A question about electrolytes for horses?

Question

how often should you give a working horse electrolytes? say for example a horse your training for endurance races. and do you know if your allowed to give your horse an electrolyte pasted during an endurance race?

just wondering about this for the last few weeks. . . any advice about giving electrolyes would be nice.

Answer 1

Your horse needs supplementary electrolytes during hard work or hot weather...

1.  as a general rule, whenever he's under unusual stress. This may include long trailer rides (of one hour or more), particularly if he's not accustomed to hauling, or if the weather is 80 degrees Fahrenheit or hotter.

2.  when he works in conditions -- heat plus high humidity -- that make it extra-difficult for him to dissipate body heat.

3.  when he sweats profusely.

4.  when he works harder or longer than he's accustomed to.

don't recommend giving your horse electrolytes -- except free-choice salt -- on a daily basis when he's not in hard training or otherwise under stress; daily extra calcium can actually impair his ability to mobilize calcium from his reserves when necessary. But if you're not sure whether he'll need supplementary electrolytes for a possible stressful activity, go ahead and give them. If you use an appropriate electrolyte source at the recommended dose, he'll harmlessly eliminate whatever he doesn't require.

When to Give Electrolytes

1.  An hour or two before your horse comes under stress from hauling or working. If you're hauling to a trailhead, give electrolytes before you load, then again before you start your ride if you hauled for an hour or more.

2.  During prolonged stress:

   A*On long hauls stop about every three hours to offer your horse some water and give him a chance to urinate, which is difficult for him to do in the moving trailer. Then give him electrolytes.

   B *On long trail rides give electrolytes every three or four hours. If temperature and humidity are unusually high for your horse (because, for instance, he's usually stabled during the heat of the day and turned out at night, or it's an unseasonably hot early spring day, and he hasn't yet finished shedding out), or if the terrain is more difficult than he's used to, he'll need electrolytes even during a shorter ride of two or three hours. This includes conditioning rides: If you're not using a heart monitor to gauge how hard he's working and how well he's recovering, watch for outward signs of stress -- rapid breathing and constant sweating.

At a rest stop, offer water and food first so he has a good opportunity to drink and eat first without the taste of salt in his mouth; save the electrolytes until you're ready to start out again. If he's been sweating freely yet won't drink or eat when you stop, he may already be in distress. Give him electrolytes, then let him rest -- preferably out of the sun -- while his body chemistry rebalances itself. If possible, help him cool by sponging him with water. You can continue the ride if his appetite returns within about fifteen minutes. If it doesn't, walk slowly back to the trailhead.

3. Finally give electrolytes after the work or other stress is done.

I hope this helps!  I am not familiar with what is allowed during an endurance race, but it seems like giving electrolytes would be allowed.

Answer 2

Never. I gave my horse an electriclight and he stranggled himself with the cord.  

Answer 3

you cannot give anything to the horse before it races.  I would give them electrolytes daily, but in small amounts.  the paste sucks.  Use the powder, mix it in the feed.  If you put it in the water they will only drink water when it is in it (because it is sweet).  so a scoop in the feed works

Answer 4

All of my horses get electrolytes :) We give it to them EVERYDAY as a suplement. Our horses get them in their SmartPak's but of course you can buy them in the containers.

I would recomend Apple Dex...IT DOES WONDERS!!! One of our horses sweats ALOT and the electrolytes really help him. The other DOESN'T sweat, so he gets One AC and the electroylites help keep him hydrated and the ONe AC makes him sweat. The other is just an old f**t lol and he gets them because his fur is always thick even after clipping = alot of sweat (he also paces when we leave to ride so he sweats then too lol)

I live in a very hot and very very humid area...so (especially in the summer) I would SOOOO recomend getting them. It helps the horses out alot :)

http://www.allivet.com/APPLE-DEX-p/25376...

Oh, and if you ar doing endurance...I am sure they will let it pass because it really is for the beniefit of the horse. I don;t do endurance so I could be positive on it...you may want to look it up or ask the people running the race

GOOD LUCK...xD

Answer 5

You can use salt. Yoiu don't have to worry about giving your horse too much. I always give my QH a handfull and then fill up his waterbucket. he will drink almost the whole bucket and then he is ready to run some barrels. I also do it about 15 minutes after too. It keeps him hydrated, and makes him faster.