Feeding salt

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Stripy

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Just had some great advice on someone else's thread re salt. What is the best way to feed it? I'm very surprised at the amount needed and a bit concerned that it may harm my Welshy if I overdo it. I haven't yet checked what is in the feed she's already having, though. There is a salt block available when she's in the stable, but she isn't in for long. Any ideas?
 
I feed loose salt in a small feed along with mineral balancer. Just plain table salt is fine. Horses generally don't use blocks enough and their tongues aren't rough enough to obtain enough salt from the block.
I add a tablespoon to my 16 hh horses feed. It is a bit vague but is below the recommended level anyway. You may well need to introduce it slowly. A tablespoon is fine for 15hh btw.
I also leave loose salt out each day between my lot and it is usually gone.

If Spring ever comes this year, increasing the salt intake might help with increased potassium in the early growing grass. Here's one article. http://www.balancedequine.com.au/nutrition/electrolytes.html
 
Science Supplements do a great product called Tasteless Salt that you can put in feed. Google them. It doesn't harm the tummy and I would really recommend it.
 
Thank you for the ideas. The article was very interesting and has set my mind at rest, amandap, many thanks. I'm looking into the other sites you've mentioned JillA and Lucinda and will have a proper look at what I'm already feeding. :)
 
JillA said:
This is worth a read, but bear in mind that a lot of it is anecdotal and not been rigorously tested.
http://www.calmhealthyhorses.com/
Click to expand...

I find this really interesting. I have a really stressy TB mare and a couple of months ago I started putting some salt in her feed when I noticed that she was using her salt lick a lot......she has seemed a LOT calmer recently....maybe that is something to do with it?
 
My understanding is it is advisable to stick to normal salt not low salt as it contains potassium which is generally readily available in hays and grass. In Spring grass appears to produce potassium spikes so salt is especially important then.
Holly Hocks, I expect feeding the salt has had something to do with your horse being calmer. All minerals affect horses and excesses or deficiencies can affect behaviour as well as physiology. I have read of it helping some horses that head shake. Of course, like anything, it is not a cure all but is frequently deficient.I believe soapy sweat is another indication of sodium deficiency.

If anyone is interested there are some threads on Phoenixhorse diet section forum. There are some fascinating links about studies in cattle.
http://phoenixhorse.myfastforum.org/index.php
 
Stripy said:
Just had some great advice on someone else's thread re salt. What is the best way to feed it? I'm very surprised at the amount needed and a bit concerned that it may harm my Welshy if I overdo it. I haven't yet checked what is in the feed she's already having, though. There is a salt block available when she's in the stable, but she isn't in for long. Any ideas?
Click to expand...

Apart from electrolytes the only way I will feed salt now is in the Himalayan natural salt
 
amandap said:
My understanding is it is advisable to stick to normal salt not low salt as it contains potassium which is generally readily available in hays and grass. In Spring grass appears to produce potassium spikes so salt is especially important then.
Holly Hocks, I expect feeding the salt has had something to do with your horse being calmer. All minerals affect horses and excesses or deficiencies can affect behaviour as well as physiology. I have read of it helping some horses that head shake. Of course, like anything, it is not a cure all but is frequently deficient.I believe soapy sweat is another indication of sodium deficiency.

If anyone is interested there are some threads on Phoenixhorse diet section forum. There are some fascinating links about studies in cattle.
http://phoenixhorse.myfastforum.org/index.php
Click to expand...

Amandap - she is also a head shaker.....not in the way that she flings her head around, but in a way that she has a minor twitch. I am due to get on her again next weekend for the first time since end of September (time off for lameness which turned out to be an abscess!). I've just finished five weeks of long-reining round the roads and yesterday morning and this morning we went out for an hour and a half each time. No stressing, no head shaking - nothing - just lovely walks in the cold but beautiful sunshine. I had to bring her back into work in the same way last year after suspensory ligament injury, and there is NO WAY I would have done what I've been doing this year. She was just too stressy. Even a friend commented to me the other day that she seems like a different horse. I'm hoping the lack of stress will continue when the ridden work starts.....fingers crossed!
 
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