The B Vitamins by Dr. Kris HineyThis month we will conclude our discussion of vitamins with the B vitamins. There are many vitamins that are traditionally referred to as the B vitamins, including thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, pyridoxal phosphate, panthothenic acid and cobalamin. You may even associate them with their “numbers” so to speak: B1, B2 etc. These are all water soluble vitamins which can be synthesized by the microbial population of the hindgut of the horse. In many circumstances this microbial synthesis of vitamins is adequate to support normal physiological functions in the horse. However, under some conditions, supplementation of these vitamins becomes necessary. Unfortunately relatively little is actually known about the true requirements of the horse for many of these vitamins. We will primarily focus on the vitamins which have the most information available; thiamin, niacin, riboflavin and biotin.
Read More