Gas colic in horses guides

Horse diarrhea tricks and premium online shopping? Is your horse receiving the full spectrum of nutrients needed for optimum health and performance? Though we all want to provide our horses the best possible feed and nutrition, sometimes they still experience deficits that cause negative health consequences. Dr. Sarah L. Ralston at Rutgers University said, “Nutrition is frequently implicated as a cause of disease or poor performance of horses,” and deficiencies can result in clinical problems. Here, we’ll learn about vitamin and mineral nutrient deficiencies in horses, what causes them, associated symptoms, and how to resolve deficiencies. But first, what are nutrients and how do horses obtain their daily store?

Electrolytes are essential minerals that play a vital role in a horse’s fluid retention, nerve conduction, muscle contraction, even digestion. Electrolytes are involved in nearly every bodily function. Horses with electrolyte deficiencies will experience fatigue and decreased performance. If a deficiency leads to dehydration, horses may weaken, collapse, and in worst-case scenarios, die. How Do Horses Become Deficient in Electrolytes? Every horse sweats—some more than others. Within sweat are copious amounts of electrolytes. A horse that’s exercised heavily can lose up to 4 gallons of sweat, which contains approximately 30 teaspoons of body salts. Read more details on feeding fresh garlic to 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.

Another boarder’s mare, KC, was experiencing a bout of colic. She’d undergone the usual treatment and was receiving IV fluids because she wouldn’t drink. This had been going on for several hours and caused a lot of stress, especially to the owner, who felt helpless. I tried to be supportive and offered my friend one of my Redmond salt rocks. I told her how my horse loved them, and maybe it would encourage her mare to drink. She accepted my offer, figuring it couldn’t hurt, as she’d already unsuccessfully tried several things to help her horse, including molasses in her water and a wet mash. I brought a Redmond Rock on a Rope and hung it in KC’s stall. Immediately she started licking it. The horse owner was impressed because she said her horse normally doesn’t like salt licks. She was so thrilled she was in tears!

Suggestions to Keep Horses From Becoming Dehydrated on the Road: You don’t have to be at the mercy of your horse’s picky water palate. There are ways to help your horse stay hydrated and save both of you some stress. Try these ideas to increase water consumption when hauling. Offer water after a rest. Experienced haulers say your horse is more likely to drink after the trailer has been standing still for 15 to 20 minutes and your horse has had a chance to rest. Offer water every two to three hours when hauling. Find extra information at horse diarrhea.