Analysis of 158 horses found aluminum above reference range in 93%, sodium the most common deficiency, and iron more often high than low.
NEWARK, OH, UNITED STATES, July 9, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — Mane Metrics, an equine hair mineral analysis service, today released findings from 158 horses tested over the past 6 months, showing that mineral imbalances and environmental aluminum exposure are more common than many horse owners assume. The company measured 23 elements in each horse and scored every result against established reference ranges.
The most striking finding involved aluminum. Across the group, 93 percent of horses showed aluminum above reference range, and roughly one in six exceeded its upper limit. By contrast, the heavy metals owners tend to worry about most, including lead, mercury, and cadmium, stayed within normal range in essentially every horse. Aluminum is common in soil, water, and some feed additives, which points to ordinary environmental exposure rather than acute poisoning.
The data also challenged a widespread assumption about copper. Although copper is often described as the mineral horses lack most, it read within range for nearly 96 percent of the horses tested. The most common shortfall was sodium, low in 39 percent of horses, followed by phosphorus, calcium, and cobalt. Because sodium can usually be addressed with free-choice salt, it is one of the simplest gaps for owners to close.
Not every finding pointed to deficiency. Iron read above the optimal range in 29 percent of horses while only 8 percent ran low, a pattern relevant to ongoing discussion about iron and metabolic health. Ratios often matter more than single values: the median zinc-to-copper ratio was 21.7, with about one in six horses above 25, a level at which zinc can blunt copper absorption even when copper itself looks adequate.
“These numbers tell a more nuanced story than the supplement aisle does,” said the founder of Mane Metrics, Robert Baurys. “Owners are often sold on copper when their horse actually needs salt, or they add iron to a horse that already has too much. Testing replaces guesswork, and the patterns across 158 horses show why that matters.”
The full equine mineral data report includes element-by-element breakdowns and charts. Mane Metrics notes that the dataset reflects a self-selected group of 51 owners who chose to test, often because they already suspected an issue, so it is not a random sample of the horse population. Hair analysis reflects longer-term mineral accumulation interpreted against tissue-specific reference ranges. It complements rather than replaces veterinary care, and the company makes no diagnostic claims.
Horse owners can review the complete findings or order a hair mineral analysis test kit through the Mane Metrics website.
About Mane Metrics
Mane Metrics provides hair mineral analysis for horses, helping owners understand their animals’ nutritional and environmental mineral status through simple at-home sampling and clear, data-driven reports.
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Robert Baurys
Mane Metrics LLC
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