I started feeding Vitamin E a few months back and since then have noticed some amazing changes. Now, for sure this could be correlation, but would like to hear from anyone else who has used/uses Vitamin E with their sport horse.
Vitamin E was, arguably, the thing that turned my PSSM horse around the most. :yes:
Of course I made the other necessary dietary adjustments for him, but I would say that I noticed the biggest change with addition of the Vitamin E. He went from being ultra cranky and pretty much completely unwilling to work to at least being able to begin consistent, daily exercise as they recommend for PSSM horses. That plus the rest of the dietary changes helped him seem “normal” again.
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My previous horse tested low for Vitamin E. He was looking a bit unthrifty. He bloomed quite a bit after adding about 1200IU. My new pony is pasture boarded in dirt/mud and NO grass. I started him on E immediately but can’t really tell how much he has changed since he’s grown a woolly mammoth winter coat this fall.
Thanks for this! My PSSM post here is just at this point! I’m hoping to see the improvement you have seen with yours.
Best of luck with your horse! It is definitely a long road with PSSM and not a fun one… especially considering, for me, I spent thousands of dollars (I don’t even want to think about how much…) trying to figure out the problem with various diagnostics from my vet before we got a diagnosis.
The Vitamin E was a lifesaver honestly, and something my gelding will be on forever, but thankfully it is a moderately inexpensive way I can keep him healthy. I wouldn’t say he feels the same as a completely “normal” horse, but myself and my vets feel as though he is healthy and capable of the level of work we do, which is enough for me. 
I hope you see some positive changes! This was a few years ago but I don’t remember it taking all that long to see a difference once the supplement was added in his diet, maybe 1 to 2 weeks.
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It’s often recommended in larger doses for horses that have had EPM and/or other neuro issues. My mare has been on ~8000 IU per day of Santa Cruz Natural Vitamin E since she had what was probably a mild case of EPM a few years back. This is one of the more cost-effective ways to get a larger dose. It’s very sticky even though it’s a powder, so her morning feed/supplement pack gets soaked. Otherwise it just ends up coating her feeder and doesn’t actually get into her.
When I’ve run out, I’ve noticed a difference; she trips more and is not as careful with her feet in general.
I have a Type 1 PSSM colt. I feed 10cc of Emcelle liquid Vit E that gives him 5,000iu Vit E. In the winter when it gets real cold I up it to 7,500iu and magnesium’ at 10,000mg that keeps his hind end loose enough to work
This sounds like it’s confirming what I’ve seen. I started using a Vitamin E supplement about 3 months ago; within the first two weeks I saw some astounding results. My horse has always been supple, but this has taken us to a new level where he is using his whole body more effectively. He seemed to have some pretty tight hamstrings, and I think that translated into back soreness and tension, but it is gone.
I have just ordered the Santa Cruz Vitamin E pellets for my horse having his third EPM flare (there is another thread about it). He is currently on Elevate WS and Immune Plus but I wanted a higher potency natural vitamin E supplement to give him. I’ve heard good things about the SantaCruz product so am hoping it helps him.
Which supplement are you using and how many IUs per day?
I’m using Untie. I have not yet done the math to calculate how many IUs; haven’t weighed the dose to factor against the total weight of the container.
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My IR/Cushing’s gelding gets about 5000 IU per day, split over his two feedings. It has made a big difference in his energy levels and overall health. My mare gets a similar dose, haven’t seen a change yet, but she’s been on it for a shorter time.
Does your horse have a confirmed issue like PSSM or IR etc, or did you start for jsut general reasons?
I didn’t test, but he was presenting as a horse with muscle tightness and discomfort, particularly in hamstrings, and then over his back. The supplement is not terribly costly, and it just made a remarkable difference. I did not add or change anything else. He is working now at 3rd/4th level and it just seems so easy for him, whereas he wouldn’t let me access his whole body just a few months back.
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I just bought KER’s Nano E for my pony. I opened it and it is quite cloudy. I’ve never seen a cloudy vitamin E before. Does anyone know if that’s normal? Thx. I’ll call tomorrow if no one knows.
My vet prescribed this (5000 IU/day, using natural sourced human caplets) for my mare with stringhalt. It works pretty well.
I call it our magical powder! Last year during spring my mare was becoming moody (she was entering full training) and we were unfocused and hyper, wouldn’t stand at the mounting block and when she would canter she’d flick her tail up and down. I told my vet these symptoms and she figured she may be lacking vitamin E. 1 week on it this mare was listening, happy, standing at the mounting block and her canter changed so much. She has only been on 1 or 2 scoops a day depending on her work/show load and truly has changed her for the best! We ran out twice this year (it was on backorder and I didn’t know) and within a week she crusty again and her tail was back to flicking at the canter especially at her one show. We got her back on it and the next show (1 week later) and she was back to herself. The 2nd time she’s been bucking in the canter now and we are just waiting for it to come back in. She certainly lets us know there is a problem (sometimes it’s a pain in a butt how much she lets us know things lol)
NaturallyHappy, the Nano-E being creamy colored and cloudy is normal. I used it for almost a year to get my horses level up. It worked really well, then I switched to powdered Elevate which she really didn’t eat. The switched to Smartpak pellets which she gobbles up.
Since her levels are in the normal range I give her between 1,000 and 1,500 ius daily in the summer when she is getting more grass. Winter I bump her to 2,500 ius. I have my horse tested yearly.
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Interesting! Do you know what is the cause of the stringhalt? Is it cervical arthrosis?
DownYonder, no, we did not do x-rays. The stringhalt is mild and improves with 24-hour turnout and with Vitamin E supplementation. He initially gave her a Vitamin E shot and then I started her on the supplements. Interestingly, I tried the cheaper non-natural stuff and it did not work very well at all.
