Q: What are amino acids and why are they necessary?

A: Amino acids are biological building blocks that link together to create proteins. Those proteins form everything from muscle and organ tissue to enzymes, hormones and antibodies. Amino acids are particularly helpful in cellular regeneration of muscle in performance horses. This role in regeneration makes them equally vital for hoof health and creating shiny coats.

Horses’ bodies manufacture 12 of the 22 essential amino acids. The other 10 amino acids come from the grass, concentrates, supplements, and hay they eat.

Lactating mares, growing foals and horses in intense training have the highest protein requirements and thus need the most amino acids. If horses do not consume enough of the amino acids their bodies need to regenerate cells in their stomachs, their muscles and their joints, they’re more susceptible to injury and recover from physical effort more slowly. Common signs of an amino-acid shortage are weight loss, poor hair and hoof growth, slow growth in young horses, and lost pregnancies in broodmares.