Mighty micronutrients

Fertilising grassland often focuses on the major plant nutrients, but what about the little guys – micronutrients?

Soils contain a complex range of micronutrients, commonly referred to as the minerals needed for our horses’ diet. These can impact plant health, but more importantly for equine owners, they play a crucial role in our horse’s nutrition. Many of us know it is good practice to supplement our horse’s diet with a balancer, but did you know that a balancer should ideally be matched to the minerals already found in your horse’s forage? 

Micronutrients such as copper, zinc, and selenium are commonly lacking in UK soils, meaning our grass and hay are often deficient in key minerals. While commercial balancers are designed to make up these shortfalls, the levels of nutrients found in soils vary by location. Precise nutrition is impossible without assessing the nutrients already available in the horse’s diet 

In some cases, it may be appropriate to amend soils with additional micronutrients. However, it is often more appropriate to offset the deficiency by choosing a suitable balancer to meet your horse’s needs. As a result, it is generally more useful to analyse the forage directly, rather than relying on soil analysis. A full mineral analysis can be the stepping-off point to inform feed choices, and start a discussion about your horse’s bespoke requirements with a nutritionist.