The hidden difference in food labels – and why Regulator Complete goes a step further

✨ In short – the essence for those who just want the most important things

Many horses do not lack energy – they lack the small but crucial building blocks that make the body function: the microminerals.

👉 The roughage often looks great on the analysis, but most of the iron is found as iron oxide, which the horse cannot absorb . At the same time, copper, zinc, iodine and selenium are usually below the actual need .
The result? The body's engine is not running optimally – even if the feeding plan looks "right" on paper.

💡 The secret lies in choosing a well-thought-out mineral supplement that covers the right nutrients in the right amounts and forms. This is where you can make the biggest difference to your horse's metabolism, immune system, hooves, skin and well-being .

If you want to see the difference in black and white, take “The Big Feed Book” , look up the mineral sections, and do a quick calculation per 100 kg horse. It only takes a few minutes — and gives you a razor-sharp overview of what you are actually giving… and where Regulator Complete stands out.

Get a handle on the small but crucial minerals

When you have to choose feed for your horse, it can quickly feel overwhelming:
There are analyses, recommendations, opinions and brands in every direction. Many horse owners naturally focus on energy, protein and sugar – but forget a crucial piece of the puzzle:

👉 The combustion minerals – also called microminerals .

These minerals are only found in small amounts in the feed, but they play a central role in the horse's metabolism, immune system, coat, hooves and muscles . And the balance between them matters a lot.

🔸 What are microminerals?

Microminerals are the minerals that the horse's body only needs in very small amounts, but which are absolutely necessary for a wide range of enzymes and hormonal processes to function. In horses, the most important are:

• Iron (Fe)
• Copper (Cu)
• Manganese (Mn)
• Zinc (Zn)
• Iodine (I)
• Cobalt (Co)
• Molybdenum (Mo)
• Selenium (Se)

A deficiency or imbalance in these can affect everything from energy and performance to skin, hooves and resilience.
(INRA/Wageningen, 2012; Andersson et al., 2021; Jansson & Harris, 2018)

🔸 Why are microminerals important for feed selection?

Some people think that roughage (hay or wrap) covers it all.
👉 It rarely does.

Roughage in Denmark and the Nordic countries often has:

• High total iron content , but in a form that the horse cannot absorb.
• Too low levels of copper, zinc, iodine and selenium compared to needs.
• Large regional variations in manganese, cobalt and molybdenum.

If you don't actively add a balanced mineral supplement , many horses end up with imbalances - even if the feeding plan looks "nice" on paper.
(Andersson et al., 2021; Jansson & Harris, 2018)

🔸 Iron – not all “iron” is available to the horse

It is a common misconception that because roughage is analyzed for high iron content, the horse's iron needs are automatically met.

But the majority of the iron in soil and roughage is iron oxide (rust) – and the horse's small intestine can hardly absorb it.
(Smith et al., 1984; Pagan & Jackson, 1996; KER Technical Bulletin “Iron in Equine Diets”, 2016)

👉 Therefore, there is a big difference between total iron (what the analysis shows) and bioavailable iron (what the horse can actually use).
Much of the iron simply passes through without being utilized.

Many feed companies do not take this difference into account and do not add extra absorbable iron to mineral mixtures because they assume that the high iron content of roughage covers the need. The result is that many horses actually have too low iron stores , even though the numbers on the analysis appear high.

📌 KER's assessment

KER (Kentucky Equine Research) emphasizes this:

"The majority of iron found in forage is in forms that are poorly available to the horse, such as iron oxide. Total iron values ​​on forage analyzes can therefore be misleading. Iron deficiency can exist in horses on high-iron forages, particularly in growing, breeding, or high-performance animals."

Translated:

“The majority of the iron in roughage is found in forms that the horse has difficulty absorbing – e.g. iron oxide. The total iron values ​​in roughage analyses can therefore be misleading. Iron deficiency can occur in horses even when the roughage has a high iron content – ​​especially in growing horses, breeding mares and performance horses.”

(KER Technical Bulletin: “Iron in Equine Diets”, 2016)

Consequences in practice

• Horses can develop iron deficiency despite “high iron” in the analysis.
• This can manifest as decreased stamina, fatigue, paler mucous membranes and lower performance .
• Growing horses, breeding mares and horses in hard work especially need sufficient absorbable iron.
• All horses need iron for immune defense, mucous membranes, recovery, energy production/combustion and detoxification .

👉 At Regulator Complete , we consciously distinguish between iron sources and only use easily absorbable sources that the horse can actually utilize in the small intestine. At the same time, we balance iron with copper and zinc so that absorption is not inhibited.
“High iron on the analysis” is not the same as meeting iron needs.

🔸 Copper and zinc – building blocks for skin, hooves and enzymes

Copper and zinc are two of the microminerals that are most often lacking in Danish roughage.
They play a central role in, among other things:

• Enzyme function in muscles and liver
• Skin, fur and hoof quality
• Connective tissue and bone structure
• Immune defense

The ratio of zinc to copper is also important: typically 3–4 parts zinc per 1 part copper is recommended for optimal absorption.

