Salt in Diet

[clairev]

What does everyone do regarding salt in the horse's diet - do you add some or just rely on what's already made up in commercial feeds? If you do add salt - how much? Would be grateful for everyone's advise.

[Farm_Girl5]

I do not own a horse but my best friend does and she just puts a salt block in the bottom of their feed trough so they can have as much as they like!
Just a thought
Kristy

[summer]

I agree, its best to offer a salt lick, either safely secured in a holder in the horse's box, or a brick in the feed tub, or a big cube out in the field (although the rain tends to wear them away pretty quickly). Too much salt can cause serious problems, so let the horse decide how much he/she needs. If you find that your horse won't use a salt lick, speak to your vet, because it can be a sign of other problems.

[Laya]

At the stable where I board my horse, we offer salt licks for the horses. So as long as you have one on the wall of your horse's stall (or in a feed bin and/or someplace easily accessible) you're horse will lick the salt according to its needs.

[Allie]

We've got a couple of salt blocks out in the field, so the horses have constant free access. My horses live outside 24/7, so they have continuos access. If your horse is in a stall, you will probably need to give him his own personal salt block in his grain feeder or in a holder on the wall. If he is oonly turned out a few hours a day, he will probably be more interested in running or playing, so you will probably get better results with it in his stall.

Allie

[Medalia]

Well, we have a couple of the blue salt blocks out in the field and a couple of the brownish red ones. So they get what they want to have. You can tell if your horse isn't getting what he needs, because he'll eat dirt and things like that.

[Rick]

How about a 8% mineral block with salt in it. I put one in my horses stall and it lasted him about 5 weeks. This block was 40lbs. Isn't that a lot in 5 weeks ? He always acts hungry and I thought that this would give him something to do when he gets bored in the stall.

How much should one horse eat/lick?

[michal]

I am curious about the white salt blocks...I have read that this is also important to have access to - Have you heard this?

[Allie]

Michal- the main problem with giving just the red mineral blocks, is that sometimes the horses need the salt but not the minerals, so it can actually create a chemical imbalance. My horses have only a white salt block, no mineral block, and they do fine.

Allie

[JulieLINY]

I leave a mineral block in a holder in each of the horses stalls, but our standardbred gelding goes through the whole thing in like 2 days! He just licks and comps away! The vet said they shouldnt get them if they go through them so fast and that it could mess up their level of electrolytes, he should only get the lick if he's being worked really hard and sweating... anyone hear of that before? I always thought that horses should have one available at their convience all the time..

[cynthia]

you know, i think you might have a point, Julie, about horses that are frequently worked hard? see, i never noticed this until this thread came up, but i haven't spied any salt/mineral licks in the barn where my leased horse is boarded. there are about 15 or so horses, and while i haven't gone into each individual stall to check, i know Raven doesn't appear to have one, and i haven't noticed any others. we allllways had salt licks (just white, no mineral) in our horse's stalls when i was a kid; they never overused them, but also weren't worked a heck of a lot.

the vast majority of horses in my current barn are ridden quite frequently, and Raven is worked 5 days/week. maybe this has something to do with it? or maybe they have licks out in the field that i haven't seen or something; not sure. hmm...

[David]

Hi,
I have been reading this topic with great interest and what a variety of replies. I compete in endurance rides with currently three horses which are so unlike each other in their feeding habits. I had a huge problem with one of them, Sahara, as he is a naturally thin horse and it is almost impossible to put weight onto him. At one of the rides I discussed his problem with one of the vets and he suggested taking him off the salt in his diet and giving him just a salt lick.It worked well, he put on weight, not much and by giving him electrolites before, during and after the ride he had no problems in that respect. The other interesting comment that was made was that most mineral blocke were a total waste of money. If your horse is getting good quality feed there is no need for this expence. Remember that salt is an appetite depressant.