E-Se-Mag

[ThoroughbredFancy]

I'll start this off by saying that I live in western Massachusetts and we are a selenium deficient area, so I've always thought about supplementing selenium.

While browsing through SmartPak I came across E-Se-Mag. That could solve my selenium worries.

However, my guy is getting the recommended amount of Blue Seal Carb Guard for his weight. If that's happening, does the grain give him an adequate amount of selenium (full info is on BS website if you're curious)? Or should I supplement more?

I also don't know if I should just supplement Vit E/Selenium or if I should use the supplement with the added magnesium.

My TB can be a little stiff in his muscles on occasion, even though he gets regular massage work, chiro and saddle fitting. There are never really an issue with all three.

He is in work and right now his hind end muscles are a little sore on the right side since he was cantering out in the snowy/icey turn out and basically...he lost his hind end/wiped out...I imagined he'd be feeling that the next day even though he just continued frolicking around.

So maybe this supplementation would help with any muscular issues? I'm just afraid of giving him too much selenium. Although, I don't know what the consequences of that are.

If you need to know anything about his diet aside from the grain it's just 1lb alfalfa pellets 2x a day, .5 cup flax 2x a day, Apple a Day electrolytes and Uckele's G.U.T.

He also gets grass hay. I say close to free choice since there are about 3 hours in the day where he doesn't have any hay in front of him.

[JB]

First thing is to have your vet draw blood to check his Se level.

If he's found to be deficient, or on the low side, then I personally would start first with Uckele's E/Se 10x concentrate - very economical.

[goodmorning]

FWIW, I asked my vet the question about Vit E/Se issue & she said there was little point in testing for it considering 95% of non-supplemented horses tested deficient that she has tested (I also live in MA). Suggested saving the money ($300) in testing & just supplement for it (especially if you do not have the same hay source year round! - talk about the vicious cycle).

[Dalemma]

No way of knowing with out drawing blood.......and this is something you should know rather than guess at......I have had tremendous luck with a straight selenium yeast from Performance along with human Vitamin E capsules....my selenium levels skyrocketed to the point I need to monitor for too much selenium rather then too little.....its a nice change.

Dalemma

[ThoroughbredFancy]

Well, I'll be calling the vet out for spring vaccines soon, so perhaps I'll discuss it with him then.

[atr]

$300 for Se testing? Costs me about $80, and I think that's high...

[Dalemma]

$300.00 is excessive.......my selenium test is $45.00 plus $20.00 for courier to the lab......I draw my own blood to no call out fee but if I was to add a call out fee it would be another $85.00.

Dalemma

[Dalemma]

FWIW, I asked my vet the question about Vit E/Se issue & she said there was little point in testing for it considering 95% of non-supplemented horses tested deficient that she has tested (I also live in MA). Suggested saving the money ($300) in testing & just supplement for it (especially if you do not have the same hay source year round! - talk about the vicious cycle).

The trouble with this method is you don't know if how well your supplement is doing its job......my guys were on a mineral supplement that has a reasonable amount of SE and I had serious issues with low selenium levels.......it has taken me a while to find something that works well for all of my horses as they all absorb at different rates......but you can't know that with out testing.

Dalemma

[KrazyTBMare]

No comments on the blood testing, etc. But I will say that I do feed the E-Se-Mag supplement. Since I started it, all 3 horses are "buffer" and have more muscle tone, even when not in consistant work due to the weather. My mare is also more relaxed and not as stiff in her muscles.

I switched to a different supplement that I thought would add a few other things (like probios, etc) but 1) the results in the horses were not as good and 2) the scoop was like 6x more than the E-Se-Mag.

So we are back on that supplement and everyone is doing great. We are in Florida, so def an area that does not provide the Se & get our hay from areas that are deficient.

I personally love the product & could tell a difference WITHOUT Mag being in the mixture (when using other products). IIRC, one scoop is 1mg of Se which is usually enough & no other product (at least that Ive looked at) has the Mag with it too.

So in other words, Love the product. :)

[Phaxxton]

There can be too much of a good thing with Se supplementation - too much Se can be toxic. I actually supplement all of my horses with E and Se, but they have also all been tested. Indeed, I use the E-Se-Mag supplement you see on SmartPak. However, I had my horse's E / Se levels checked prior to supplementation so that I knew that they actually needed it.

If you test and find your E / Se levels are fine, you might want to try the Magnesium 3,000 supplement on SmartPak to see if that helps with the muscle issues. It's the E-Se-Mag without the E-Se (same co). ;)