b"Arizona Ask the VetREAL COUNTRY SALTthe magazine P roviding salt used to mean just tossing out a salt block in the stall or Mike Barna pasture. These days, however, we know a lot more Publisher about our horses need for sodium. ArizonaRealCountryMagazine@gmail.com We normally think of salt more as a warm weather requirement. Horses do require about 1-2 ouncesErika Smith Royal of salt per day to help meet their requirement for sodium and chloride. This requirement can increase Editor to 4-6 ounces of salt per day in hot climates or erika963realcountry@gmail.com under exercise where loss in sweat increases greatly. Inadequate salt in the diet can result in abnormal eating behavior such as licking or chewing objects Misty Voitovski which have salt on them or licking/eating dirt.Creative Director Water intake may also decrease, increasing therisk of impaction colic. In more extreme cases,horses will stop eating and may experienceContributing Writers muscle incoordination.Lee Anderson, Bethany Braley,Cold weather salt intake is sometimes overlooked. Desiree Byrne, Kimmie Dillon,Horses do not lick salt blocks as readily as some other Charlie LeSueur, David McNeal,species even when the salt block is a comfortable Jim Olson, Robert Piekow,temperature. During cold weather, outdoor salt blocks become even less inviting.far, calcium deciencies are the most common. Bill Roberts, Alan Rockman,Phosphorus deciencies are common only in certain Bob Roloff, Hank Sheffer,Before you worry about anything else, be sure you'reareas where the soils lack phosphorus just like Buddy Uldrikson, Michele Wilson feeding sodium chloride rather than Lite Salt, whichselenium is decient where there is little in the local is blended with potassium chloride and does notsoils. A horse's total diet should contain about twice as provide adequate sodium. Sodium chloride comes inmuch calcium as phosphorus. While alfalfa is usually a dizzying array of forms and hues including whitehigh in calcium, grass, grass hays, protein sources like 801 W. Wickenburg Way blocks, red mineralized blocks, loose, iodized, sea salt,soybean meal and grain contain very little calcium Wickenburg, AZ 85390 kosher salt, and Himalayan salt. and are usually low in magnesium as well. Weeds, trees, and other broadleaf plants are high in calcium (602) 254-6644 You should probably start with a plain, white saltand are why many conned horses kill trees by eating block placed within easy reach and, if possible,the bark or why they eat up wood fences.ArizonaRealCountry.com protected from precipitation. For a horse at pasture or in light work, a block can suffice, assuming heWatch the block to make sure your horse is ingesting consumes enough of it. Unfortunately, horses can beenough of it. A good rule of thumb is a ve-pound salt pickier than a 3-year-old child and if he doesnt likeblock used by one horse should be consumed within the salt block you have put out for him, and it doesnttwo months. Keep the block clean and inviting to taste good to him, he wont lick it. He wont lick it evenencourage licking; provide more than one if you have if he needs the salt, needs the electrolytes or needs themultiple horses, and watch for bullying to make sure minerals. In fact, most blocks are an industrializedeveryone has adequate access.man-made lick, and many horses just wont lick them. Follow Arizona RealSupplement with granulated salt if you think a horse Instead of using common mineral blocks, try usingisnt getting enough with the block. Plain table salt Country for news, events,a natural mineral rock, such as a Himalayan fromis ne; kosher salt, with its coarser texture, is even Pakistan. This will get them to lick regularly again,better. If your horse is getting any commercial feed giveaways and more! help get their minerals naturally, and give them a trueor a vitamin/mineral supplement, skip the iodized trigger for hydration. salt. He's already getting enough iodine. Provide two to four level tablespoons of salt per day, according to Arizona Real Country is owned andDont use a mineralized block on its own. If youryour horse's level of activity and the heat/humidity, published by Barna Broadcastinghorse is already getting minerals in his concentratedivided into your horse's concentrate. Start with small LLC. No person, organization or partyor vitamin/mineral supplement, he probably doesn'tamounts and build gradually to a full dose to allow can copy or reproduce the contentneed extra in his block, and the bitter taste of theyour horse to get used to the new taste.on our website and/or magazine orminerals might reduce how much salt he consumes. any part of this publication withoutIf you do give him mineralized block, provide a plainConsider whether free-choice granulated salt, which one as well. The man-made mineral blocks availablecan be an ideal middle ground between a block and a written consent from the editorsfor cattle and horses usually have about 6-8 minerals.adding salt to feed, might work best for your horse. panel and the author of the content, asBe sure to check the ingredient list on the label. AFor this option, secure a bucket in a weather-protected applicable. The publisher, authors andnatural mineral rock can have upwards of 50 to 60location where your horse has easy access to it, and contributors reserve their rights withplus minerals. Most horses need macrominerals.keep it lled to the halfway point with granulated salt. regards to copyright of their work. Macrominerals are calcium, phosphorus, magnesium,Horses whose tongues get sore licking a block will nd and salt. Very few need added micro mineralsfree-choice granulated salt more inviting.or trace minerals as they are usually called. By continued on page 7ArizonaRealCountry.com May 2019 5"