Should we give electrolytes?

shymare · 12-02-2005, 04:25 PM

My sisters thought that we should start giving our new horse electrolytes.

He is currently on pellets and hay, the weather is about 50 degrees F, and he does somewhere between 5 and 9 hours of walk/trot/canter work a week. He's about seven and has been on this routine for the last four months and seems fine to me. He sweats, but he's not foaming and drooling like some hard working dressage horses.

In the summer, temperatures can get over 110 down here. Should we give electrolytes then (his workload will be significantly reduced do to the heat)?

Thanks for your help, feel free to ask questions.

JBandRio · 12-02-2005, 05:47 PM

Not necessary.

Make sure he has access to free choice LOOSE minerals and salts and he'll take care of himself.

Dawn · 12-02-2005, 05:50 PM

There is a difference between a good quality electrolyte and loose salt. Loose salt is NaCl. Electrolytes are several 'salts' (a salt is merely the by product of an acid/base reaction and many are needed within the body and are lost by sweat).

Is he going to need supplemental electrolytes? Probably not. But in the case mentioned, they would certainly not hurt.

JBandRio · 12-02-2005, 06:05 PM

Ok, fine, I didn't mean literally loose "salt". I mean loose "salt" meant for horses, which is not plain salt - it's a mix of salts and minerals and various elextrolytes.

Forcing electrolytes CAN hurt the horse. If there is already an imbalance in minerals, adding an electrolyte can be the factor that pushes the horse over the imbalance edge. The horse in question isn't working hard enough to be losing "salts" that need to be replaced unless there is something else going on.

Dawn · 12-02-2005, 06:08 PM

I agree that electrolytes can cause issues, if overfed. At the dosage that is recommended on packages, that's not going to happen. I don't know about there, but when it gets 110 degrees around here, our horses are dripping sweat standing in the shade not moving a muscle.

Loose salt for horses is just that, loose salt. Loose mineral salt for horses is just that, loose salt (about 98%) with a very small amount of mineral added to it. Unless you're getting something that specifically says 'electrolytes' somewhere on the packaging, it's just going to be NaCl.

JBandRio · 12-02-2005, 06:15 PM

Ok, if that's your definition of "salts" for horses, notice I included loose minerals in the mix as well.

Dawn · 12-02-2005, 06:16 PM

Where do you find loose minerals? All I have ever seen is loose mineral salt, which (as I noted) is somewhere around 98% salt.

JBandRio · 12-02-2005, 06:26 PM

The Dynamite products that I use as my free choice supplements are a loose salt/trace mineral mix, and 2 separate mineral mixes, one with a 2:1 ratio of calcium/phos and one with a 1:1 ratio.

I think ABC-Plus makes something similar and I *think* Purina has something similar.

Dawn · 12-02-2005, 06:30 PM

Do you know what percentage of 'salt' (NaCl) is in the salt/mineral mix?

Calcium and phosphorus are not electrolytes. So that is irrelevant to an electrolyte discussion.

Dawn · 12-02-2005, 06:31 PM

Also, what are the 'minerals' in the salt/mineral mix? And what form are they in? There's a good chance (unless stated on the label) that it contains no electrolytes either. (Other than NaCl.)

12-02-2005, 04:25 PM	#1
shymare Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Texas Posts: 1,422 Images: 57	Should we give electrolytes? My sisters thought that we should start giving our new horse electrolytes. He is currently on pellets and hay, the weather is about 50 degrees F, and he does somewhere between 5 and 9 hours of walk/trot/canter work a week. He's about seven and has been on this routine for the last four months and seems fine to me. He sweats, but he's not foaming and drooling like some hard working dressage horses. In the summer, temperatures can get over 110 down here. Should we give electrolytes then (his workload will be significantly reduced do to the heat)? Thanks for your help, feel free to ask questions.

