Gas colic in horses tricks? According to the Merck Vet Manual, horses most often become deficient in these 12 essential minerals and vitamins. Copper: Deficiency may cause a dull coat, poor hoof, weak ligaments and tendons. Selenium: Deficiency may cause white muscle disease and rhabdomyolysis (tying up). Vitamin A: Deficiency may cause night blindness, watery eyes, bone and muscle growth defects, a dull coat, reproductive problems, and increased susceptibility to disease and infection. Vitamin E: Deficiency may cause muscle weakness, typing up, impaired immune function, reproductive failure, and neuromuscular disorders. Vitamin D: Deficiency may cause reduced bone calcification, stiff and swollen joints, stiff gait, and irritability. Thiamine: Deficiency may cause confusion, weakness, weight loss, incoordination, and gait abnormalities.
What are Equine Electrolytes? According to this article in Scientific American, electrolytes are chemicals that, when dissolved in water, produce ions with an electrical charge. “These ions have either a positive or negative electrical charge, which is why we refer to these compounds as electro-lytes. In the world of nutrition, we use the word “electrolyte” more specifically to refer to minerals dissolved in the body’s fluids, creating electrically charged ions.” See even more details at salt lick for horses.
Speaking of staying warm, it’s vital to warm up your horse slowly in cold temperatures. Like us, a horse’s muscles, bones, and joints become stiff in cold weather and grow more flexible with gradual activity. So walk your horse a minimum of ten minutes before moving her into a trot, and consider using a half sheet or exercise sheet during warm-up. Your horse will also thank you for warming her bit before fitting it in her mouth. A cold bit is a quick way to start your ride off on the wrong foot. Which leads us to hoof safety.
Redmond Rock and Himalayan rock are both solid, unrefined sea salt rocks. Both are mined deep in the earth and contain electrolytes and a plethora of beneficial trace minerals for horses. Both are natural horse salt licks and better options than a manmade pressed block. So is Redmond Rock salt a better choice than a Himalayan rock? Yes, we think so! Here’s why: 100% of Redmond sea salt rock is mined from our Jurassic Period mineral deposit in Central Utah and packaged right here in the USA. Redmond Rock contains around 93% salt and 7% natural mineral content compared to 3% mineral content of most Pakistani-mined Himalayan rock.
Water is essential to life, and a horse that’s not drinking can become dangerously dehydrated in just a few days. Your horse’s health is important, and hydration is key—but horses are sometimes fussy about water. Certain situations can cause horses to stop drinking, quickly putting them at risk for dehydration and colic. This is especially true when they’re on the road. You want to keep your horse healthy when traveling and ensure she’s drinking the minimum eight gallons of water a day. So how do you do that? We have some suggestions, but first… Read more details on salt block for horses.