Comments on: should i supplement my horses diet with salt? http://www.healthstorebargains.com/blog/should-i-supplement-my-horses-diet-with-salt/ Mon, 21 May 2012 13:59:31 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.7 hourly 1 By: irishbarfight http://www.healthstorebargains.com/blog/should-i-supplement-my-horses-diet-with-salt/comment-page-1/#comment-5226 irishbarfight Sat, 05 Sep 2009 11:57:10 +0000 http://www.healthstorebargains.com/blog/should-i-supplement-my-horses-diet-with-salt/#comment-5226 Horses (like most animals) will actively seek out vitamins and minerals that their diet is lacking. Being that your boy isn't showing any interest in his salt/mineral blocks, I'd say it is a pretty good indicator that his diet is "well balanced" (for lack of a better phrase). My mare is the same way; she doesn't use her blocks. I do, however, keep a salt/mineral combo block in her stall holder during the hot summer months....JUUUUUUUST in case she decides that she's lost something from sweating, etc. I wouldn't directly add anything to his feed, just keep a block in his stall. If he needs it, he'll partake of it. If not, don't worry...they don't go bad, and they're cheap to replace from time to time. Horses (like most animals) will actively seek out vitamins and minerals that their diet is lacking. Being that your boy isn’t showing any interest in his salt/mineral blocks, I’d say it is a pretty good indicator that his diet is “well balanced” (for lack of a better phrase). My mare is the same way; she doesn’t use her blocks. I do, however, keep a salt/mineral combo block in her stall holder during the hot summer months….JUUUUUUUST in case she decides that she’s lost something from sweating, etc. I wouldn’t directly add anything to his feed, just keep a block in his stall. If he needs it, he’ll partake of it. If not, don’t worry…they don’t go bad, and they’re cheap to replace from time to time.

]]> By: partly cloudy http://www.healthstorebargains.com/blog/should-i-supplement-my-horses-diet-with-salt/comment-page-1/#comment-5225 partly cloudy Wed, 02 Sep 2009 23:51:36 +0000 http://www.healthstorebargains.com/blog/should-i-supplement-my-horses-diet-with-salt/#comment-5225 stress dex is an electrolite supplement, and source has a ton of micro nutrients. adding salt by hand to his diet will def. increase his water consumption, and make him urinate more. it does add stress to the kidneys, if he was getting enough salt from his feeds in the first place. my tb wont touch his salt lick either, and i feed a scoop of "source" in his feed every day. the only time i add salt (maybe 2 tablespoons) is in the winter when its really cold and he doesntdrink enough water. i only do it in the winter when i notice he isnt drinking much. stress dex is an electrolite supplement, and source has a ton of micro nutrients. adding salt by hand to his diet will def. increase his water consumption, and make him urinate more. it does add stress to the kidneys, if he was getting enough salt from his feeds in the first place. my tb wont touch his salt lick either, and i feed a scoop of “source” in his feed every day. the only time i add salt (maybe 2 tablespoons) is in the winter when its really cold and he doesntdrink enough water. i only do it in the winter when i notice he isnt drinking much.

]]> By: Pete Wentz Luver http://www.healthstorebargains.com/blog/should-i-supplement-my-horses-diet-with-salt/comment-page-1/#comment-5224 Pete Wentz Luver Tue, 01 Sep 2009 01:30:30 +0000 http://www.healthstorebargains.com/blog/should-i-supplement-my-horses-diet-with-salt/#comment-5224 Yes, if you have a salt lick or mineral block available. The horse will use it to it's own leisure. If it isn't used by the horse then that is OK. Yes, if you have a salt lick or mineral block available. The horse will use it to it’s own leisure. If it isn’t used by the horse then that is OK.

]]> By: bribri4ever http://www.healthstorebargains.com/blog/should-i-supplement-my-horses-diet-with-salt/comment-page-1/#comment-5223 bribri4ever Sun, 30 Aug 2009 21:33:35 +0000 http://www.healthstorebargains.com/blog/should-i-supplement-my-horses-diet-with-salt/#comment-5223 Does he really need the added salt? Even if he's not licking your mineral/salt block doesn't mean he isn't getting any minerals. There are an abundance of natural minerals in the soil that horses nibble up while grazing. I would think if he needed the extra minerals he would use the salt blocks that are available to him. Adding a bit of salt or a mineral supplement to his grain probably wouldn't hurt him any, but just make sure you're not wasting your time and money giving him something he doesn't really need. Does he really need the added salt? Even if he’s not licking your mineral/salt block doesn’t mean he isn’t getting any minerals. There are an abundance of natural minerals in the soil that horses nibble up while grazing. I would think if he needed the extra minerals he would use the salt blocks that are available to him. Adding a bit of salt or a mineral supplement to his grain probably wouldn’t hurt him any, but just make sure you’re not wasting your time and money giving him something he doesn’t really need.

]]> By: Katie A http://www.healthstorebargains.com/blog/should-i-supplement-my-horses-diet-with-salt/comment-page-1/#comment-5222 Katie A Sat, 29 Aug 2009 09:09:47 +0000 http://www.healthstorebargains.com/blog/should-i-supplement-my-horses-diet-with-salt/#comment-5222 If you use water buckets, and not automatic watering systems, make sure you track how much he is drinking. I only add salt to my horse's feed when he's not drinking enough water in the summer sometimes. If you have a 5 gal bucket, you should have to fill it up 2x a day. He should be drinking 8-10 gallons of water. If he's just in the stall overnight, expect about 4-5 gallons of water per evening. If you want to start getting him used to the mineral blocks, you might want to put one of the small ones in his feed bucket, and pour the grain on top. This will not only slow down how quickly he can eat his grain, but he will have to lick them a little bit while pushing them around when he's eating. Its a good way to incorporate a little bit without going overboard. If you see no significant reason to add salt, I think just putting a small block (you can also break it into 2-3 pieces) into his feed bin will help out. If you use water buckets, and not automatic watering systems, make sure you track how much he is drinking. I only add salt to my horse’s feed when he’s not drinking enough water in the summer sometimes. If you have a 5 gal bucket, you should have to fill it up 2x a day. He should be drinking 8-10 gallons of water. If he’s just in the stall overnight, expect about 4-5 gallons of water per evening.

