When Horses Need More than Water

By Ann Asher

Good horse care usually starts with the basics: clean water, quality forage, a balanced ration and common sense. Still, water alone may not be enough to help a horse recover from hard work, hauling or heavy sweating. Electrolytes can help in those situations.

Electrolytes are minerals that help the body manage fluid balance, muscle function and nerve function. In horses, the main electrolytes of concern are sodium, chloride, potassium, calcium and magnesium. A sweating horse loses these minerals along with water, especially sodium and chloride. That loss is one reason a horse can seem tired, dull or slow to recover after a long ride, a hard workout or a hot day in the trailer.

For most horses in light work, electrolytes do not need to be complicated. A horse on a good forage-based diet will usually get most of the minerals he needs from hay, pasture and feed. The one thing commonly missing is salt. Horses should have access to salt every day, through a plain white salt block, loose salt or salt added to the feed. Some horses do not lick enough from a block, so loose salt can work better for horses that need encouragement.

Electrolyte supplements differ from plain salt because they usually contain a blend of minerals designed to replace what the horse loses in sweat. They can help horses in regular training, horses that travel, horses competing in hot weather, heavy sweaters and horses expected to work hard for long periods. They may also help after an unusual amount of fluid loss, though illness, diarrhea, signs of colic or a horse that is not drinking always call for a veterinarian.

Plan ahead and follow the label. You can give electrolytes in feed, mix them into water or administer them as a paste. Many horse owners find that adding them to a small amount of feed works best, because the horse is less likely to reject his water. If you add electrolytes to a water bucket, always provide a second bucket of plain water. Never put a horse in a situation where the only water available tastes salty or unfamiliar.

Electrolytes support hydration. They do not replace water, and they work best when the horse has free access to fresh, clean water before and after he receives them. Giving electrolytes to a horse that cannot or will not drink can make a bad situation worse. If a horse is dehydrated, depressed, showing signs of colic, refusing water or not recovering normally after exercise, call your veterinarian instead of reaching for a supplement.

More electrolytes do not mean better care. Overuse may cause a horse to refuse feed or water, and too much salt without enough water can irritate the digestive tract and add to dehydration problems. Avoid stacking several electrolyte products at once, especially if the horse already receives a fortified feed, mineral supplement or extra salt. Read labels, too. A good electrolyte product should be built around sodium, chloride and other major sweat minerals, with little sugar or filler.

Timing matters, too. Electrolytes do the most good when they match actual need. A horse standing in the pasture and barely sweating may need only salt and water. A horse hauled several hours, ridden hard, worked in humid weather or sweating through a saddle pad may benefit from an electrolyte product before, during or after the event, depending on the situation and the product directions. For competition horses, test any electrolyte routine at home first. Show day is a bad time to find out a horse dislikes a certain powder or will refuse treated water.

Electrolytes are only one part of managing heat and hydration. Shade, ventilation, fitness, rest breaks, cooling with water and avoiding hard work during the worst heat all matter. An out-of-shape horse asked to do too much can get into trouble even after receiving electrolytes. Likewise, a fit horse still needs time to cool down and rehydrate after heavy work.

Used correctly, electrolytes are a practical tool. They can replace minerals lost in sweat and support normal recovery after a horse has been working, hauling or sweating hard. Used carelessly, they can create problems, especially when owners give them without enough water or use them in place of veterinary care.

Provide salt every day, keep clean water available at all times, save electrolyte supplements for horses that need them and follow the product label. When in doubt, especially with a horse that is not drinking or does not seem right, call the veterinarian. Electrolytes work best as part of good horsemanship and should never stand in for it.