# How do you feed your  horses salt/minerals



## JadeWisc (2 September 2008)

I was just reading an interesting article about salt and mineral requirements for horses.  Apparantly the average horse needs 2oz of salt intake a day and should be fed mainly as a top dressing in granual form in feed or loose granuals at free will.


I mainly use a salt mineral block I leave in the pasture and this article states they will not get enough this way.  It claims that block form salt/mineral is for rough tongued animals like cattle and soft tongued animals like horses cannot get enough by licking them??????????
They clearly state they are for horses on them???

did anyone else know this and how do you feed it?


My animals seem healthy enough


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## ladyt25 (2 September 2008)

We leave a large salt lick and some of ours (the ones in work) also get blood salt supplements. I guess the feed we give probably has some 'goodness' in it mineral wise?

We have noticed frecently though 2 of ours have been biting and licking at a certain spot of mud in the field. I would therefore assume they are getting something form that. They have a good mix of grasses in their pasture and a LOT of grass but they must just need something else. Funnily enough on the same patch of grass./mud a few days ago there were a load of gulls feeding or whatever on it so there must be something in it. We do tend to get a lot of natural springs so maybe there is something good coming through the soil - who knows. They are all healthy, if they want to lick /eat mud then so be it!


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## JadeWisc (2 September 2008)

could it have been a spot wher an old salt block was?  We have deer swarm the old block spot all winter even though the block is long gone.  No grass will  grow there and the horses often lick that area too even when the block is in another area.




I just have  hard time believing horses need a rough tongue to get enough from a block but it was a prominent vet in our area that wrote the article.  He was the developer of "Equi-shine" and spends a lot of time on the nutritional needs of horses.


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## Silverspring (2 September 2008)

I only feed it through a salt lick, the packaging says it for horses or cattle 
	
	
		
		
	


	




 my mare loves it, though she can be a bit of a cow at time 
	
	
		
		
	


	




.  If my horse was lacking zing or was behaving as it they had a deficiency I would probably use one of the pre mix supplements to see if it help.  Sounds like you're guys are fine Jade, I'd just carry on doing what you're doing, if it's not broke don't fix it


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## ladyt25 (2 September 2008)

No, i don't think so, never put a block there before. it is a flat area they like to 'sunbathe' in and generally just mooch about so they can see who's coming and going (they are out in a field for summer  more out of sight of the stables so they like to get to parts of the field they can 'view' from!)

In our other field we actually have an old stone natural trough that fills with spring water all year round, the horses much prefer drinking from this than the automatic trough! I just wonder if there's something similar that has maybe redirected with all this wet weather to this other area. Who knows. I tend to think horses know what they want and need. We provide a lot of grazing, water, salt licks, feed etc but i suppose they know what they may be lacking and where they can get it.

As for the rough tongue - I am not convinced about that either. Ours will lick the salt lick for long periods at a time so I am sure they must get what they want at the time. I think we all worry too much about our horses!


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## Governor (2 September 2008)

G has a big pink lump of rock salt in his stable (the Himilayan ones - which I think is a gimic buy YO supplies them and they do last ages despite obvious use).
I sometimes feed electrolytes or more salt in summer if he's really sweating.

I know its a common response but where do they get 2oz of salt from naturally?!


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## joshesmum (2 September 2008)

Mine has a himalayan salt and mineral block and he loves it but i do see him licking mud sometimes.


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## Gorgeous George (2 September 2008)

I give George one of those himalayan salt licks and I hang it just over his hay bar and he often licks it as he munches his hay, I've always assumed this would be enough?


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## zoeshiloh (2 September 2008)

Ben has a salt block in his feed bowl - it was something that a top international dressage trainer/rider showed me - she said if you leave the block in their feed manger, then they lick at the block as they eat the food around it. It also stops them bolting their feed if you have a horse that is a bit of a keen eater.


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## star (2 September 2008)

i add a mix of salt/lo salt to his feed every day and he has a himalayan salt lick in the field and in his stable - he loves them and is always licking them.


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## JadeWisc (2 September 2008)

"where do they get the 2oz in the natural world"

I have no idea?  I assume just from pawing and searching ?





I think I am sticking with the "If it's not broke don't fix it "theory


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## PapaFrita (3 September 2008)

PF has a salt lick. It's MASSIVE; weighed 25kg when I got it and now probably weighs 24.99kg! I put it in her manger and she seems to find it very annoying.
I think it's nonsense about their tongues not being rough enough.


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## Tia (3 September 2008)

I have the huge blocks of mineral/salt.  My guys love them, they bite them, crunch them and lick them.  They definitely know how to get their intake of salt no problem!


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## ladyt25 (3 September 2008)

In would assume in the 'wild' horses would get their minerals from the water, different grasses and soil (by licking the soil) and obviously the natural minerals are present in natural spring water and will vary depending what earth it is running through. Most places where we keep domestic horses have mains water supplying troughs etc which is chlorinated and hence does not have the same mineral content of natural spring water.

That is what i understand anyway!


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## JadeWisc (3 September 2008)

[ QUOTE ]
I have the huge blocks of mineral/salt.  My guys love them, they bite them, crunch them and lick them.  They definitely know how to get their intake of salt no problem!  
	
	
		
		
	


	





[/ QUOTE ]


Mine bite on them too. Especially when you put a new one out. The corners get chewed off immediately


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