Re: over supplementing brochure

["Susan Evans Garlinghouse" <suendavid@worldnet.att.net>]

>Susan,
>
>Why do you supplement with E to this one horse?  I had heard that E has
>some benefit to endurance horses, but don't recall the benefit.  Is there a
>benefit to supplementing E to endurance horses, and is it like B in that if
>you feed it in excess it will just be peed out?
>
>Curious?
>
>Jennifer Layman



I only have one horse actively doing endurance, so he's the one that could
benefit from a little extra E.  There's been some good research done on
wild-caught zebras and mustangs, where they were trying to solve a problem
of losing or injuring some animals due to the muscle exertion of being
captured.  They discovered that when the animals were supplemented
beforehand with vitamin E (an extra 1000 IU per day), the losses and
injuries due to overexertion dropped dramatically.  Vitamin E is a component
of the connective tissue membrane that surrounds the individual muscle cells
and alot of after-exercise muscle soreness is due to microscopic tearing of
this connective tissue, so apparently extra vitamin E helps supports this
tissue and minimize tearing.

E is a fat-soluble vitamin, so the body will store excess amounts.  As long
as you don't go way overboard (more than 10,000 IU a day), which is
approaching possible toxic levels, it won't get peed out like the
water-soluble vitamins (like B and C), it'll provide an extra storage depot
for use as the body needs it.

Since I know this'll be the next question coming<g>, I *personally* feed
Cato about 2000 IU a day when he's working hard, mixed up in his beet pulp
mash.  The most cost effective source I've found so far is through Valley
Vet Supply 1-800-356-1005, I get E-5000 from Vita Flex.  A four lb bucket (a
five month supply) is $48.95.

Hope this helps?

Seeya,  :-)

Susan