement may be needed.
Clinical zinc deficiency is rare, but marginal or borderline deficiencies are more common and can impact performance and wellbeing. Signs include:
If your horse is showing any of these signs especially when grazing older or low-quality pasture, zinc levels should be assessed as part of a complete dietary review.
Horses can tolerate fairly high levels of zinc up to 500 mg/kg of dry matter with minimal adverse effects.
However, extreme excess can lead to:
Interestingly, these symptoms are often not due to zinc toxicity itself but to secondary copper deficiency, as high zinc interferes with copper absorption.
Unlike calcium and phosphorus (which have a well-established ideal ratio), the zinc-to-copper ratio is harder to define because copper is stored in the liver and is difficult to measure precisely.
As a general guideline:
Zinc is naturally found in pasture, hay, and grain but levels can vary widely depending on soil quality and plant type.
To boost zinc intake, supplements are often used in one of two forms:
Note: Once absorbed, both forms function the same way in the horse’s body. The choice often depends on cost, feed type, and whether high bioavailability is needed.
Zinc plays a critical role in your horse’s health,from hoof strength to immune resilience. While overt deficiency is rare, borderline deficiency is common, particularly in horses grazing poor pastures or fed unsupplemented hay. Supplementing with a well-balanced mineral mix that considers zinc, copper, and other trace minerals is the safest way to support long-term wellbeing and performance.