12-02-2005, 05:47 PM	#2
JBandRio Senior Member+ Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: NC Posts: 23,666 Images: 144 Blog Entries: 12	Not necessary. Make sure he has access to free choice LOOSE minerals and salts and he'll take care of himself. __________________ - JB Acres, owned and operated by Dynamite animals. - It's a wonder horses as a whole don't just kill us all and be done with their misery. - Keep your voice soothing and low - even when things get western (buck1173) - Rio feels good - he bounced an in-and-out

12-02-2005, 06:05 PM	#4
JBandRio Senior Member+ Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: NC Posts: 23,666 Images: 144 Blog Entries: 12	Ok, fine, I didn't mean literally loose "salt". I mean loose "salt" meant for horses, which is not plain salt - it's a mix of salts and minerals and various elextrolytes. Forcing electrolytes CAN hurt the horse. If there is already an imbalance in minerals, adding an electrolyte can be the factor that pushes the horse over the imbalance edge. The horse in question isn't working hard enough to be losing "salts" that need to be replaced unless there is something else going on. __________________ - JB Acres, owned and operated by Dynamite animals. - It's a wonder horses as a whole don't just kill us all and be done with their misery. - Keep your voice soothing and low - even when things get western (buck1173) - Rio feels good - he bounced an in-and-out

12-02-2005, 06:15 PM	#6
JBandRio Senior Member+ Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: NC Posts: 23,666 Images: 144 Blog Entries: 12	Ok, if that's your definition of "salts" for horses, notice I included loose minerals in the mix as well. __________________ - JB Acres, owned and operated by Dynamite animals. - It's a wonder horses as a whole don't just kill us all and be done with their misery. - Keep your voice soothing and low - even when things get western (buck1173) - Rio feels good - he bounced an in-and-out

12-02-2005, 06:26 PM	#8
JBandRio Senior Member+ Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: NC Posts: 23,666 Images: 144 Blog Entries: 12	The Dynamite products that I use as my free choice supplements are a loose salt/trace mineral mix, and 2 separate mineral mixes, one with a 2:1 ratio of calcium/phos and one with a 1:1 ratio. I think ABC-Plus makes something similar and I think Purina has something similar. __________________ - JB Acres, owned and operated by Dynamite animals. - It's a wonder horses as a whole don't just kill us all and be done with their misery. - Keep your voice soothing and low - even when things get western (buck1173) - Rio feels good - he bounced an in-and-out

12-02-2005, 05:50 PM	#3
Dawn Senior Member+ Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Tennessee Posts: 31,405 Images: 1386	There is a difference between a good quality electrolyte and loose salt. Loose salt is NaCl. Electrolytes are several 'salts' (a salt is merely the by product of an acid/base reaction and many are needed within the body and are lost by sweat). Is he going to need supplemental electrolytes? Probably not. But in the case mentioned, they would certainly not hurt.

12-02-2005, 06:08 PM	#5
Dawn Senior Member+ Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Tennessee Posts: 31,405 Images: 1386	I agree that electrolytes can cause issues, if overfed. At the dosage that is recommended on packages, that's not going to happen. I don't know about there, but when it gets 110 degrees around here, our horses are dripping sweat standing in the shade not moving a muscle. Loose salt for horses is just that, loose salt. Loose mineral salt for horses is just that, loose salt (about 98%) with a very small amount of mineral added to it. Unless you're getting something that specifically says 'electrolytes' somewhere on the packaging, it's just going to be NaCl.

12-02-2005, 06:16 PM	#7
Dawn Senior Member+ Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Tennessee Posts: 31,405 Images: 1386	Where do you find loose minerals? All I have ever seen is loose mineral salt, which (as I noted) is somewhere around 98% salt.

12-02-2005, 06:30 PM	#9
Dawn Senior Member+ Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Tennessee Posts: 31,405 Images: 1386	Do you know what percentage of 'salt' (NaCl) is in the salt/mineral mix? Calcium and phosphorus are not electrolytes. So that is irrelevant to an electrolyte discussion.

12-02-2005, 06:31 PM	#10
Dawn Senior Member+ Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Tennessee Posts: 31,405 Images: 1386	Also, what are the 'minerals' in the salt/mineral mix? And what form are they in? There's a good chance (unless stated on the label) that it contains no electrolytes either. (Other than NaCl.)

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
i GIVE UP on horses! I GIVE UP!! ARGH!!	naughtygirl	Horse Chat	26	01-11-2006 10:06 AM
Give it a go!	JumpsxGlory	Horse Chat	40	04-17-2005 04:59 PM
Horse Electrolytes - what do you think?	Kahluasmom	Horse Health	4	02-23-2005 04:33 AM
Electrolytes During Cold Spells?	wyldterv	Horse Health	80	01-04-2005 06:54 PM
electrolytes	Krystan	Horse Health	6	07-16-2004 01:07 PM