What Does Magnesium Do for Horses?
Magnesium is the fourth-most abundant mineral in the equine body. It participates in more than 300 enzyme-driven reactions that regulate nerve transmission, muscle contraction, energy production, and bone strength. When levels slip—even slightly—horses can appear tense, muscle-sore, or metabolically fragile, especially if they work hard, travel often, or graze lush spring pasture.
The Mineral Behind a Calm, Rideable Horse
Inside the nervous system, magnesium stabilizes cell membranes and modulates the same receptors that trigger the “fight-or-flight” response. Adequate stores act like a natural buffer, allowing your horse to stay focused in fast-changing environments such as showgrounds and busy barns. Because magnesium also balances calcium in the neuromuscular junction, it ensures that each muscle fiber can tighten and then fully release. Horses short on magnesium frequently develop a tight back, fasciculations, or even episodes of tying-up after strenuous work.
Subtle Deficiency: Why Modern Horses Often Need More
Forage tests show that many hays and pastures contain less magnesium than they did a generation ago. High-potassium grasses, heavy sweating, and chronic stress drain reserves further. Add in the fact that most commercial feeds meet only National Research Council minimums, and it becomes clear why marginal deficiency is common even in well-managed barns.
Early warning signs include inattentiveness under saddle, difficulty standing quietly for the farrier, unexplained muscle soreness, or a cresty easy-keeper that struggles to maintain healthy insulin levels.
Documented Benefits of Supplementation
Owners and veterinarians supplement magnesium for three main reasons: calmer behaviour, smoother performance, and greater metabolic resilience. Research shows that horses receiving additional magnesium react more slowly to startling stimuli, recover from exercise faster thanks to improved ATP synthesis, and maintain steadier blood glucose in situations that predispose them to laminitis. Performance horses, broodmares, seniors, and young stock all benefit when magnesium intake more closely matches real-world demand rather than textbook minimums.
How Much Magnesium Is Enough?
The NRC sets a baseline of about 7.5 g of elemental magnesium per day for a 500 kg (1,100 lb) adult horse at maintenance. Work, travel, heat, high-sugar grass, or metabolic concerns quickly raise that figure. Many nutritionists therefore aim for 10–15 g daily, divided between meals to improve absorption. Because excess magnesium is excreted in manure, the margin of safety is wide, but horses with renal disease should be monitored by a veterinarian before any change in diet.
Not All Sources Are Equal—Why Nupafeed MAH® Stands Out
Cheap magnesium oxide is only partially absorbed and can irritate the hindgut in sensitive horses. Epsom salts work quickly but act as a laxative at useful doses. Nupafeed’s patented MAH® (magnesium-aspartate-hydrochloride) complex solves both problems. Pharmaceutical-grade production guarantees purity, while the unique molecular structure escorts magnesium across the intestinal wall without upsetting the digestive tract. The result is a supplement trusted by Olympic riders, endurance competitors, and backyard owners alike—competition-safe, fast-acting, and remarkably consistent from batch to batch.
Introducing Nupafeed to Your Program
Begin with the loading amount recommended on the label—typically two to three times the maintenance dose—for three to five days, then step down to a daily top-up. Most riders notice a calmer, more supple horse within the first week. Because MAH® is highly palatable, you can administer it as a liquid on feed, a concentrated paste before stressful events, or convenient pellets when you travel. Always provide free-choice salt and fresh water so your horse’s overall electrolyte balance stays in harmony.
Frequently Asked Questions
How fast will I see a difference?
Many horses show a softer eye and looser stride within three to five days of the loading dose. Metabolic improvements can take several weeks as tissue stores rebound.
Is magnesium legal for competition?
Yes. Magnesium is an essential electrolyte, not a prohibited substance. Nupafeed MAH® is routinely used under FEI and USEF rules.
Can my horse get too much?
Healthy kidneys excrete surplus magnesium efficiently, so issues are rare when you follow label directions. Consult your veterinarian if your horse has kidney disease or is on other mineral-rich supplements.
Give Your Horse the Calm Confidence He Deserves
Optimal magnesium is the cornerstone of a relaxed mind, supple muscles, and resilient metabolism. Nupafeed’s MAH® Magnesium delivers this critical mineral in the most bioavailable, competition-safe form on the market—backed by decades of European research and real-world results across every discipline.
Experience the difference today. Shop Nupafeed Magnesium Supplements and unlock your horse’s full potential.
