Vitamins sustain and regulate your horses’ essential body functions. Sufficient quantities of these minor nutrients–minor because of the amount required, not because they are of minor significance–are either produced within the body or consumed in a quality roughage-based diet. Vitamins A, B1, E, H and K all work metabolic wonders; can you match each of the following actions with the correct vitamin?

1. Bone and muscle growth, reproductive functions and the production of rhodopsin, a pigment in the eye essential for night vision, all depend on this vitamin.

2. Also known as biotin, this vitamin is involved in fat, protein and glucose synthesis and in healthy hoof and hair growth.

3. This vitamin is critical to blood clotting and protein activation.

4. As an antioxidant, this vitamin protects body tissues by binding to cell-destroying free oxygen radicals.

5. Normal carbohydrate metabolism and nerve function require this vitamin.

POP QUIZ ANSWERS

1. vitamin A

2. vitamin H

3. vitamin K

4. vitamin E

5. vitamin B1