Can someone explain electrolytes to me?

[My equine life]

As above ^

does the average horse need them daily or are they a once in a while thing? Are they different from adding a normal vit and min supplement or leaving a salt lick? One of mine isn’t drinking much and one of mine is being stressy in the field coming in quite sweaty! Don’t know if they are something they need?!
thanks!!

 

[PurBee]

Electrolytes are essential minerals which are involved in many biochemical processes in all mammals, and therefore need to be provided in the diet.
Its best to do a google search for an article about them on an equine site as its a lot of info to post.
The main players being sodium, calcium, potassium, magnesium.


Horses especially in work, due to sweating need a good mineralised diet to replace lost electrolytes. You can buy many electrolyte supps to quickly replace them in a horse who may be lacking due to a long trail hike, or an intense workout /long cross-country course etc. But mostly, the work isnt so demanding of horses requiring immediate replacement and it being in their feeds suffices to top them up.

most importantly electrolyte imbalances causes heart beat variations, blood pressure irregularities, renal issues, at the most serious end Of the spectrum. It’s mostly in hard worked horses these conditions arise.

Im skimming over the subject here, but youll find with a good mineral balancer, good varied forage, salt lick, you’ll have the basic requirements for minerals covered for a horse in average low-scale work.
many people prefer to add salt than use a salt lick due to know their horses are getting enough as its considered that their smooth tongue doesnt allow them to lick enough salt From a lick, although my horses demolish a lick quite rapidly somehow! You can get salt licks that are more than just salt. There a few that will add various minerals.
There’s also some ‘bucket’ licks that include many minerals and vitamins. They tend to be molasses based, so i allow my horses a few goes at the bucket while im there so they dont demolish it and then i take it away, once their lips are sufficiently red!
Theyre very good value for money compared to powdered minerals, i use both anyway, and just have the bucket as a top up due to the good value of them. 20kg bucket loaded with minerals for about 20 quid.