Equine Nutritionist & Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis
Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis (HTMA) is a non-invasive test that provides valuable insights for our equine nutritionist by measuring the levels of nutrient minerals and toxic metals present in the hair. It can identify excesses and deficiencies of essential minerals such as calcium, magnesium, potassium, and zinc, while also detecting potential exposure to toxic metals including arsenic, aluminium, cadmium, and lead.
The Laboratory provides reliable clinical data on 32 nutrient and toxic minerals, 27 significant mineral ratios and a comprehensive interpretive report. Our report features detailed medical discussion of test results commenting on mineral balances, ratios, endocrine and performance indexes, areas of concern and possible contributing factors.
Rather than simply looking for isolated nutrient deficiencies, HTMA helps identify the relationships between minerals and the patterns that may be influencing your horse’s overall health and wellbeing.
Is HTMA Right For My Horse?
Many health and performance challenges do not occur in isolation. Our equine nutritionist looks at mineral imbalances, stress physiology, metabolic function, and nutrient interactions can all influence how a horse feels, performs, and responds to its environment. HTMA may help uncover underlying patterns that could be contributing to these issues. Some examples include:
- Poor hoof quality
- Slow hoof growth
- Dull coat
- Difficulty building topline
- Behavioural changes
- Stress-prone horses
- Metabolic concerns
- Weight management issues
- Digestive disturbances
- Horses that aren’t thriving despite a balanced diet
- Horses with complex or unresolved health challenges
The difference between blood testing and hair tissue testing →
How It Works
Step 1
Buy Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis and fill out the client intake form on the bottom of the product page
Step 2
Once paid you will get access to the required forms. Download and print the Envelope and Request Form
Step 3
Take a hair sample ( see instructions below) and send it to the laboratory. Address is found on the Request form.
Step 4
Once our equine nutritionist gets the report back from the laboratory, we will send either the report only, or the report with an Individualised diet plan (If you opted for laboratory results only, and would like to add a individualised diet plan after, please reach out and this can be organised)
How To Take a Hair Sample
To take the hair sample, ensure that the hair has been washed thoroughly, untreated, rinsed completely and dried. Cut the hair close to the skin, in a few small portions, and from several areas on the back of the neck. For a horse sample, cut several sections from the lower section of the mane avoiding any area where topical treatments are applied. Cut hair as close to the skin as possible. If possible scissors should be high grade stainless steel or plastic to avoid contamination. The length should not be more than 5-6cm, retain the proximal (root) portion and discard the rest. This part reflects the most recent metabolic activity. The amount of hair necessary for analysis is half a gram, or approximately one tablespoon of hair, which should be placed in the sample collection envelope provided.
The Laboratory provides reliable clinical data on 32 nutrient and toxic minerals, 27 significant mineral ratios and a comprehensive interpretive report. Hair tissue mineral analysis is a non-invasive test that measures the levels of nutrients and toxic metals found in the hair. It can detect an excess or deficiency of nutrient minerals such as calcium, magnesium, potassium and zinc. It can also identify over exposure to toxic metals such as arsenic, aluminium, cadmium and lead.
Minerals Tested
32 Minerals are Tested for
Nutritional minerals: Boron, Calcium, Chromium, Cobalt, Copper, Iron, Magnesium, Manganese, Molybdenum, Phosphorus, Potassium, Selenium, Sodium, Sulphur, Zinc
Toxic minerals: Aluminium, Arsenic, Beryllium, Cadmium, Lead, Mercury, Uranium
Additional minerals: Barium, Germanium, Lithium, Nickel, Platinum, Strontium, Tin, Tungsten, Vanadium, Zirconium
+2 Elements – Boron & Antimony at additional charge
A Deeper Look at Internal Balance with an Equine Nutritionist
At Pure Equine Balance, we believe that true health begins from within. Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis (HTMA) is a powerful, non-invasive tool that allows us to assess your horse’s mineral status, metabolic function, and potential toxic load—offering insights that go far beyond what we can see on the surface.
By analysing a small sample of your horse’s hair, HTMA provides a snapshot of mineral patterns over time. These patterns help our equine nutritionist understand how your horse is functioning at a cellular level, revealing imbalances that may be influencing behaviour, performance, coat quality, hoof strength, and overall wellbeing.
Rather than looking at individual nutrients in isolation, HTMA focuses on the relationships between minerals. This gives us a more accurate picture of your horse’s metabolic type, stress response, and ability to utilise key nutrients. It can also highlight the presence of heavy metals and other elements that may be interfering with normal physiological processes.
This information allows us to create a tailored, horse-specific plan that may include targeted nutrition, supplementation, and lifestyle adjustments. Every recommendation is designed to gently support balance, rather than override the body’s natural processes.
HTMA is particularly valuable for horses experiencing:
- Ongoing or unexplained health concerns
- Behavioural changes or sensitivity
- Poor hoof or coat quality
- Performance issues or lack of stamina
- Difficulty maintaining weight or condition
It is also an excellent proactive tool for owners who want to optimise their horse’s health and prevent future imbalances.
Our equine nutritionists approach is always individualised, evidence-informed, and grounded in a deep respect for the horse as a whole. We are not simply chasing symptoms—we are working to understand and support the underlying patterns that shape your horse’s health.