Salt for feet, anyone?

[cptrayes]

I have to admit that I was a complete sceptic about horses who have free access to a salt lick, which they use, needing salt added to their diet. But I have been tweaking my paint horse's diet due to continuing event lines, and I started adding salt because I couldn't see any reason not to. As it happens, his issue was selenium, and adding that has made a big difference, but look what has happened with the salt!

These are two different horses with white feet, and both of them have produced exactly the same colour change. Amazing! The horn is thicker, and smoother, but the colour change at the event line to a much darker cream is really astonishing.

 

[amandaco2]

How much salt do you add?

 

[cptrayes]

I use crushed Cheshire rock salt that is sold for road gritting but is extremely pure. I take a small- medium fistful and put half in each bucket. So, around a heaped tablespoon, probably.


This has really shocked me, I didn't expect it to make the slightest difference!

 

[Leo Walker]

I feed salt as well and I think it makes a huge difference. I feed about 40gms in total a day roughly.

 

[Worldiscomplete]

Wow that is amazing. I'm transitioning my boy to barefoot.(17hh sports horse; 10 months in) and like OP was a bit 'yeah right' but looking at the evidence will be adding salt to mine.

How long have they been having salt in the feed please?

Meanwhile, *runsofftofindCheshiresalt* ;-)

 

[trottingon]

My understanding is that the solid rock salt we use as salt licks is pure, but the crushed rock salt sold for gritting roads has chemicals added (there's even been warnings the past few winters about wiping dogs' feet if they've been walked on roads just in case the dog licks them afterwards and ingests the chemicals).
Please assure me the salt you use is pure? (and if so, please let me know brand/supplier so I can get some too???) 😄😄😄
xxx

 

[maccachic]

Basic recommendation is 10g per 100kgs of body weight. I have found since adding salt I no longer had grass issues (I up salt when grass is flushing) so didn't need to feed magnesium and toxin binders. I also leave loose salt in the field for them to help themselves to if they need more, salt licks were designed for rough tonged animals so horses can't get enough off a lick (also causes cracking in the tounge which irrates). Think of it like licking a lollie pop how long till you give up and chew it?

My horses are BF but this wasn't the reason I started feeding it, but it could have something to do with salt flushing excess potassium (which was why I started feeding) it from the system before it has a chance to affect the feet. Those with Lucerne issues may also find adding salt will decrease any issues with Lucerne.

 

[catkin]

I use bog-standard supermarket salt - as long as it is pure NaCl, salt is salt

I also use salt on the feet as a scrub to help prevent thrush (just make up a strong salt solution with water)

 

[MerrySherryRider]

Basic recommendation is 10g per 100kgs of body weight. I have found since adding salt I no longer had grass issues (I up salt when grass is flushing) so didn't need to feed magnesium and toxin binders. I also leave loose salt in the field for them to help themselves to if they need more, salt licks were designed for rough tonged animals so horses can't get enough off a lick (also causes cracking in the tounge which irrates). Think of it like licking a lollie pop how long till you give up and chew it?

My horses are BF but this wasn't the reason I started feeding it, but it could have something to do with salt flushing excess potassium (which was why I started feeding) it from the system before it has a chance to affect the feet. Those with Lucerne issues may also find adding salt will decrease any issues with Lucerne.

This is exactly the reason why I feed it, I noticed that my horse coped much better with the grass when fed salt.

 

[cptrayes]

Wow that is amazing. I'm transitioning my boy to barefoot.(17hh sports horse; 10 months in) and like OP was a bit 'yeah right' but looking at the evidence will be adding salt to mine.

How long have they been having salt in the feed please?

Meanwhile, *runsofftofindCheshiresalt* ;-)

Ten weeks and yes they really are growing that fast

 

[cptrayes]

My understanding is that the solid rock salt we use as salt licks is pure, but the crushed rock salt sold for gritting roads has chemicals added (there's even been warnings the past few winters about wiping dogs' feet if they've been walked on roads just in case the dog licks them afterwards and ingests the chemicals).
Please assure me the salt you use is pure? (and if so, please let me know brand/supplier so I can get some too???) ������
xxx

Sorry, I can't give you a personal guarantee about someone else's product

The council uses a very impure gritty pink salt round here. But I suspect for councils that use white salt that most of the terrible chemicals that dogs would lick off their paws would come from the road, not the salt.

 

[3OldPonies]

The council uses a very impure gritty pink salt round here. But I suspect for councils that use white salt that most of the terrible chemicals that dogs would lick off their paws would come from the road, not the salt.

They do add chemicals, to help the salt 'stick' to the road and also to help make it effective at lower temperatures, road salt loses effectiveness as the temp goes below -5. My council's 'salt' looks black, because they add molasses (a Canadian idea apparently) so that it stays longer on the road before wearing off. There's a guy in my office that used to work at the Cheshire salt mines and he says that there are a few different chemicals that can be added to increase the effectiveness of just pure salt, it just depends on the council as to which are added. Hence the need to wipe paws.

 

[SadKen]

I've noticed a similar change in my girl as I started feeding salt over the summer to replace salt lost when sweating and I read that it helps to prevent tying up. I started adding a hoof supplement as well as her feet have some cracks and I think they could be better. She's not that keen on the feed with this in, but dives on it if I add salt so it's win win for me!

