Do You Feed Salt? Do You Use Supplements?

newforest

Well-Known Member
Mar 15, 2008
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I have started thinking of adding sea salt, so the pony drinks more and flushes out the toxins of the spring grass.

I'm at new yard not been to in spring before and although he's just started on happy hoof, i'm in two minds about the seaweed and rosehip. Have heard you need to be careful of seaweed. Just finished using dandelion.

My thinking is really does the horse actually need it and do they actually absord it? I remember working at stables where horses worked 5 hour days on just pony nuts and beet with bran at weekends, i only remember one getting lami and spent day standing in stream.

http://thunderbrook.co.uk/products-and-services/
has anyone used this company? this is site i'm reading up on at moment., other one is simple system.
 
I have always had a salt lick available to the ponies. Now use a Himalayan one (lovely pink colour :rolleyes:). All of the ponies have always used them - but not to any excess; they last for some while.

I used to feed all sorts of different herbs etc, but now just have Blue Chip Lami Light. Much simpler for me, and particularly for whoever looks after the ponies when I am ill or away on holiday.

Ali xx
 
A lot of sources recommend adding salt to feeds daily, especially if the horse doesn't have access to a lick.

As far as other supplements go, it depends whether you think they're actually doing anything. Mine get various things added to their feeds, at great expense, but most of them do appear worthwhile :D
 
Have offered both our pair a salt lick in their stables, which is largely ignored! They get Happy Hoof or Healthy HOoves - and they both have Biotin daily and Joe has his joint supplement. Both of which definitely work! I could really tell a difference (as could farrier) when they went off Biotin a while back. Got them both back on it asap as it takes a few months to show a good result.
 
Horse feeds won't have salt added to them as it attracts water and will make them damp therefore it is advisable to add salt as part of their diet as not all horses will use a salt lick.

The best "homemade" salt supplement/electrolyte is to mix 2 parts normal salt to 1 part lo-salt and add this to their daily feed. I will scuttle to my feeding notes tonight and find the amount you should feed I think it's about 10-20g per day.
 
We always have a large salt block available in the fields, they all use it at some point, we put it a small way from the water and they tend to have a lick when they go for a drink, more so in summer when its hot.
 
I have a himalayan salt lick in their field and one each in their stables.

I feed Topspec Comprehensive feed balancer as it is a lot simpler then using herbs.
 
Horse feeds won't have salt added to them as it attracts water and will make them damp therefore it is advisable to add salt as part of their diet as not all horses will use a salt lick.

The best "homemade" salt supplement/electrolyte is to mix 2 parts normal salt to 1 part lo-salt and add this to their daily feed. I will scuttle to my feeding notes tonight and find the amount you should feed I think it's about 10-20g per day.

This is how I add salt to my feed as Iggs doesnt use his salt lick. I've been feeding 10g split over 2 feeds in the winter - in the summer will up it to 20g.

I also add seaweed - no idea if it does anything though as I already feed a balancer. Might take him off it and see if anything changes!
 
Thanks for letting me know the amount of salt, so far being doing 1 tablespoon of sea salt.

He is on seeweed, but i have heard you can overdose it, due to the iodine levels and one pony heard of got lami after being fed this.

Hence wanted to have relook at feeds, i'm always dubious of the other "crap" that gets put in it.
 
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