If the roughage is very rich in iron, copper and zinc should be at the higher end, because it has been thought that excess iron competes with the absorption of zinc and copper . However, recent research has shown that copper also inhibits iron , and that copper has its own separate transport protein, so that the absorption of copper is ensured.
(Pagan & Jackson, 1996; Nielsen et al., 2020)

🔸 Manganese – for growth and muscles

Manganese is involved in the development of bones, cartilage and muscles. Levels vary greatly regionally, and although deficiency is less common than for copper and zinc, it may play a role, especially in young horses and breeding stock, and in the healing of injuries.
(INRA/Wageningen, 2012)

🔸 Iodine and selenium – small amounts, big effect

Iodine is necessary for the thyroid gland to produce metabolic hormones.
Danish soil and feed conditions contain almost no iodine – it must be supplied from outside in precise quantities.

Selenium is a powerful antioxidant that protects cells from oxidative stress and supports the immune system. It also plays an important role in muscles and metabolism. The selenium content in Danish roughage is extremely low, so supplementation is always necessary – but it must be given with care, as both too little and too much can cause problems.
(Hintz & Schryver, 1972; Jansson & Harris, 2018)

🔸 Cobalt and molybdenum

Cobalt is used by the intestinal flora to form vitamin B12 , but B12 formed by the intestinal flora in horses cannot be absorbed in the relevant intestinal section, so horses must have B12 supplied, unlike ruminants.

Molybdenum is found in very small amounts. Deficiency is rare, but the substance is important for the balance with copper , and excessive amounts can inhibit copper absorption .
(INRA/Wageningen, 2012)

📝 Typical mineral profile in Danish roughage

Mineral	Typical status in DK roughage	Remark
Iron (Fe)	High total content, low bioavailability	Iron oxide is poorly absorbed
Copper (Cu)	Low	Often lacking
Manganese (Mn)	Varying	May be low regionally
Zinc (Zn)	Low	Often lacking
Iodine (I)	Very low	Must be added
Cobalt (Co)	Low	Used for B12 formation
Molybdenum (Mo)	Very low	Seen in relation to Cu
Selenium (Se)	Very low	Must be added in a controlled manner

(Data based on analyses from SEGES, INRA/Wageningen 2012, Andersson et al. 2021)

💡 RC's approach

At Regulator Complete , we take as our starting point the actual mineral profile in Danish and Nordic roughage:

• We add iron in absorbable forms so that the horse's metabolism and recovery can function.
• We focus on copper, zinc, iodine and selenium , which the horse is actually lacking.
• We balance the ratio between the minerals so that they do not inhibit each other's absorption.
• We take into account the horse's needs – whether it is a frugal Icelandic, a breeding mare or a competition horse .

📌 Remember

A good feeding plan does not start with concentrates – but with roughage, salt, and a well-thought-out mineral supplement that covers the microminerals correctly.
This is often where you see the biggest differences in the horse's well-being, performance and health.

📝 Check it out for yourself – and see the differences in black and white

If you would like a professional but accessible tool to better understand feed and minerals, we highly recommend purchasing Veterinarian Nanna Luthersson's "The Big Feed Book" 📘

Look up the sections on minerals and feed planning – and use it as a reference when comparing products.

👉 Take out a calculator and calculate what you actually give per daily dose for a 100 kg horse .
When you compare, for example, a regular mineral product with Regulator Completes Supreme Minerals or Every Day Happy , you will quickly see the differences in:

• The breadth of coverage – how many nutrients are actually included, especially microminerals, vitamins and macrominerals.
• The amounts per recommended daily dose – many products look nice on paper, but don't last when you calculate them per 100 kg of body weight.
• Vitamin and micromineral coverage during the winter period , which is essential for the immune system and metabolism.
• Adding functional ingredients such as flaxseed, superfoods or herbs that can support digestion and protein utilization.

Many products marketed as “full coverage” do not actually cover their own recommendations when you do the math. And if the roughage is also low in microminerals (which it often is), the deficiencies become apparent.
👉 When you do the math honestly, the difference between average products and Regulator Complete's solutions will be stark.

📚 Sources and literature

• INRA/Wageningen (2012) . Horse Nutrition – INRA Nutrient Requirements . Wageningen Academic Publishers.
• KER Technical Bulletin (2016) : Iron in Equine Diets .
• Pagan, JD & Jackson, SG (1996) . The effect of mineral imbalances on equine performance . Kentucky Equine Research Proceedings.
• Smith, BP et al. (1984) . Iron absorption in horses . J. Anim. Sci.
• Hintz, HF & Schryver, HF (1972) . Selenium supplementation of horses . Cornell Vet.
• Jansson, A. & Harris, P. (2018) . Nutritional management of performance horses . Vet Clin Equine.
• Nielsen, BD et al. (2020) . Trace mineral status of horses fed forage-based diets in the Nordic region .
• Andersson, H. et al. (2021) . Regional variation in mineral content of forages in Scandinavia .

The information in this article is of a general, nutritional nature and cannot replace individual veterinary advice.