Salt

[JBM]

Hi was recommended to add 50g of salt to my horses diet. She has a salt lick but doesn’t seem to bother it much? Wondering what people do to add salt to the diet? Was considering adding it to her feed is there any specific type of salt you need? Where to get it from and such

thank you ?

 

[milliepops]

Standard table salt is perfectly fine for the average horse. I chuck a big scoop in feeds daily.

 

[JBM]

Standard table salt is perfectly fine for the average horse. I chuck a big scoop in feeds daily.

Where do you get it from? I imagine a wee tub of table salt won’t last a horse long?

 

[DabDab]

Standard table salt is perfectly fine for the average horse. I chuck a big scoop in feeds daily.

This. I buy it from the supermarket.

 

[Red-1]

We have a plastic tub at about 27p from Sainsburys. It is waterproof. I give them a big squeeze each, in each feed.

If I do hard work or they have been sweating, I also give a scoop of electrolyte.

 

[Starzaan]

I worked closely with a veterinary nutritionist for a few years whilst running a rehab yard. She was vehemently anti adding table salt to a horses diet as it is too harsh and concentrated and has been proven to irritate the hind gut, contributing to ulcers.
Table salt also only contains one mineral, when horses need a much more complex balance to metabolise the components of salt.
You’re far better feeding a good electrolyte after work - she always recommended the Science Supplements Electrosalts.
Now, this isn’t my information, as I said, this all comes from the vet I worked with who specialises in nutrition. I am inclined to believe her as the difference she made to my own horses, as well as countless others with very complex issues at rehab with me, was enough for me to trust her implicitly.

 

[palo1]

I worked closely with a veterinary nutritionist for a few years whilst running a rehab yard. She was vehemently anti adding table salt to a horses diet as it is too harsh and concentrated and has been proven to irritate the hind gut, contributing to ulcers.
Table salt also only contains one mineral, when horses need a much more complex balance to metabolise the components of salt.
You’re far better feeding a good electrolyte after work - she always recommended the Science Supplements Electrosalts.
Now, this isn’t my information, as I said, this all comes from the vet I worked with who specialises in nutrition. I am inclined to believe her as the difference she made to my own horses, as well as countless others with very complex issues at rehab with me, was enough for me to trust her implicitly.

Yes, I have heard similar too. I have never been able to get salt into one of my horses either! Electrolytes in a bit of sugar beet/sugar beet water seems better to me but even so one of my horses is very suspicious of new tastes and won't countenance ANY additions. Silly sod. At 15 and having worked hard, very hard at times, I am hoping that he does, in fact know what is good for him. The others can benefit from Veterinary and nutritional wisdom lol.

 

[Starzaan]

Yes, I have heard similar too. I have never been able to get salt into one of my horses either! Electrolytes in a bit of sugar beet/sugar beet water seems better to me but even so one of my horses is very suspicious of new tastes and won't countenance ANY additions. Silly sod. At 15 and having worked hard, very hard at times, I am hoping that he does, in fact know what is good for him. The others can benefit from Veterinary and nutritional wisdom lol.

have you tried adding your electrolytes to Saracen Recovery Mash? It doesn’t have enough minerals by itself, but I’ve never met a horse who wouldn’t touch it. Even the most infuriatingly fussy creatures! ?

 

[Red-1]

have you tried adding your electrolytes to Saracen Recovery Mash? It doesn’t have enough minerals by itself, but I’ve never met a horse who wouldn’t touch it. Even the most infuriatingly fussy creatures! ?

Mine are on this, after an impaction in Rigsby (aged cob) just before Xmas, when it was cold. It really does encourage them to drink. It was supposed to be just for the one sack, whilst he recovered, but I have kept them both on it, for as long as it is cold.

The only drawback has been the baby horse being a wee bit more wide-awake, it does seem to have some grains in, and he was previously on sugar beet and low calorie chop, with a supplement.

 

[Munn]

To encourage my horse to eat more salt I put the salt lick in his feed trough and pour his feed on top. This of course only adds a small amount but he does tend to lick it as he doesn't touch it otherwise. After hard work I would also give him some electrolytes.

 

[Flowerofthefen]

I worked closely with a veterinary nutritionist for a few years whilst running a rehab yard. She was vehemently anti adding table salt to a horses diet as it is too harsh and concentrated and has been proven to irritate the hind gut, contributing to ulcers.
Table salt also only contains one mineral, when horses need a much more complex balance to metabolise the components of salt.
You’re far better feeding a good electrolyte after work - she always recommended the Science Supplements Electrosalts.
Now, this isn’t my information, as I said, this all comes from the vet I worked with who specialises in nutrition. I am inclined to believe her as the difference she made to my own horses, as well as countless others with very complex issues at rehab with me, was enough for me to trust her implicitly.

Both my boys have salt licks and I was adding salt. My old lad cribs and his cribbing increased dramatically when I added the salt. It took me a little while to work it out. I stopped feeding it and he went back to his normal . I don't add it at all now .

 

[DabDab]

I worked closely with a veterinary nutritionist for a few years whilst running a rehab yard. She was vehemently anti adding table salt to a horses diet as it is too harsh and concentrated and has been proven to irritate the hind gut, contributing to ulcers.
Table salt also only contains one mineral, when horses need a much more complex balance to metabolise the components of salt.
You’re far better feeding a good electrolyte after work - she always recommended the Science Supplements Electrosalts.
Now, this isn’t my information, as I said, this all comes from the vet I worked with who specialises in nutrition. I am inclined to believe her as the difference she made to my own horses, as well as countless others with very complex issues at rehab with me, was enough for me to trust her implicitly.