 

[ihatework]

Sometimes the old fashioned feed additives are the best!
Although I'm not sure I would be feeding road salt, given the chemicals as stated above!

 

[only_me]

I looked up the selenium levels for our area, and found that our land has one of the lowest levels.
I started to feed selenium & vit e and his hoof really improved, it was good to start with but now the quality is excellent, strong and it is growing very fast - farrier was surprised at just how much his hoof had grown! There is also added benefits of selenium for muscle tone and recovery

 

[cptrayes]

They do add chemicals, to help the salt 'stick' to the road and also to help make it effective at lower temperatures, road salt loses effectiveness as the temp goes below -5. My council's 'salt' looks black, because they add molasses (a Canadian idea apparently) so that it stays longer on the road before wearing off. There's a guy in my office that used to work at the Cheshire salt mines and he says that there are a few different chemicals that can be added to increase the effectiveness of just pure salt, it just depends on the council as to which are added. Hence the need to wipe paws.

It's not council salt I use, it's just NaCl just like I put In my salt grinder in the kitchen.

 

[skint1]

this is very interesting, do you think I can just buy some salt at the supermarket? My mare's hooves need help, she has a supplement but this would cost pence to add, it's either that or my YO's recommendation of Jelly cubes, but I worried about there being gelatine in them, tbh I am that desperate I would consider it

 

[MerrySherryRider]

this is very interesting, do you think I can just buy some salt at the supermarket? My mare's hooves need help, she has a supplement but this would cost pence to add, it's either that or my YO's recommendation of Jelly cubes, but I worried about there being gelatine in them, tbh I am that desperate I would consider it

I just buy a big bag of table salt from the supermarket and chuck a spoonful in his feed.
He does like the Himalayan Salt lick when he's in his stable, but I bought him the Simple systems blue salt bucket but he totally ignores that.

 

[Peregrine Falcon]

Hmmmm, I think I'll start putting salt in Flicka's food too seeing those results. She didn't have very good feet but I have made some dietary changes, used euchalyptus oil on her soles and cornucrescine on her hooves. Noticed an improvement but this may help too. Thanks for the info.

 

[JillA]

I buy table or cooking salt from the supermarket and each of my lot gets at least 1 x 25ml scoop a day. Selenium is interesting, I have just had a blood test done for selenium and copper and the selenium has come back low. I'm waiting to discuss with my vet but what are the symptoms of low selenium? My lad has thin soles for one thing (tried everything, biotin, supplements, keratex) itching for another (hence also the test for copper) and general all round "go on, find out what is wrong with me" lack of energy

 

[cptrayes]

I buy table or cooking salt from the supermarket and each of my lot gets at least 1 x 25ml scoop a day. Selenium is interesting, I have just had a blood test done for selenium and copper and the selenium has come back low. I'm waiting to discuss with my vet but what are the symptoms of low selenium? My lad has thin soles for one thing (tried everything, biotin, supplements, keratex) itching for another (hence also the test for copper) and general all round "go on, find out what is wrong with me" lack of energy

Symptoms are muscle stiffness, poor foot quality, easily tired, false colic, stiff gaits particularly behind, shivers/stringhalt type problems, sensitive to touch.

Mine was getting very solid muscles and tired very easily and had poor feet. He changed overnight when I started adding selenium yeast to his feed.

Be careful if you do it yourself, it is very poisonous. Easier to buy a vitE/selenium balancer.

 

[JillA]

Thanks for that

 

[WelshD]

Not all road salt is treated, some is just pure marine salt - the company i work for sells tonnes a year

 

[dancingkris]

Hi
I'm in Cheshire too - would you be kind enough to let me know where you buy your salt from as I'm keen to try it for my boy and his awful feet. Thanks

 

[thatsmygirl]

But for fatties like mine that get less then a single handful of feed just to add vits, how would u add a tablespoon of salt to that? I would taste foul surely

 

[maccachic]

Never had a problem with feeding salt, plus they help themselves to it loose in the field.

To those above think salt is a cure for feet (not OP but re the questions above)- its not in itself, its all part of balancing the diet - you can't just add one thing and expect dramatic results - you are adding something to an unbalanced diet to correct it.

Any pure salt is fine it just comes down to price - careful with some supermarket ones as they add a free flowing agent.

 

[criso]

Interesting - I was feeding salt over the summer when it was really hot but stopped when it cooled down. I seem to have a band where I fed it with the new growth coming through light again for one of mine. They other has 4 black feet so can't see.

I've had a forage analysis done and sodium didn't come back particularly low so I only feed as needed i.e. when they sweat but that really hot weather we had I added a spoon to their feeds.

 

[Turks]

But for fatties like mine that get less then a single handful of feed just to add vits, how would u add a tablespoon of salt to that? I would taste foul surely

This. Mine won't eat the sodding stuff unless I mix it with an oil and no chance...!

 

[ChesnutsRoasting]

Mine love salt! Few tablespoons in a feed bowl, nothing else & they are in heaven!!!

 

[Turks]

BS, can yours have a little chat with mine please...