Ask the expert
How and why to
use electrolytes
S
odium, potassium, chloride, magnesium and calcium are the five main electrolytes that your horse requires. They play vital roles within the body and are involved in most bodily functions including digestion, fluid regulation, the acid-base balance (pH) of the body and neurological functions such as muscle contractions. Electrolytes are lost from the body daily in urine, faeces and sweat. Horses use sweating as the primary way to remove excess heat from the body. Horses can produce 10-15 litres of sweat per hour during intense exercise so can lose a lot of electrolytes through sweating; approximately 9g of electrolytes per litre of sweat. Sodium, chloride and potassium are present in large quantities in sweat, and smaller amounts of magnesium and calcium. Whilst grass, hay and hard feed do provide some electrolytes, in most cases it is not enough to meet your horse’s requirements if they are in more than light work. It is common for horses not to be receiving enough electrolytes from their diet. This applies in particular to sodium as forage in the UK is often low in sodium. For horses in light work that are consuming fresh grass and a balancer, adding some table salt will provide the additional sodium and chloride that they need. For a typical horse adding 25g per day of table salt to their feed will provide them with enough sodium to meet their requirements. Whilst giving your horse access to a salt lick will provide them with additional salt, several studies have concluded that horses do not regulate their intake to match their requirements with a salt lick.
"Electrolyte deficiency is linked to fatigue and muscle weakness" Electrolyte deficiency Stephanie Mapletoft, MSc Equine Science, leads the nutrition team at Pure Feed and helps customers on a daily basis with nutritional advice for their horses.
Electrolyte deficiency can take months to become a problem, but signs include poor performance, decreased sweating, muscle problems such as tying up, poor recovery after exercise, thumps and increased risk of fractures. Electrolyte deficiency is linked
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features | endurancegb.co.uk
horse health
