Animal health

Electrolytes – Vital salts for the horse’s body!

Electrolytes – Vital salts for the horse’s body!

ELECTROLYTES - A term everyone has heard of, but hardly anyone can explain. Let us break it down for you!

Electrolytes – Vital salts for the horse’s body!

After a strenuous training session or competition, horses are often drenched in sweat. But is that actually healthy? Which substances are lost during this process, and most importantly, how can I replenish these substances in my horse?

Electrolytes include salts such as sodium, potassium, calcium, and magnesium. These are electrical charge carriers and are essential for the cells' survival. Their composition is precisely balanced in the body so that if altered, the cells can no longer function and usually die.

It is common, especially in summer, for horses to suffer from electrolyte deficiency. The cause lies in the increased sweating, which results in too many electrolytes being excreted from the body.

At temperatures around 20°C, an adult horse loses approximately 1 liter of sweat per hour. A distance horse loses about 35 liters of water and at least 300 grams of minerals during a ride. Even less strenuous rides cause a water loss of 18-20 liters and an electrolyte loss of 200 grams.

This leads to disturbances in the acid-base balance and the water balance, which impair the interaction of nerve and muscle cells and slow down blood circulation. Signs of such a deficiency include fatigue and drowsiness, muscle weakness, arrhythmia, as well as circulatory problems and diarrhea.

Such an electrolyte deficiency should be treated as soon as possible. Otherwise, the blood thickens, causing poor muscle circulation and the destruction of muscle cells.

An appropriate treatment looks like this:

First, the horse should always have access to plenty of water. Additionally, highly developed electrolyte supplements are available to "replenish" the electrolyte stores. These come in the form of powders and pastes, which are particularly useful for competitions.

If high exertion is expected, it is recommended to feed the supplement several days before and also after the event. If the horse is subjected to prolonged high exertion, the supplement should also be provided continuously. The electrolytes that are not needed by the body are excreted through urine, so the risk of an electrolyte overdose is low.

It is also advisable to provide ample hay, as it creates a large electrolyte and water reservoir in the large intestine.

Our product recommendations for electrolyte balance are:

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