Sept 21 NL
Electrolyte Supplements
Electrolytes are a special group of minerals. They carry an electrical charge when dissolved in solution (like body fluids) hence the name electrolytes.
On that Periodic table of elements from chemistry class:
Na= sodium K= potassium Cl= chloride Ca= calcium Mg= magnesium.
Sodium helps nutrient absorption. Potassium works with sodium in the cell pumps like muscle cells (faulty in HYPP horses). Sodium and chloride (salt) are responsible for water absorption from the large intestine; cecum and colon. Calcium and magnesium help bone structure formation and muscle contraction. The wrong ration of Ca: Mg can lead to problems with these.
When to supplement
1. When the intensity of exercise and climate increases sweat losses.
The role of sweating is to cool the body by moisture evaporation. When it is hot and humid, the evaporation of sweat is limited causing more sweating compounding the effects of sweating.
2. In cold temperatures where there is decreased water intake which can cause an impaction of the large intestine. Adding salt stimulates thirst so the horse will drink more.
3. GI disturbances such as diarrhea. Sodium is not absorbed so the increased sodium and water in the intestine cause diarrhea and loss of sodium and water. This is corrected by iv fluids.
How to select a supplement
The ratios of sodium to potassium Na:K and calcium to magnesium Ca:Mg are the most important not the amount of sodium or calcium. The ratio of sodium to potassium is 2:1 or twice the amount of sodium to potassium. ( So if you are making your own electrolyte powder you use 2 times the amount of salt NaCl sodium chloride to lite salt KCL potassium chloride.)
The ratio of calcium to magnesium should be 3:1 for horses or 3 times the amount of calcium to magnesium so select a horse product with that ratio in the ingredients.
Ingredient list of electrolytes
The first ingredient should be salt NaCl . In many supplements the first ingredient is dextrose which is sugar. Sugar is not an electrolyte nor is it in sweat so it is not a necessary ingredient.
Salt is palatable (tasty) to horses ( like salted potato chips are palatable to us).
Review the ratios of the electrolytes in the ingredients to confirm that they are in balance.
1:2:4 is for potassium:sodium:chloride 3:1 for calcium:magnesium if the minerals are listed.
Feeding electrolyte supplements
Top dressing on feed or oral paste is the best. When electrolytes are put in water you don’t know how much the horse is getting and if there is dextrose in it the water turns sour. Electrolytes are safe so there is minimal risk if fed in excess. Most feeds and forages have electrolytes in them so there is no need to supplement in the cool months. When exercising or sweating in the hot summer then supplement. Also a salt or mineral block can be put in the pasture in the summer.
Electrolytes take 2 hours to be absorbed from the intestine therefore paste or top dress on a small amount of feed hours before the exercise bout. In cold weather, add a palm full or 1 tablespoon full am and pm on the feed to keep the horse drinking.
Olympic Equestrian Results
The US won a silver in the team dressage ( its been 42 years). Germany won gold of course and the Brits won the bronze. In the team Show Jumping (fences are 1.6meters 5’2” feet tall, 2 meters wide 6.5 feet and the water jump is 14’wide ), the US was in a nail biter jump off with Sweden, whose horses jump with no shoes just acrylic on their hooves, with Sweden with the most clear rounds won the gold, US won the silver with Jessica Springsteen, Belgium bronze. The eventing was won by the Brits, Australia silver, France bronze, US 6th. The NBC sports channel coverage was exceptional every day but in the NBC highlights at the end, not a photo or word about the horses, riders or equestrian competitions.
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