Conference noted::equitation

    Have you tried feeding wet meals?  We have an older horse with a
    history of colic.  Knock on wood, since we've started giving him
    all of his grain good and wet, there haven't been any problems.
    He has a salt block on the ledge above his feed tub and he does
    lick it but it never seemed to have any effect on his water intake.
    When I fix his meals I let the pellets sit in water until they're
    mushy then add the sweet feed, mix it up with enough water so it's
    just covered and he loves it.  I think another feature is that he
    has to eat a little slower also.  And I know that he's getting about
    a gallon of water even if he doesn't drink anything from his bucket.
    And some mornings his bucket looks untouched.  I don't know if he
    notices, but it makes me feel better to give him warm water on these
    cold days.
    
    About the salt, I've heard or read somewhere that horses will eat 
    as much as they need from a salt block if one is available.
    
    
    gwen
    

    I have a 12 year old mare whom I feed salt daily under the
    recomendation of my vet.  I was quite concened as she was eating the
    bark from an oak tree in the field (and worried in case she ate the
    acorns).  He suggested giving her vitamins and mineral supplements and
    also suggested that I give her 1 tablespoon of table salt in her feed
    daily.  Therefore, if she continued to do this after being given the
    supplement then it would increase her thirst and "flush" through any
    toxins more quickly.
    
    She would not touch a salt and mineral lick in her stable so this
    seemed a good idea.  Apparently if it is fed sensibly and in moderation
    salt is a recommended part of a horses diet, as long as water is always
    available.
    
    Just my experience.
    
    Liz

    There is a man who owns a horse in the stable opposite me who feeds his 
    horse salt, when I asked him why he gave his horse salt, (before this 
    note came into existence), he came out with all this stuff about it 
    preventing many mouth problems including 'soft pallet` ?????????  Is he 
    talking a load of rubbish and being a know all (as usual).  Or is there 
    some truth in what he says, I ask this as I thought it was basically to 
    make them drink more as previously said.
    
    The reason I think this man is being a know all is because he tells me 
    how to look after my horse.....from telling me to give her one feed 
    daily (the equivalent of a small breakfast). and half a flake of hay at 
    the other end of the day to substitute her missing feed.  He also 
    reckons my horse has azatoria(sp), because (he says) I feed her too 
    much.  By the azatoria(sp) he means the stiffness my horse has in one 
    hind leg, which I know she has because she was kicked whilst fighting 
    about a week ago.  I thought azatoria(sp) was stiffness all over?
    
    I'm all confused
    
    Lynda

    Hi John,
    
    All my horses get 1 TBS. of Red Mineral Salt in their PM feed.
    
    I was having the same problem, the bricks would break, etc...
    
    I give extra if they have had a heavy workout that day.
    Some people like to give electrolytes, salt works somewhat
    in the same way. Salt is placed back into the system.
    
    Not only will it make them thirsty, but it also is essential 
    to a horse's health to "always" have salt in some form. I 
    guess it has to do with their muscles working properly.
    
    Salt is not poisonous if the horse is not given water for 
    a few hours. But I would imagine that like anything given
    in large qty's, it would not be good for them.
    
    
    T
    

    RE. 1811.3
    
    I haven't actually experienced azotoria (spelt correctly?) myself but
    my mare had it before I brought her - apparently if they suffer from it
    once then they are more prone to it happening again again.  I thought it had to do with
    the horse having too much protein and not doing the recomended work per
    protein given, the other name for it being "tying up", with it ususally
    happening in the morning after a heavy protein feed the day before.
    
    Also, from what I know, it happens to all of the horses muscles, they
    just freeze up, not soley one area of the body.  It's best to read up
    on it I think and not take this guys opinion.
    
    But mine's just another to go on.........
    
    Liz

    Liz
    
    Thats exactly how I thought azatoria affected them, maybe I should take 
    all this guy says with a dose of salt. (not very funny I know).  But is 
    there any truth in what he says about salt preventing mouth problems, 
    'soft pallet` etc?
    
    

    The reason that horses need salt, while humans tend to eat far too much
    of it, has to do with the high level of potasium in grass. People do
    not eat nearly enough greens, whereas horses eat mostly greens. The
    more hay and grass a horse has in its diet, the more salt it needs.
    Just like people, some horses don't eat a perfect diet by choice and as
    caretakers we can make sure they get enough by adding it to food they
    really like!
    Sandy

    Thanks gang!
    
    The reasons(which I forgot to mention) for my concern about adding salt 
    to this horses feed are that she
    	a) Has a salt brick available at all times and 
    	b) Eats about as much of it as the other horses do
    
    She(and all the others) gets a fairly liquid mash at night and hay that
    has been soaked and then drained.
    
    How many tablespoons = 1 4lb. brick?

    
    
    
    Just a thought...
    
    You might want to check the ingredients on your feed bags.  The feed
    may already have added salt.
    
    Simone

    RE: .8
    
    Don't know how many TBS are in a 4LB salt brick, but
    the Red salt comes loose in 50LB. bags at any grain stores.
    I get the Red salt rather than the White salt, because it
    has trace minerals. I'll try to look it up tonite and reply 
    here.
    
    T
    

    I've noticed this year the red grooved blocks fall apart too easily, 
    but the white ones don't.  I think it must have to do with humidity, I 
    never had the problem before.  Only the Morton red blocks stay together, 
    they don't have a coarse texture, but they don't have the molded
    groove so I had to install the 'pocket type holder.
    
    I got a new horse which seemed to be 'salt starved'.  He ate a block a 
    day for several weeks, and his legs stocked up so badly I called the
    vet.  He eventually leveled out his intake to 'moderately high' and he
    doesn't stock up now.  Both the vet and my vet book said that as long
    as the horse has access to plenty of water, a lot of salt will not hurt
    him. 
     
    Sharon

    Thanks Sharon! That's exactly the kind of experience I needed to hear
    about! If your horse was eating a block a day with no serious problems,
    I guess adding a little salt to a mash won't do any harm....