Salt Deficiency is More Common than you think
- 11 minutes ago
- 4 min read
Salt isn’t just a seasoning—it’s a cornerstone of equine health. Whether your horse is a paddock dweller or a performance athlete, ensuring adequate salt intake is one of the simplest and most impactful steps you can take.
There are few minerals that are as cheap that can make such a difference as salt.
Forage is naturally low in sodium. Even lush pasture and high-quality hay can’t meet a horse’s daily salt needs.
Salt blocks aren’t always effective. Horses may not consume enough from a lick alone. They also don’t know the work you have planned for them, and so they may not take on enough salt in advance to compensate for sweat losses.
Sweat losses are significant. Horses lose large amounts of sodium and chloride through sweat—especially in hot climates, when rugged or during exercise. They also sweat during transport.
Potassium is generally adequate or in excess in pastures. High-potassium diets (e.g., lucerne, pasture) can suppress salt appetite, masking deficiency symptoms.
When clients ask us if they should add electrolytes, we almost always suggest starting with doubling salt. This is for two reasons - firstly many commercial electrolyte preparations are mostly sugar, and secondly, what is generally deficient after sweat loss is salt, so why not just supply that?
Salt is composed of sodium and chloride, both of which are critical for maintaining homeostasis and supporting vital functions:
Electrolyte Balance & Hydration
Sodium regulates fluid balance inside and outside cells.
Chloride helps maintain blood pH and facilitates carbon dioxide transport from tissues to lungs.
Without adequate salt, horses may become dehydrated, even if water is available.
Nerve & Muscle Function
Sodium is essential for nerve impulse transmission and muscle contraction.
Deficiency can lead to poor coordination, muscle cramps, and even staggering or weakness, especially in the hindquarters.
Digestion & Nutrient Absorption
Sodium aids in the absorption of nutrients in the small intestine, including glucose and amino acids.
It also supports protein digestion, making it vital for growth, recovery, and performance.
Metabolic & Reproductive Health
Salt supports milk production in lactating mares.
It plays a role in growth and bone development in young horses.
Salt is responsible for so many functions in the body.
Because a deficiency manifests in so many different symptoms, because excess salt is readily excreted in urine - and it’s cheap it’s worth ruling out salt deficiency for a plethora of problems that your horse might be experiencing.
Signs Your Horse Might Be Salt Deficient
Chewing wood, licking hands, licking the sweat off other horses, licking rocks or eating dirt (pica)
Poor hydration or reduced water intake
Lethargy or dullness, “more whoa than go”
Muscle cramps or stiffness
Reduced sweat output or abnormal sweating (sweating rapidly, or anhidrosis)
Decreased appetite or weight loss
Reproductive issues in mares
How much Salt Does a Horse Need?
More than you think!
500 kg horse at rest 30 - 50 grams
Horses in moderate work 50–100 grams
Lactating mares / heavy work (i.e. endurance) 100+ grams
“With regard to endurance horses, we generally try to replace about half of the estimated electrolyte losses from sweat. It is not uncommon to see a horse receive 30-60 g of electrolyte at the beginning and at every veterinary stopover during an endurance race in the heat. If the race is 50 miles (80 kilometers), there would be about three stops, and a 100-mile (160-kilometer) race would have about six stops, which would equate to the horse receiving 120-420 g of electrolyte during the race. Dose rates average out to about 30 g per hour, which is close to half of what a moderately exercised horse will lose in its sweat,” Kathleen Crandell, Kentucky Equine Research
Loose salt added to feed is often more effective than relying on blocks, since it's difficult to measure how much they are consuming, particularly in herds.
Start with 1–2 tablespoons per day and adjust based on workload and climate.
This is a case of "if a little is good - a lot is better."
Best Practices for Supplementing Salt
Supply a maintenance dose of loose salt in feed.
Supply a salt block so they can have ad lib additional salt.
Ensure clean, fresh water is always available.
If you are trying to replace salt and water after exercise and your horse won't drink, you can try a slurry made from well-wetted soy hulls (maxisoy) or beet pulp (speedibeet).
Know that horses typically excrete excess salt efficiently in urine.
Many more problems arise from too little salt than too much.
We sell Himalayan salt, both loose and as blocks. The main reason is that it is less processed, hand-mined, sun-dried, and unrefined, whereas other forms of salt are often highly processed and bleached.
For our own horses we supply 30g per day loose in feed, and horses have access to a lick to ad-lib additional needs.
Final Thought
Salt isn’t glamorous, but it’s foundational. Before reaching for the latest supplement trend, make sure your horse’s basic needs are covered. A pinch of salt might be the missing link in your horse’s hydration, energy, and overall wellbeing.
Even if you feed our salt-based Trace Mix - if weather is warmer, your horse is rugged, floating, or in work, you need to add additional salt.
If you aren't already using our Trace Mix (and you should be) at least add salt.
Recent salt studies:
The effect of exercise on salt intake by horses
Effect of form on equine salt intake
Oral Electrolyte and Water Supplementation in Horses
A Meta-Analysis on Quantitative Sodium, Potassium and Chloride Metabolism in Horses and Ponies
Comentários