Protein is a word in nutrition that horse owners have difficulty understanding. A good reason for this is that it is more complicated than carbohydrates (sugar) and fat. But why? Horse owners aren’t stupid, and on top of this, they want to do the “best” for their horses.

Protein is used to make the hair coat, top-line muscles, hooves, suspensory ligaments, neurotransmitters (Cushing’s disease), the immune system (allergies, skin conditions, disease), enzymes (digestive disorders), and hormones (hormone disorders).

I explain proteins and the amino acids that make up all proteins. Then, I describe the two reasons for chronic protein deficiency in horses: 1) a lack of intake of high-quality protein that has all the essential amino acids and 2) increased destruction of proteins by the body trying to survive living in a high-sugar world.

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