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ES Epigenetics: equine nutrition programs the foal of the future.
July 4, 2025
"Any horse that sweats in the summer needs extra electrolytes to stay healthy," he said.
Not every horse automatically needs extra electrolytes. Only horses that sweat intensively or for prolonged periods, such as sport horses or those doing heavy work in the heat, really benefit from electrolyte supplementation. For horses at rest or light work, a lick and a good ration are often sufficient.
Electrolytes such as sodium, potassium and chloride are crucial for muscle and nerve function. Sweating causes loss of these substances, but the amount of loss varies greatly.
Too many electrolytes can upset the balance. It's not about "the more the better," it's about "how much fits your horse's labor?".
In addition, it is absolutely necessary To keep the horse well monitors. Notice:
This will give you a clear picture of the real need, and prevent unnecessary (or just too late) replenishment.
Using sweat blankets to measure sweat loss can be misleading. Much of the sweat evaporates directly from the skin and is not collected. Scientific averages provide a more reliable picture.
On average, horses contain 1 liter of sweat:
During heavy labor, therefore, a horse easily loses more than 30-35 grams of sodium and 50-70 grams of chloride - far more than a lick can provide.
Look critically at your horse's work and sweat loss.
When in doubt: measure sweat losses (e.g., with sweat blankets or visual assessment) or seek professional advice.
For recreational use: licks and roughage are usually enough.
For sport horses and heavy work: choose a balanced electrolyte mixture to supplement deficiencies in a targeted manner.