This is an archived Horseadvice.com Discussion. The parent article and menus are available on the navigation menu below:
HorseAdvice.com » Horse Care » Equine Nutrition, Horse Feeds, Feeding » Electrolytes and Dehydration in Exercising Horses »
  Discussion on Electrolyte recipe for race horses
Author Message
Member:
rtrotter

Posted on Friday, Mar 27, 2009 - 1:06 pm:

Hi Dr. O,

I read the article on Electrolytes an Dehydration in exercising horses and found the recipe for supplementing electrolytes.

Right now, my horses have a mineral salt block in their stalls and are getting 1/2 cup of the Barn Bag concentrate. They also are getting about 1 tablespoon of molasses once daily in their feed.

Now that the temps are getting warmer and I anticipate more sweating during training and racing, I would like to supplement their electrolytes. Your recipe calls for 1 part lite salt and 1 part table salt, but I am not sure what 1 part equals. The only other measurement in the article says 1 level tablespoon = 1/2 ounce. I think I also saw where 3 tablespoons were dissolved in one gallon of water. I am assuming this is three tablespoons total ( 1/2 tbls lite salt, 1/2tbls table salt)

If I want to add the electrolyte recipe to their water ( 5 gal bucket) for before and after they race and train. Can I dilute the one gallon mixture into their 5 gallon bucket. They also have a bucket of clean fresh water, but usually after they have done a pretty good job of drinking the bucket with the electrolytes. I have used pre-mixed electrolytes (with glucose, so they would be more willing to drink) in the past.

They will normally drink about 3/4 of a bucket after they exercise and then I top that off with clean water and they will usually drink most of that before they get a fresh bucket of water at dinner time.

Thanks for your advice
Rachelle
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Friday, Mar 27, 2009 - 11:13 pm:

When you say "one part" this is a volumetric measure. So since it is one part and one part it means equal amounts of each by volume. This is how to mix the two ingredients (whether a few ounces or a few hundred pounds) and not the dosage. Dosages by the ounce are provided else where in the article which is why you are given the approxiamte conversion factor of volume to weight.
DrO
Member:
rtrotter

Posted on Saturday, Mar 28, 2009 - 6:53 am:

Yes Dr. O,

That's the reason I posted this question. 1 part could mean anything. Perhaps to make it clearer to us non-mathematical novices. The recipe should read:

1 1/2 tablespoons of lite salt
1 1/2 tablespoons of table salt
dissolved in
1 gallon of water= isotonic electrolyte mix.

1 gallon given approx. every two hours during exercise for most horses.

The problem I have with this is my horses will not consume 15 tablespoons of this mixture in their water, so I will have to adjust the mixture and build them up to it over time.

Thanks
Rachelle
Member:
noah

Posted on Sunday, Mar 29, 2009 - 6:25 am:

Rachelle,

It was recommended to me by my Vet last summer that I use 1 Tbsp lite salt, mixed with 1 Tbsp water in a dosing syringe and then add corn syrup and dose him with it before and after a hard workout. I did this for the week of our adult summer camp and never had a problem. I think, I'll have to ask again, the corn syrup helps with absorption?
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Monday, Mar 30, 2009 - 7:34 am:

Noah the Lite Salt contains too much potassium to make a good electrolyte supplement by itself and the reason you should make a mixture with equal parts table salt and Lite Salt. The corn syrup addition is fine in most cases if it adds to the palatibility or ease of administration. Some active absorption mechanisms may be enhanced with glucose but as to the necessity for absorption I don't think it is.
DrO
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Tuesday, Mar 31, 2009 - 10:05 am:

Rachelle and noah,
I went and looked at the article and really found the whole thing confusingly written. I have rewritten the whole article and though the recommendations have not changed I think it is much easier to read. Let me know what you think.
DrO
Home Page | Top of Page | Join Us!
Horseadvice.com is a BBB Accredited Business. Click for the BBB Business Review of this Horse Training in Stokesdale NC