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Discussion on 2 yr old filly- no salt for 3 months | |
Author | Message |
Member: Christel |
Posted on Friday, Aug 11, 2006 - 2:20 pm: 2 Days ago I brought home a 2 year old filly after 3 months (light riding, no hard stuff) at trainers- She is more hyper now than when she left- ie- easily spooked, and more verbal to pasture mates when separated. She was basically stalled the whole time at trainers- at my place she was and is now on constant turnout. She is slowly getting a little less hyper since being home and seems more relaxed. I feel the being stalled had a lot to do w/ her behavior, but....I noticed too she was really licking her salt block. I have since learned she had no access to salt while at trainers- I thought everyone knew to supplement w/ salt, but I guess not.I also keep a mineral block next to the salt block, I know Dr O doesn't recommend this, as they will go more for the mineral block and ignore the salt, but my horses partake of both blocks so I have continued to do both. My question- what are the effects of no salt? Could her hyperness be contributed to no salt? Chris |
Moderator: DrO |
Posted on Saturday, Aug 12, 2006 - 10:50 am: You have it backwards Chris: the horses consuming plain salt (NaCl) will decrease their intake of important minerals they get from the mineral block which is mainly salt. The mineral block is designed so that a horse consuming a normal amount of salt gets an appropriate amount of minerals. You foil this by providing regular salt as horses do not have a specific taste for the other minerals. You will find a explanation of the minerals contained in a mineral block and symptoms of deficiency at Care for Horses » Nutrition » Minerals and Nutrition.DrO |
Member: Christel |
Posted on Saturday, Aug 12, 2006 - 12:31 pm: Dr O, thanks, and thanks for setting me straight.Chris |
Member: Eoeo |
Posted on Saturday, Aug 12, 2006 - 1:40 pm: Chris, I don't mean to butt in on the conversation but what we do here in the NW, is feed the white regular salt block and then offer the Purina 12:12 mineral block alongside. The mineral block has a little molasses in it and they eat it free choice. Sometimes they will eat a lot of it and then go for days without eating very much. It is a nice balance. EO |
Member: Christel |
Posted on Saturday, Aug 12, 2006 - 4:21 pm: EO-thats what I do too, except my mineral block is made by Nutrena, as my feed store quit selling Purina and started offering Nutrena.My horses do the same as yours, I think the blocks weather away faster than they get eaten. I offer the blocks free choice so the horses are able to partake at their own pace. There are times they eat the mineral block (they dont lick the mineral like they do the salt) more than the salt, then there seems to be times they work more on the salt. I may pull the salt blocks, like Dr O suggests and see what happens. Thanks for replying, you are not butting in, Chris I have tried the loose horse mineral but it doesn't hang around long- we have too much wind. |
Moderator: DrO |
Posted on Sunday, Aug 13, 2006 - 3:39 pm: LKR, from what we know about horses and the way they select nutrients, especially minerals, your system does not make good sense. The problem is that horses do not have a specific appetite for minerals other than NaCl. For instance if they are deficient in zinc, there is no specific appetite for it and they will not seek out a source of this critical nutrient. However the desire for salt intake is coupled to a specific nutritional requirement which varies depending on availability from other food stuffs, environment, work load and health status.Mineral blocks are primarily salt but are formulated to provide balanced amounts of other nutrients when the salt is consumed that may be deficient in the diet. By separating them out, you uncouple the horse's desire for salt and a controlled intake of these other minerals. Personally I have known horses that remained healthy for many years with no supplemental source of salts and minerals but nutritionist all recommend making supplemental minerals available and combining them with salt you get a controlled regular intake that works well for the large majority of horses. DrO |