Yes true, I don't feed it to my horse who has a delicate gut.

 

[JBM]

I worked closely with a veterinary nutritionist for a few years whilst running a rehab yard. She was vehemently anti adding table salt to a horses diet as it is too harsh and concentrated and has been proven to irritate the hind gut, contributing to ulcers.
Table salt also only contains one mineral, when horses need a much more complex balance to metabolise the components of salt.
You’re far better feeding a good electrolyte after work - she always recommended the Science Supplements Electrosalts.
Now, this isn’t my information, as I said, this all comes from the vet I worked with who specialises in nutrition. I am inclined to believe her as the difference she made to my own horses, as well as countless others with very complex issues at rehab with me, was enough for me to trust her implicitly.

I was looking at safe salt from science supplements but I’m in Ireland so not so sure how the delivery would work

 

[milliepops]

I have always fed my ulcery one table salt so it is not necessarily an issue for all horses. David marlin has done some posts on salt which are on FB, he markets the science supplements stuff but still suggests ordinary salt can be effective.
Horse diets are generally high in potassium and deficient in sodium so that's why table salt is alright for horses in light work.

 

[Starzaan]

I was looking at safe salt from science supplements but I’m in Ireland so not so sure how the delivery would work

I was told not to go for safe salt, rather go for their electrolytes instead. The safe salt still doesn’t have the correct mineral ratios ?

 

[windand rain]

I just add it to the speedy beet water as in winter our water often freezes so salt in the water from home stops it freezing which is handy. They have fresh unsalted water available at all times of course

 

[JBM]

I have always fed my ulcery one table salt so it is not necessarily an issue for all horses. David marlin has done some posts on salt which are on FB, he markets the science supplements stuff but still suggests ordinary salt can be effective.
Horse diets are generally high in potassium and deficient in sodium so that's why table salt is alright for horses in light work.

Would you introduce it slowly or did you just Chuck it in? Judy (the horse) eats poop so I think she’s looking for salt? Ive tried mineral licks and she still ate poop while eating the whole mineral lick in 3 days ??‍

 

[I'm Dun]

I was told not to go for safe salt, rather go for their electrolytes instead. The safe salt still doesn’t have the correct mineral ratios ?

You are talking about it from an elecrolyte point of view, and that is correct. But horses do need large amounts of salt to balance out potassium. Nothing to do ith sweating etc, its just a basic requirement.

I feed table salt and then electrolytes on top as and when necessary. They serve different purposes

 

[blodwyn1]

I feed black salt from global herbs seems to work ok.

 

[MotherOfChickens]

I just use table salt, buy the cheap refills from supermarkets and put that in a Tupperware tub-they get it year round with more in summer.

 

[poiuytrewq]

I bought a big bucket of salt, it was really cheap even delivered. Not sure if it was from Amazon or eBay.
Also handy if you know someone with a cash and carry pass?

 

[Starzaan]

You are talking about it from an elecrolyte point of view, and that is correct. But horses do need large amounts of salt to balance out potassium. Nothing to do ith sweating etc, its just a basic requirement.

I feed table salt and then electrolytes on top as and when necessary. They serve different purposes

I am talking about electrolytes, but as I mentioned above, the vet nutritionist I worked with advises strongly against feeding horses salt. They need a more complex mineral makeup in order to metabolise sodium, so just feeding straight salt does nothing but potentially irritate the hind gut.
She knows far more about this than me though, id recommend her to anyone wanting to learn more about nutrition. Lovely Dr Casalis de Pury of Equicare Nutrition ?

 

[PapaverFollis]

Salt goes in the feed though? Not just on a teaspoon. So there's a complex of minerals in the feed?

 

[Starzaan]

Salt goes in the feed though? Not just on a teaspoon. So there's a complex of minerals in the feed?

It does, but if you feed the correct diet, and a good quality electrolyte in a recovery feed, you won’t need to supplement. Salt as an ingredient in a good quality balancer is added in line with the other minerals necessary to metabolise it. ?

 

[ycbm]

The first 35 years that I kept horses I never heard of putting salt in their feed and they all seemed fine. I started adding salt but I haven't seen any change because of it (I thought I did but it was just the spring grass coming through).

If it's necessary, how did all those horses cope all that time? I'm considering stopping it when my current 25 kg bag runs out.
.

 

[PapaverFollis]

I thought salt wasn't put in balancers because it degrades the other ingredients? So that's why we have to add it.

I feed to balance my forage and was told to feed salt. So I assume it is in line with the quantities of other minerals.

 

[I'm Dun]

I thought salt wasn't put in balancers because it degrades the other ingredients? So that's why we have to add it.

I feed to balance my forage and was told to feed salt. So I assume it is in line with the quantities of other minerals.

Same. Mine get a mineral balancer I make up to be as close as I can get to my grass/hay. I cant be 100% accurate as I buy in hay and it can vary. But I dont put salt in the balancer as it effects the other minerals

 

[I'm Dun]

Info on feeding salt

 

[Red-1]

Info on feeding salt

I don't feed that much, just a squirt. They do have a salt (Himalayan) lick freely available in the stable, and a salt/magnesium lick from Simple Systems in their turnout too.

If I give more than a squirt, they flood their beds with pee!

 

[MotherOfChickens]

I’ve been putting salt in feeds since the 70s, the YM we had where we had our first pony was an advocate and when I was a WP in the 80s we added salt. I don’t feed as much as some websites recommend and they always have a salt lick available.