Older horses need supplemental vitamin C By Juliet M. Getty,
Ph.D. As if aging isn't hard enough. Creaky joints, sagging
backs, loose teeth, increased infections, poor digestion, and
embarrassing gassiness--just a few of the problems associated
with getting older (for your horse, not you!). But what was once
a given in youth now turns into a deficiency--vitamin C must now
be added to the diet. Young horses are able to produce all the
vitamin C they need for everyday health; this is why you
typically do not see it added to commercially fortified horse
feeds. But as horses get up in years, they are less able to
manufacture vitamin C. Decreased liver function is the main
reason, but it can also be due to a decline in hindgut
microflora and an increased propensity for pituitary
dysfunction. Why is vitamin C Vitamin C prevents oxidative
damage to your horse's tissues and organs. In other words, it is
an antioxidant. Antioxidants donate electrons to highly
volatile, damaging molecules known as free radicals. Free r