SPOTLIGHT
E UINE ELIXIRS
You can lead a horse to water … and now, you can make them drink! WE ALL KNOW WATER IS ESSENTIAL FOR LIFE. But do you
know the many ways in which water impacts your horse on a daily basis? Water forms a layer along the length of the gut through which the absorption of nutrients is initiated. But that’s just the beginning. It also provides the medium in which all biochemical and metabolic reactions are conducted; transports hormones, antibodies, and the components regulating essential metabolic factors throughout the body; is integral in secreting substances onto the outer layer of skin and hair in order to maintain a barrier against infection and pathogens; helps regulate body temperature via evaporative heat loss of sweat; and carries waste out of the body. An average horse consumes between five and fifteen gallons of water a day, the volume of which is impacted by many factors including weather, exercise, and diet. Horses grazing on lush grass will consume less direct water because of the moisture content of the pasture. And horses eating dry hay will have higher direct water requirements. Typically horses consume more water during the heat and humidity of summer. But during the winter months in places where grass isn’t available, the moisture horses would have received from grazing needs to be replaced with drinking more direct water. Unlike human sweat, which is
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THE PLAID HORSE
composed mostly of water, horse sweat is hypertonic, which means it contains more mineral salts than water. The major electrolytes in equine sweat are sodium chloride and potassium (with smaller amounts of calcium and magnesium). The combination of high electrolyte concentration and sweating rates means that horses experience significant electrolyte loss during times of heat stress. Effective hydration requires the supplementation of both electrolytes and adequate amounts of water. Electrolytes play a vital role in helping maintain the proper osmotic balance of fluid in and around cells, and are necessary
December 2023/January 2024
for normal muscle contraction and relaxation. Without proper electrolyte balance and hydration, horses are at risk of fatigue and muscle cramping. Not all electrolytes are created equal. Electrofresh is a combination of mineral rich pink Himalayan and red Hawaiian salt with banana extract that is designed to mimic the minerals lost in equine sweat. Unlike other electrolytes that are high in sugar, dextrose, and color dyes, Electrofresh is a concentrated electrolyte with no added sugar that horses love.
