How much salt do you feed your horse?

[Jane&Ziggy]

My two have Himalayan salt licks and use them a lot, especially in hot weather. I didn't know I was supposed to feed extra

 

[HaloHoney]

I’m putting electrolytes in Flash’s feeds now and he is noticeably less sweaty.

They smell lovely!

 

[PePo]

Ah the eternal cob-owner's dilemma..... feeding salt in summer when they don't need a feed.

I put the majority of Pete's salt in water, making sure he access to non-salty water too. Solves that dilemia

 

[Kite_Rider]

My two have Himalayan salt licks and use them a lot, especially in hot weather. I didn't know I was supposed to feed extra

Belle too, I’ve been reading about this as was worrying after I read the thread, it seems for most leisure horses a lick, providing they use it should be enough, depends if they sweat a lot too though.
Belle drinks plenty, appears healthy and licks her block plenty, we don’t do enough ‘work’ these days for her to get sweaty so I figure she is probably just fine.

 

[Laura82]

I'm a bit late to this thread but I have just started putting salt in Williams feed.
We have just had a physio out because I felt he was having problems moving properly and she found issues in his back and he has shortened paces so she recommended a vet check him which he is in a couple of weeks. So I've been doing my usual Google searching and so many of his symptoms show up as a salt deficiency! He may have other physical problems but I'm keeping my fingers crossed that the salt help. (Sorry for the long reply)

 

[Trewsers]

I'm a bit late to this thread but I have just started putting salt in Williams feed.
We have just had a physio out because I felt he was having problems moving properly and she found issues in his back and he has shortened paces so she recommended a vet check him which he is in a couple of weeks. So I've been doing my usual Google searching and so many of his symptoms show up as a salt deficiency! He may have other physical problems but I'm keeping my fingers crossed that the salt help. (Sorry for the long reply)

That's interesting, hope the salt helps.

 

[Frances144]

I live by the sea. When there is a storm, salt is coated on everything. The boys have a salt block hung on their gate which they sometimes amble up to and lick. I guess as they don’t have hard feed, it would be hard to add it to. When we go south, we do take a salt lick.

Is there any science based research to support that they need more in their feed?

 

[Cortrasna]

I found this the other day when I was reading this thread, but didnt link to it as I couldn't imagine anyone would be as nerdy as me to want to read it

https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0168325&type=printable

 

[Frances144]

I found this the other day when I was reading this thread, but didnt link to it as I couldn't imagine anyone would be as nerdy as me to want to read it

https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0168325&type=printable

Thank you, I will show it to my equine stud manager! (Daughter wot is doing equine science masters at royal dick)

 

[Cortrasna]

https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0168325&type=printable

haha - yes I have actually printed it off for my vet to explain quite a lot of it to me when he is out next week - fortunately he loves nothing better than some interesting research and trying to explain it to a numpty like me!