If your horse is struggling with stiff muscles or gait changes, a hidden nutritional deficiency might be to blame. Vitamin E is critically important for both muscle and nerve health. This article will discuss the impact of insufficient Vitamin E levels in those systems.
◆︎ Why might your horse have insufficient Vitamin E?
In the last two articles, we discussed reasons why a horse may have low levels of Vitamin E.
➡ Hay loses most of its Vitamin E within months of being baled. (Discussed here)
➡ Supplemental Vitamin E that we give our horses may have bottlenecks to absorption, resulting in lower absorption levels than we expect.
➡ We may not be administering as much Vitamin E as we think. (Discussed here)
➡ When we administer additional fats to a horse’s diet to supplement energy, additional Vitamin E is needed. This is necessary just to compensate for the additional Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) that are created by metabolizing fat instead of carbohydrates.
➡ Your horse has increased his/her workload, but the Vitamin E intake has not increased.
◆︎ Vitamin E and muscles
Vitamin E is the primary fat-soluble antioxidant that protects the muscle cell membranes from oxidative damage due to exercise. Which horses may benefit from additional Vitamin E? While this is not intended as a diagnosis, if any of these statements apply, you may consider additional Vitamin E in your horse’s diet.
☑ His muscles are just rock-hard all the time.
☑ He takes forever to warm up.
☑ His muscles twitch constantly after a ride, especially his flank or behind his shoulders.
☑ He seems to be “off”, but I can’t figure out which leg. Sometimes it’s the right, but sometimes it’s the left.
☑ Even though we do exercises, I can’t get him to build a topline or develop his gluteal muscles to drive off the rear.
☑ He’s had muscle wasting from PPID. I have him adequately treated for the PPID, but I just can’t get him to muscle up again.
☑ My horse has PSSM or MFM and we’re having trouble helping him out.
Although other factors may be involved, you may consider supplementing Vitamin E, especially if the horse is on a hay diet.
◆︎ Vitamin E and the nervous system
The nervous system is made up of a lot of fats. Those fats can be oxidized, especially under stress. This can result in a horse having neurological symptoms that may be helped by additional Vitamin E. Typical stressors could include:
☛ Pathogens: such as EPM, or other protozoal diseases.
☛ Trauma: such as a fall and injury to the neck, or flipping over in the wash rack or cross-ties.
☛ Environmental toxins: such as heavy metals, or toxic plants.
☛ PPID:Aging pituitary changes.
☛ Genetic predisposition: such as Equine Neuroaxonal Dystrophy.
◆︎ What are typical comments associated with neurological stressors?
❏ He’s had EPM and has never been right since, even though I’ve treated him.
❏ He stands really strangely in the cross-ties.
❏ He seems off-balance when I pick up a hind foot.
❏ He started tripping all the time out on trail.
❏ When I turn him in the wash rack, he steps on himself, as though he doesn’t know where his feet are.
◆︎ Vitamin E Zsorb
My Best Horse Vitamin E Zsorb is a microencapsulated d-alpha Vitamin E, which is highly bioavailable, without the need to add oil for absorption.Heat stable, it can be added to your horse’s bucket without additional fuss.
What our customers say:
“Although my horse has been on a powdered Vitamin E, when I switched to Vitamin E Zsorb, I immediately noticed that the muscles in his rear end were relaxed and softened for the first time in years. Thank you E-Zsorb!” — Christine F.
“My horse was always really guarded in his back end. For the first time, he seems more fluid. It’s as if he’s not having to protect himself back there anymore.” — Sally S.
“My little girl had EPM, which we’ve treated with medication. Now on Vitamin E Zsorb, for the first time since getting EPM, her gait seems more normal.”— Betty W.
◆︎ Consult with your veterinarian
While Vitamin E supplementation has helped many horses, the vague symptoms of low levels of Vitamin E can be due to a multitude of conditions. Always consult your veterinarian for a diagnosis and treatment plan.
We do the best we can for our horses. Understanding our horse's needs is a part of that.
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Disclaimer: Statements regarding dietary supplements have not been evaluated by the FDA and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease or health condition.
©Joan Kulifay, MSc. 2026