Equine Amino is a quality blend of the key essential amino acids based on Dr Eleanor Kellon’s VMD recommendations
An essential amino acid is one which has to come from the intake, as the other type, non-essential amino acids can be manufactured by the horse. This blend includes three of the essential amino acids that are considered to be the most likely deficient in a horse’s intake and can make a difference with topline and muscle building, and hoof quality: lysine, methionine and threonine.
Protein is the key component required for muscle building and in hooves, the hoof wall is about 93% protein on a dry matter basis.
The three amino acids considered the most likely deficient are:
Lysine
The number one ‘limiting’ amino acid known to limit muscle development/topline also plays a role in production of hormones, enzymes, antibodies, collagen, elastins in bone matrix, skin, tendons and articular cartilage plus keratin protein in hooves, coat, mane and tail.
Lysine is known to enhance calcium absorption, important for healthy bones and supports muscle and nerve function.
Methionine
This amino acid can make a difference more with muscle function rather than bulk because methionine combines with lysine to form the amino acid carnitine, a carrier required for the muscle to burn fat. It’s known as a structural amino acid which means it’s found in all the proteins of the body, from skeletal muscle to haemoglobin, antibodies and enzymes. Methionine is converted into the amino acid cysteine, which is a sulfur-containing molecule that helps proteins maintain their structure. It is especially important for glucosamine, collagen, and keratin formation, which are proteins that are abundant in joints, connective tissue and hooves. Insufficient methionine can play a role in crumbling and cracking hooves.
Another feature is that methionine is converted to s-adenosyl-L-methionine (SAM), an important methyl donor in cells. It provides a methyl group to compounds like DNA and proteins which alters their function.
Threonine
The next limiting amino acid after lysine, threonine can also limit the ability to build muscle and inhibits fat accumulation in the liver. It is an immunostimulant, promoting the thymus gland which as a very important role to play in the immune system. Threonine has a role in the digestive tract and nutrition absorption. Between 60 and 90% dietary threonine is used by tissues in the gut, for example, the production of mucin proteins which are a protective barrier. When dietary threonine is low, mucin production is a priority and there may be less for muscle growth or protein synthesis.
Combined in Equine Amino, these amino acids help to support performance, strong muscles, digestive gut health and quality hooves. “Production of the summer coat is critically dependent on adequate protein and essential amino acid intake.” Dr Kellon.
Equine Amino can be fed with any of the mineral mixes, Postbiotic Gut Support, Hydrate Support and the toxin binders Elitox and Mycosorb A+. This article on toxin binders explains their differences. Lysine and Methionine can be purchased on their own.
Information sheet for Equine Amino.
FAQ
Why isn’t there a scoop?
The aim is to keep the price as low as possible and a scoop wasn’t found that was exactly right. I’ve found from experience that a lot of products that come with scoops actually don’t match the feeding recommendations on the packaging. Usually the scoop volume is larger than the actual recommended amount!
Why no combination minerals/vitamins/amino acid product?
It was decided to NOT make a combination product that contains minerals AND amino acids as not all horses need additional amino acid supplementation and the products that are a combination of both either have poor levels of minerals or too low levels of amino acids (or both). If your horse is on a high quality protein intake (pasture improved grasses, actively growing for example) it’s far less likely you need additional amino acids. Protein/amino acids are the most expensive nutrient to supplement.
Equine Amino is a nutritional supplement product for inclusion in horse’s feed. Product has no therapeutic effect and is designed to be administered in a feed for voluntary ingestion for horses.
Animal consumption only
Ingredients: L-Lysine HCL, L-Methionine, L-Threonine
One size: net weight = 2 kg
Dr Kellon recommends:
10 – 20 g lysine
5 – 10 g methionine
2 – 4 g threonine
36 g Equine Amino will provide the full combinations of these amino acids; 20 g lysine, 10 g methionine and 4 g threonine.
18 g will provide the lower level of amino acids; 10 g lysine, 5 g methionine and 2 g threonine.
To give you an indication of weight to volume: 1 level metric tablespoon (20 ml volume) contains ~11 g Equine Amino, depending on the density, how packed the spoon measure is. Alway best to weigh.
How much to supplement your horse is not per se based on bodyweight or workload but how much your horse is deficient in quality protein, however the higher the bodyweight or workload, the higher the requirements. If your horse is less than 450 kg, the lower feeding rate may be sufficient.
Brosnan JT and Brosnan ME (2006) The sulfur-containing amino acids: An overview
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16702333/
Graham-Thiers PM and Kronfield DS (2005) Amino acid supplementation improves muscle mass in aged and young horses
https://academic.oup.com/jas/article-abstract/83/12/2783/4829990
Law GK. et al (2007) Adequate oral threonine is critical for mucin production and gut function in neonatal piglets
https://journals.physiology.org/doi/full/10.1152/ajpgi.00221.2006
Mok CL and Urschel KL (2020) Threonine as a limiting amino acid in equine diets
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7206390/
Tome D et al (2019) Impact of low protein and lysine-deficient diets on bone metabolism (P08-072-19)
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6818847/
Winsco KN et al (2011) Influence of methionine on growth and nitrogen balance in weanling quarter horses
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21357445/
Understanding Amino Acids by Dr Kellon
https://drkhorsesense.wordpress.com/2020/08/12/understanding-amino-acids/
Matching Feeding to Activity Level
https://drkhorsesense.wordpress.com/2017/10/15/matching-feeding-to-activity-level/
Living with Old Soft Tissue Injuries
https://drkhorsesense.wordpress.com/2017/07/09/living-with-old-soft-tissue-injuries/
Nutrition for the Lactating Mare by Dr Kellon
https://drkhorsesense.wordpress.com/2019/05/04/nutrition-for-the-lactating-mare/
Nutritional Support for Shedding by Dr Kellon
https://drkhorsesense.wordpress.com/2020/03/21/nutritional-support-for-shedding/
Methionine Supplementation May Be Crucial by Dr Kellon
https://drkhorsesense.wordpress.com/2020/06/11/methionine-supplementation-may-be-crucial/
Sulfate and Your Horse by Dr Kellon
https://drkhorsesense.wordpress.com/2024/03/02/sulfate-and-your-horse/
Carol (verified owner) –
Carol, just some feedback on Equine Amino – can you post for me? You can see the new line of growth since adding Equine Amino to the feed, growing a tighter connection. I also had problem with quarter cracks and delamination which has improved also. This particular horse has been a real challenge keeping him sound since 2yo. His feet are the best they have ever been right now but I made 3 changes this year. Been using Hoof Armour, cut out lucerne hay altogether (they weren’t getting very much of this but I can control their weight better without it) and adding Equine Amino to the diet. I am so so happy with how his feet are now, best they have been in a very long time.
Samantha McCormack
Sarah Benson –
A brilliant product, I have only been using it for a couple of weeks but have already seen some major improvements. The horse I have it on is a 23 year old thoroughbred and he just dropped a fair amount of condition over winter. I upped his feed and didn’t see much of an improvement minus a bit of fat coverage over his ribs. After starting him on a tablespoon of Equine Amino a day his topline improved dramatically. Highly recommend this product
Felicity Evers –
The constancy of the wet weather has not been kind to the feet of my two Arabs Kalahari and Billy. Around three months ago these horses developed “shelly feet”. I discussed this situation with my trimmer and he suggested that I try your product “Equine Amino”. It has been around two months since I introduced Equine Amino into their daily feed. I am amazed with the results – the condition is clearly resolving and the hoof quality in both horses has improved markedly. I only wished I had taken “before and after” photos in order to be able to demonstrate the difference!
Many thanks.