Salt is a mineral that horses, and people, lose when we sweat. It also incurages horses to drink water.

 

Bump for OP (after moving from different subforum).

 

Salt/mineral licks are a very important part of horse care, IMO. They provide things your horse needs, especially when it is hot, but ALL year round. Like us, horses need potassium, magnesium, and of course ....salt. Sweating causes us and them to lose these things at a greater level than is sometimes safe. Even if it is cool and the horse isn't sweating, their diet can be lacking in these minerals....which is why it is a good idea to have one available all the time.


The fact that moo moo loved the lick is a good indicator that he/she needs one or more of these minerals/salt.

You did a good thing in providing one for your horses.

 

Moo will probably slow down with it once he gets to have normal levels of minerals. Unless it's a flavoured one? In which case he may eat it like candy...

 

no moo-moos cooled off now
Question... do donkeys need it too, and is it ok if it gets wet from the rain?

 

Oh how I wish I could have a salt block in my geldings stall! He ripped the metal holder off the wall, broke the stainless steel and all. In feed bin? Nope, he either puts it in his water bucket or on the ground to smash to bits.
...There's a big salt/mineral block in his turnout and he's out there 9 hours during the day..think that is sufficent? I never see him licking it and for the 3 months before he killed his holder hardly any was missing.
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yes, horses need to replace the salt they loose through sweating and have a Daily amount that they need to function properly (also the iodine in the salt for their thyroid)

there are now studies my veterinary hospitals that show most horses to be deficient in sodium

I give my horse LOOSE iodized salt. yes the same kind you find in the grocery store of they even have HUGE bags in TSC or other feed stores.

the reason I give LOOSE is because salt licks were originally made for cattle who have ROUGH tongues (kinda like a cat) so when they lick a block of salt they get more than a horse can because horses have SMOOTH tongues (like dogs) so they usually get less salt than they need )

that is why I give my horse loose because it is easier and faster for him to get the amount he needs.

 

yes, horses need to replace the salt they loose through sweating and have a Daily amount that they need to function properly (also the iodine in the salt for their thyroid)

there are now studies my veterinary hospitals that show most horses to be deficient in sodium

I give my horse LOOSE iodized salt. yes the same kind you find in the grocery store of they even have HUGE bags in TSC or other feed stores.

the reason I give LOOSE is because salt licks were originally made for cattle who have ROUGH tongues (kinda like a cat) so when they lick a block of salt they get more than a horse can because horses have SMOOTH tongues (like dogs) so they usually get less salt than they need )

that is why I give my horse loose because it is easier and faster for him to get the amount he needs.

And it's safe to give them table salt? Just wondering, How do you offer it to them? Do they make special containers? I'm just imagining offering it in a small bucket attatched to a stall rail and my gelding dumping out the bucket
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yes it is safe. buckeye also makes a loose salt product called Harvest salt that has added copper for deficient areas.

i put mine in a rubber flat pan. there are wall mounted containers that screw in ...so they can't really dump it.

most "mineral" salt blocks or 98% salt anyway (yes...regular salt)

i saw someone on here say something about sheep. do not give sheep,goats or any other ruminants access to salt blocks or supplements with added copper. it is dangerous to them.
( i am sure most of you know that...but just incase someone doesn't )

 

ok but i want to know if they can get wet in the rain, because we have rain a lot and not any shelter?

 

When I had horses, I put a brand new large salt block out in their pasture, and it proceded to rain for like 4 days afterwards... and almost half of the block was gone afterwards :/ (And my ponies were in their stalls for most of the time during the rain cause we had thunderstorms, etc., so it wasn't just them eating it).

 

They can get wet, but they will start to dissolve in the rain and wet weather.

 

ok thankyou beth (the donkey) isnt interested at all

 

yes, horses need to replace the salt they loose through sweating and have a Daily amount that they need to function properly (also the iodine in the salt for their thyroid)

there are now studies my veterinary hospitals that show most horses to be deficient in sodium

I give my horse LOOSE iodized salt. yes the same kind you find in the grocery store of they even have HUGE bags in TSC or other feed stores.

the reason I give LOOSE is because salt licks were originally made for cattle who have ROUGH tongues (kinda like a cat) so when they lick a block of salt they get more than a horse can because horses have SMOOTH tongues (like dogs) so they usually get less salt than they need )

that is why I give my horse loose because it is easier and faster for him to get the amount he needs.

And it's safe to give them table salt? Just wondering, How do you offer it to them? Do they make special containers? I'm just imagining offering it in a small bucket attatched to a stall rail and my gelding dumping out the bucket
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I kept my salt block right next to the water tub (no shelter either). Yes, unfortunately they dissolve faster then, but it still works.

 

lolz i go out today and my two sheep are hogging it

 

Just a word of caution, read the labels or recognize the different blocks available. There are the white salt blocks, the yellow salt blocks and the brown mineral/salt block either of which is what horses and donkeys need. However, there is also a Protein mineral block that is easily eaten in no time by our equine family that certainly don't need it.

 

my one is a big (20 kilos) brown one

 

i think mine is only 15%

 

wow I was wondering the same thing. I went to a tack shop today and they had these salt minerals that looks like rocks. I was curious if all that salt is ok for them. Sounds like it. Especially for my gelding who works everyday!

 

My local tractor supply was having a huge sale on the natural salt rocks... I bought ten. My horses love them and they don't dissolve as quickly as the salt blocks do. Unfortunatly, the regular prices are expensive. I'm hoping for another sale this fall where I will be buying a lot more.

Right now my girls are on sulpher blocks outside with a tablespoon of salt added to thier feed (I mix my own feed).

 

I wish a wall mounted container would stop me gelding -_- he ripped off his metal salt block holder. I'll give it a try though thanks!
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I have the round kind that your saposed to use in a likit. I ran bailing twine through it and tied it to the bars of the stall. She also has a BIG hymalayen(SP?) salt rock in a plastic mineral block holder.