Short answer: in the EU a horse supplement is usually a complementary feed. It may contain feed additives such as copper, zinc, selenium, iodine and vitamin D3 at up to 100 times the legal maximum for a complete feed. Where it exceeds that maximum, the label must state a maximum quantity per animal per day. The label may not claim the product prevents, treats or cures a disease.
This page sets out the rules from the EU regulations in one place, with a link to the official text for every point. Checked against the consolidated texts on EUR-Lex on 25 September 2026.
What is a complementary feed under EU law?
Regulation (EC) No 767/2009 distinguishes three kinds of compound feed. A complete feed is sufficient for a daily ration by reason of its composition. A complementary feed has a high content of certain substances and is only sufficient for a daily ration in combination with other feed. A mineral feed is a complementary feed containing at least 40 % crude ash (Article 3). Most horse supplements fall into the second or third group, and that designation must appear on the label (Article 15).
What legal maximums apply to horses?
The EU sets maximum contents per feed additive, expressed per kilogram of complete feed with a moisture content of 12 %. For five substances often found in mineral and vitamin supplements, this is what the regulations say for horses:
| Substance | Legal maximum per kg of complete feed (12 % moisture) | Where horses sit in the table | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Copper (Cu) | 25 mg (total) | Not listed separately, falls under "other animals" | 2018/1039 |
| Zinc (Zn) | 120 mg (total) | Not listed separately, falls under "other species and categories" | 2016/1095 |
| Selenium (Se) | 0.50 mg (total) | One maximum for all species | 2019/49 |
| Iodine (I) | 4 mg (total), recommended maximum 3 mg | Equines listed separately | 2015/861 |
| Vitamin D3 | 4,000 IU | Equines listed separately | 2017/1492 |
The regulations state the trace elements as total content. The figure applies to the whole ration per kilogram of complete feed, not per scoop of supplement. For iodine, 2015/861 gives a recommended maximum of 3 mg for equines next to the legal maximum of 4 mg.
Can a supplement contain more than those maximums?
Yes, within a limit. A complementary feed may contain a feed additive at up to 100 times the maximum for a complete feed, or five times for coccidiostats and histomonostats (Article 8(1)). Only feed intended for particular nutritional purposes, known as dietetic feed, may go beyond that under conditions (Article 8(2)).
Where a complementary feed contains more than the maximum for a complete feed, the instructions for use must state the maximum quantity: in grams, kilograms or units of volume per animal per day, as a percentage of the daily ration, or per kilogram of complete feed, so the maximum in the daily ration is respected (Annex II, point 4). That line on the label is the dose you must not exceed.
Do glucosamine, chondroitin and MSM have a legal maximum?
Not through the list of feed additives. They appear in the EU Catalogue of feed materials (Regulation (EU) No 68/2013): collagen (9.10.1), glucosamine or chitosamine (13.2.8), methyl sulphonyl methane or MSM (13.9.1), hyaluronic acid (13.12.1) and chondroitin sulphate (13.12.2). The Catalogue gives no maximum content for these entries. The dose of a joint supplement is therefore the manufacturer's instruction, not a legal limit. Using the Catalogue is voluntary, but a name from the list may only be used for a feed material that meets the entry (Part A, point 1).
What must the label show?
Under Articles 15 and 17 of Regulation 767/2009, the label of a complementary feed includes, among other things:
- the type of feed, for example complementary feed or mineral feed;
- the name and address of the business responsible for the labelling, and its approval number where available;
- the batch or lot reference number and the net quantity;
- the feed additives under the heading "additives";
- the species the feed is intended for and instructions for proper use stating its purpose;
- the minimum storage life;
- the composition under the heading "composition", listing feed materials in descending order by weight;
- the compulsory declarations from Annex VI or VII.
If an ingredient is emphasised in words or pictures, its name and percentage by weight must be given (Article 17(2)).
What claims may a horse supplement make?
A label may draw attention to the presence of a substance, a nutritional characteristic or a function, provided the claim is objective, verifiable and understandable, and can be scientifically substantiated at the request of the authorities (Article 13(1)). Claims about optimising nutrition and supporting or protecting physiological conditions are permitted (Article 13(2)). A feed may not claim to prevent, treat or cure a disease (Article 13(3)). Buyers who doubt a claim may raise it with the competent authority (Article 13(1)).
How do you check a horse supplement in six steps?
- Find the type of feed on the label: complementary feed, mineral feed or feed material.
- Read the list under "additives" and note the levels of copper, zinc, selenium, iodine and vitamin D3.
- Find the maximum quantity per animal per day in the instructions and add up every supplement in the ration.
- Check the batch number, storage life and the address of the responsible business.
- Be wary of disease claims: they are not allowed for feed.
- Review the whole ration with your vet or a qualified nutritionist, especially when feeding several supplements.
The composition and dosage of our own products are on their product pages, for example Tonic, Elektro+, PH, Artico Gold and Artico Support. For minerals in the ration, read minerals and vitamins for horses, and for joint products, our joint supplement comparison.
Where can you find the current rules?
Feed additives may only be placed on the market after authorisation following a scientific evaluation by EFSA, and an authorisation lasts ten years (EFSA). The European Commission keeps the EU Register of Feed Additives, an online database since 5 April 2023 (European Commission). Regulations are amended, so when in doubt check the consolidated text.
Sources
- Regulation (EC) No 767/2009 (consolidated text of 26.12.2018)
- Regulation (EU) No 68/2013 (consolidated text of 24.07.2022)
- Implementing Regulation (EU) 2018/1039 (consolidated text of 21.09.2022)
- Implementing Regulation (EU) 2016/1095 (consolidated text of 25.09.2022)
- Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/49 (text as published, not amended)
- Implementing Regulation (EU) 2015/861 (text as published, not amended)
- Implementing Regulation (EU) 2017/1492 (consolidated text of 16.06.2019)
- European Commission, feed additives and the EU Register
- EU Register of Feed Additives, search
- EFSA, feed additives
Cite this page: Horse Tonic Supplements (2026). EU rules for horse supplements: legal limits, labels and claims. https://horsetonic.eu/en/kennisbank/eu-regels-paardensupplementen. Checked 25 September 2026.
This page summarises EU legislation for information and is not legal or veterinary advice. The official text on EUR-Lex prevails.