I can't begin to tell you................

[MotherOfChickens]

It's because all ponies know they are the funniest, cleverest things on the planet and they need to demonstrate it at every opportunity

How's the newbie?!

yes and grand thanks-will PM so we're not hijacking.

thanks for the info amandap

 

[Annagain]

OK, this is a genuine question... what is so different about a horse's physiology to a human (we are all mammals, ATEOTD) and how their cells work, that human are universally recommended a LOW salt diet, yet we are recommending horses are always supplemented with salt? We wouldn't recommend to a human with a poor and unvaried diet to supplement with salt, so why do we recommend it for a horse on a supposedly "poor" (ie, just grass) diet?

I'm not a human or equine nutritionsit so this is based on nothing but mathematical logic but I think the daily recommended amount for humans is 6 grams. As horses are roughly 8-10 times our size I would have thought 8-10 times that amount would be about right for them. I would also think they're far less likely to eat "hidden" salt like we are in things like bread and ready meals so can have more added to their diets.

I should add though, I don't give salt (or anything, for that matter) to mine, they're on just grass at the moment and seem to be ok. They get cool mix and chaff in the winter but no supplements. As someone said earlier, if it ain't broke, don't fix it.

 

[chestnut cob]

I'm not a human or equine nutritionsit so this is based on nothing but mathematical logic but I think the daily recommended amount for humans is 6 grams. As horses are roughly 8-10 times our size I would have thought 8-10 times that amount would be about right for them. I would also think they're far less likely to eat "hidden" salt like we are in things like bread and ready meals so can have more added to their diets.
.

Yes, I hadn't really considered the processed salt in human's food. I suppose I was just thinking that even if I only ate veg and salads (which TBF is mostly what I do eat!), no one would ever tell me to add salt to my diet yet a horse who eats mainly grass (kind of equivalent to me eating salad all the time) has salt added. Just a random pondering out loud really. I know horses need to eat more than humans, but then again they eat for about 18 hours a day so swings and roundabouts.

 

[fatpiggy]

I'm not a human or equine nutritionsit so this is based on nothing but mathematical logic but I think the daily recommended amount for humans is 6 grams. As horses are roughly 8-10 times our size I would have thought 8-10 times that amount would be about right for them. I would also think they're far less likely to eat "hidden" salt like we are in things like bread and ready meals so can have more added to their diets.

I should add though, I don't give salt (or anything, for that matter) to mine, they're on just grass at the moment and seem to be ok. They get cool mix and chaff in the winter but no supplements. As someone said earlier, if it ain't broke, don't fix it.

Don't all commercial feeds have salt added though?

 

[JillA]

Don't all commercial feeds have salt added though?

If you read the info on the link amandap posted, it says that they don't because salt attracts water and the feeds get damp in storage, so it considerably shortens their shelf life. Commercial interests over the customer again. That is a good site.

 

[MotherOfChickens]

Commercial interests over the customer again. That is a good site.

well, not really-if their feed rotted on the shelf or in people's feed rooms the customers would soon complain.

 

[Exploding Chestnuts]

I'm not a human or equine nutritionsit so this is based on nothing but mathematical logic but I think the daily recommended amount for humans is 6 grams. As horses are roughly 8-10 times our size I would have thought 8-10 times that amount would be about right for them. I would also think they're far less likely to eat "hidden" salt like we are in things like bread and ready meals so can have more added to their diets.

I should add though, I don't give salt (or anything, for that matter) to mine, they're on just grass at the moment and seem to be ok. They get cool mix and chaff in the winter but no supplements. As someone said earlier, if it ain't broke, don't fix it.

It is often broke, and we don't know ........ I knew nothing about feet till I came on here and discovered the barefoot business, so I removed shoes, then I fed minerals every day, and linseed .... and hey ho my boy is dark bay summer and winter , no itchy skin and no mud fever [ I considered these things were just due to mud, and sun and his normal health] he always had minerals in winter not in summer [good pasture mixed species and herbs] and shoes when in work ......... why?.... because I thought what I had been doing for 40 years was the right thing!
PS he never like a salt lick, so he could only get salt in a feed, and I knew that he was spooky, so he also needed MgO.

 

[nuttychestnut]

A little to late to read the website now, but thanks for sharing. It's really got me thinking.

 

[Sugar_and_Spice]

Yes, I hadn't really considered the processed salt in human's food. I suppose I was just thinking that even if I only ate veg and salads (which TBF is mostly what I do eat!), no one would ever tell me to add salt to my diet yet a horse who eats mainly grass (kind of equivalent to me eating salad all the time) has salt added. Just a random pondering out loud really. I know horses need to eat more than humans, but then again they eat for about 18 hours a day so swings and roundabouts.

Nobody told me to add salt to my diet, but if I don't get enough I'm lethargic and fall asleep at any chance, plus I get random severe muscle cramps usually in feet or legs. I tend to crave what I need and noticed that on my crisp binge weeks (I'd have aprox 4 packets a day) the cramps lessened or stopped. Now I eat crisps, pot noodles or chip shop chips a few times a week all year and drink caffeine free isotonic sports drinks (which I think are the equivalent of giving horses electrolytes) if I'm working up a sweat in summer by riding or yard work etc for a few hours. I know people are generally advised to avoid salt but I'm much better for it.

 

[fatpiggy]

Nobody told me to add salt to my diet, but if I don't get enough I'm lethargic and fall asleep at any chance, plus I get random severe muscle cramps usually in feet or legs. I tend to crave what I need and noticed that on my crisp binge weeks (I'd have aprox 4 packets a day) the cramps lessened or stopped. Now I eat crisps, pot noodles or chip shop chips a few times a week all year and drink caffeine free isotonic sports drinks (which I think are the equivalent of giving horses electrolytes) if I'm working up a sweat in summer by riding or yard work etc for a few hours. I know people are generally advised to avoid salt but I'm much better for it.

Eek, that isn't at all healthy! All that fat, and the chemicals they stick in pot noodles. Why not take a bag of tomatoes and sprinkle salt on them? Tomatoes are full of potassium which is chemically very similar to sodium so you would be getting what you need x2 and none of what you don't. Plus tomatoes are yummy

 

[LittleOwl]

Although she doesn't have the research (who would spend the money on generic products such as salt) she does have the anecdotal evidence - well worth a visit to her website. I know of at least two owners of transformed so-called dangerous horses thanks to her advice and findings.

I'm afraid, being a BSc. student, this is what made me sceptical. However maybe it should be noted that I'm just a student not a graduate, so it would be interesting hearing from some of our resident equine science graduates or vets (or indeed people with biological science degrees as its about mammals)

 

[JillA]

She got contact details for Professor Knottenbelt at Leahurst while she was here and plans on talking to him. I guess he would want to see some rigorous testing before he takes it up, or at least something similar in other mammals. Her reasoning is perfectly logical and based on what seems to be thorough knowledge of physiology - you could always visit the website and question her research?

 

[LittleOwl]

I would imagine he would too. I merely said I was sceptical rather than saying she was wrong and it would be an interesting thing to look into
I had a very quick look at her website - are the products that she sells made by her, or does she sell them for other people?

 

[JillA]

I had a very quick look at her website - are the products that she sells made by her, or does she sell them for other people?

No idea but other than the few she has sent to people who needed real help with problem horses she doesn't export to the UK as yet.