If you want to start getting him used to the mineral blocks, you might want to put one of the small ones in his feed bucket, and pour the grain on top. This will not only slow down how quickly he can eat his grain, but he will have to lick them a little bit while pushing them around when he’s eating. Its a good way to incorporate a little bit without going overboard.

If you see no significant reason to add salt, I think just putting a small block (you can also break it into 2-3 pieces) into his feed bin will help out.

]]> By: paintgirl_h http://www.healthstorebargains.com/blog/should-i-supplement-my-horses-diet-with-salt/comment-page-1/#comment-5221 paintgirl_h Wed, 26 Aug 2009 16:18:32 +0000 http://www.healthstorebargains.com/blog/should-i-supplement-my-horses-diet-with-salt/#comment-5221 You have a couple of different options. First of all, I would buy a bag of loose horse salt, and put out a 1/4 cup or so of it in a tub and see if he licks it. My horses don't touch my salt blocks, but they do lick at loose salt, especially if I put out loose mineral at the same time. Salt blocks are ideal for a cow's rough tongue, but they don't work well for horses. I personally add salt to my horse's grain at certain times. I do not add salt each day, but during the winter months I will add a teaspoon or two daily to encourage them to keep drinking. I actually do not use a compete feed of any sort, so I know my horses are not getting salt in any other method. Instead I feed hay two times a day, and then daily give them whole oats, whole flax, some loose mineral (I use Hoffman's mineral, which does have some salt in it) and then I will add loose salt as well. Look at the ingredients in your senior feed and decide if salt is really high. If so, I probably would not add extra salt, but I would put some out every week so it was available if needed. I'm especially careful to have salt out when its hots and they're sweating, and in the coldest weather when they don't always drink enough water. I don't think there is any harm for a horse to have a teaspoon of salt added to their diet daily. I can assure you that they sift through it and leave behind what they don't really want anyhow. At the end of my feeding every kernal of oats is gone, some of the flax is left behind, and there is often some mineral and salt that isn't eaten until later in the day. So I think they can leave the salt behind if they really want, but at least mixing it in the grain encourages them to have some! I would talk to a good equine vet if you get alot of conflicting replies on Yahoo Answers! You have a couple of different options. First of all, I would buy a bag of loose horse salt, and put out a 1/4 cup or so of it in a tub and see if he licks it. My horses don’t touch my salt blocks, but they do lick at loose salt, especially if I put out loose mineral at the same time. Salt blocks are ideal for a cow’s rough tongue, but they don’t work well for horses.
I personally add salt to my horse’s grain at certain times. I do not add salt each day, but during the winter months I will add a teaspoon or two daily to encourage them to keep drinking. I actually do not use a compete feed of any sort, so I know my horses are not getting salt in any other method. Instead I feed hay two times a day, and then daily give them whole oats, whole flax, some loose mineral (I use Hoffman’s mineral, which does have some salt in it) and then I will add loose salt as well.
Look at the ingredients in your senior feed and decide if salt is really high. If so, I probably would not add extra salt, but I would put some out every week so it was available if needed. I’m especially careful to have salt out when its hots and they’re sweating, and in the coldest weather when they don’t always drink enough water.
I don’t think there is any harm for a horse to have a teaspoon of salt added to their diet daily. I can assure you that they sift through it and leave behind what they don’t really want anyhow. At the end of my feeding every kernal of oats is gone, some of the flax is left behind, and there is often some mineral and salt that isn’t eaten until later in the day. So I think they can leave the salt behind if they really want, but at least mixing it in the grain encourages them to have some!
I would talk to a good equine vet if you get alot of conflicting replies on Yahoo Answers!

]]> By: Juliane http://www.healthstorebargains.com/blog/should-i-supplement-my-horses-diet-with-salt/comment-page-1/#comment-5220 Juliane Mon, 24 Aug 2009 10:17:58 +0000 http://www.healthstorebargains.com/blog/should-i-supplement-my-horses-diet-with-salt/#comment-5220 If he's ignoring his salt lick, then he's probably getting enough salt and minerals from what you are feeding him and his body doesn't need any more. I wouldn't force it upon him by adding it to his feed unless you are worried that he isn't drinking enough. Otherwise I'd say his diet and chemistry are already balance through his feed. If he’s ignoring his salt lick, then he’s probably getting enough salt and minerals from what you are feeding him and his body doesn’t need any more. I wouldn’t force it upon him by adding it to his feed unless you are worried that he isn’t drinking enough. Otherwise I’d say his diet and chemistry are already balance through his feed.

]]> By: kevin h http://www.healthstorebargains.com/blog/should-i-supplement-my-horses-diet-with-salt/comment-page-1/#comment-5219 kevin h Fri, 21 Aug 2009 23:38:19 +0000 http://www.healthstorebargains.com/blog/should-i-supplement-my-horses-diet-with-salt/#comment-5219 If he has not touched his salt lick, I would not suplement. The feed that you are giving your horse probably has salt in it already. If he has not touched his salt lick, I would not suplement. The feed that you are giving your horse probably has salt in it already.

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