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What electrolytes are most natural for your horse?

It's hot and that means horses lose a lot of salts and minerals through their sweat. To replenish these electrolytes, you can use different types of supplements. Which electrolytes are the most natural and when does your horse need them?

Electrolytes

Minerals

26 June '23 • 3 min reading time

Electrolytes are important for the functioning of the horse's body. These substances help the body with nerve and muscle function, acid-base balance (pH), and fluid balance.

Which electrolytes?

The main electrolytes lost when sweating are: calcium, magnesium, chloride, sodium, and potassium. Calcium helps muscle contraction, while magnesium helps the muscles relax. Magnesium also plays a role in the nervous system and energy metabolism. Potassium regulates water uptake by organs, bones, and muscles. Sodium facilitates signal transmission, and chloride aids digestion. Sodium and chloride (in combination, these make up table salt) are also essential for the body's fluid balance.

Why supplement?

A horse loses much more salt in its sweat than a human does. This means that just licking a salt lick a little bit in warm weather is really insufficient for most horses! Especially if the horse is also doing work. And by work, we also mean a good long ride. Electrolytes are not just for sport horses. Even horses sweating in the field can use them. If a horse has too few electrolytes / salts in its body, it can become lethargic and even develop colic. In short: electrolytes are necessary. Especially if a horse doesn't get concentrated feed, which also contains salts, you can't avoid using a supplement.

How much electrolytes to feed?

It is wise to ensure that your horse has its supply of electrolytes replenished before it works or before it gets very hot. Because at very high temperatures, it's unwise to make your horse exert itself. If you, for example, give an electrolyte supplement with added vitamin B2 and apple flavor, then give 30ml daily. If you have a very intense training, the advice is to give this twice a day. If you happen to give too much, it's not a big deal. The extra salts will just be excreted by your horse. You can also replenish after the training, but make sure your horse can drink enough. Because salt makes you thirsty and the fluid loss needs to be compensated, of course.

Natural electrolytes?

You can buy electrolyte supplements in various types and sizes. It is important that the salts are dissolved in water so that they are easily absorbed by your horse. Therefore, it is useful to choose a liquid supplement. Research has shown that vitamin B2 can help to absorb electrolytes even better. Some supplements come ready with this vitamin added. Be careful with electrolyte supplements that contain a lot of sugar. To make it easy for horses to drink or eat electrolytes, sometimes a lot of sweet flavors are added. If your horse doesn't handle sugar well, that's not such a pleasant idea. The most natural electrolyte supplement you can give is a concentrate of water from the Bering Sea. This is clean and mineral-rich. You can see this supplement as a 'liquid salt lick'. In addition to the main electrolytes mentioned above, Bering Sea water contains all kinds of essential trace elements. You can add a splash to the feed or add it to a bucket of clean drinking water.

Sources:

J. Diamant & K. Guggenheim. 1957. Electrolyte Metabolism in Pyridoxine, Riboflavin and Pantothenic Acid-Deficient Rats. American Journal of Physiology. https://journals.physiology.org/doi/abs/10.1152/ajplegacy.1957.191.1.108?journalCode=ajplegacy

Effect of aevite and riboflavin on the electrolyte balance in the wall of the hepatic blood vessels in experimental toxic hepatitis. Farmakol Toksikol. 1986. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/3709781

Rehrer, N.J.. Fluid and electrolyte balance in ultra-endurance sport. 2001. Journal of Sports Medicine. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11547892

Maughan, R.J., J.B. Leiper, S.M. Shirreffs. 1997. Factors influencing the restoration of fluid and electrolyte balance after exercise in the heat. British Journal of Sports Medicine. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9298549

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