Salt for Horses

Sodium Chloride (salt):  It's one of the essential mineral compounds needed by animals.  Why?  It's part of our composition, and it's lost through blood, sweat, and tears (not the band!) It constantly needs to be replenished, and when horses are sweating more (like in the 110 temps we're having in Oklahoma right now), even more salt should be made available for horses.

Most horse owners are familiar with salt blocks, and they're an easy way to provide salt (and minerals).  The problem with salt blocks is that you can't control how much your horse is getting.  Many horses won't lick the block enough to meet their salt requirements, and some horses will bite into the block, getting too much salt and risking harm to their teeth or jaw.  Salt and mineral blocks were designed for cattle--they just spilled over to the horse industry because of their convenience.  Cattle have rougher tongues which make it easier for them to obtain their needed amount of salt from the block.  With that said, I fed salt blocks to my horses for many years without problems, and I do believe they're better than no salt at all.

The average-sized horse needs about 30 grams (1 oz) of sodium chloride a day.  Keep in mind, this requirement will go up (to 2-3 oz) if the horse is in work and consistently having sweat losses.  Even a horse just standing in the pasture when it's hot can have sweat losses and would require a greater amount of salt.

You may not know that grasses, hays, and most commercial feeds contain salt.  It is possible, though not likely, (unless you feed a large amount of a commercial feed) that your horse is getting the basic salt requirements (before sweat losses) without supplementation.  Oversupplementation of salt is believed to be unhealthy, so the best way to know how much to supplement is to calculate how much he is already getting in his diet.  This can be done by examining feed labels and having hay/ pastures samples analyzed by a company such as Equi-Analytical.  

Since salt is a compound needed by the body, salt deficiencies can have harmful consequences including reduced performance and  increased susceptibility to illness.  Consuming salt also encourages the horse to drink, and sufficient water intake is important for proper digestive function as well.

Whether you feed salt with a block or loose, just make sure your horse is getting enough salt in his diet. I feed loose iodized salt (the kind you get from the grocery store) to help meet iodine needs as well, but nearly any type of loose salt can meet sodium and chloride requirements for your horse.

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Economical Hay Feeding

Forage is the most important part of any horse's diet, and most horse owners understand this.  When we get in a drought situation like the Midwest has been in the last couple of years, finding (and affording) quality hay can be quite difficult, though.  Knowing how to make your hay last can save you a lot of money and stress in a situation like this.

If you're like many horse owners, you may feed round bales for their convenience and more affordable price.  Horses are notorious for wasting round bales, though--so are you really saving money in the long run?  I've found that when I feed a round bale on the ground, my horses waste almost half of it.  I had the opportunity to write an article about the economics of round bale feeders for The Horse last winter, and according to the study I wrote about, using round bale feeders can save you quite a bit.  I decided to give it a try.

I looked at buying a round bale feeder, but we decided to convert a homemade cattle hay feeder into a horse one instead.  It's pictured above.  Boy, did it make a difference.   Instead of having a round bale last two weeks before my two geldings stomped, peed, and pooped on it, I found that it now lasted nearly twice as long.  I'm not sure we would have made it through the winter with enough hay if we hadn't used it.  The only thing I would watch out for with round bale feeders is making sure they are horse-safe.

If you really want to save money though, I'm convinced that square bales are the way to go.  Sure, they're a little more work, but you can control how much each horse gets and have very little wastage.  A horse needs to eat approximately 2% of its body weight a day, so if you can get a fairly accurate estimate of how much your horse weighs, you can determine exactly how much hay you need to feed.  I bought a fish scale that I can weigh my hay with so I don't have to guess.  My 1200 lb gelding needs to eat about 24 pounds of hay, whereas my 900 lb mare only needs about 18 pounds of hay.

Whether you're feeding round bales or square bales, feed smart and you can save hay and money.  If you do end up running out of hay, don't panic--you can still make do with hay replacers like beet pulp or pelleted/cubed hay.  See this article for tips on feeding those.

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The Benefits of Beet Pulp

With the wide assortment of commercial bagged feeds available today, many horse owners can become overwhelmed when trying to choose the best feed for their horse.  A few years ago, I went back to the basics, feeding such things as whole oats, rice bran, and beet pulp.  If you look at  feed labels, these are common ingredients in most commercial feeds, but you can buy them individually much cheaper usually.  I'd like to focus on beet pulp for this post though--many folks just aren't aware of what it is or what it can do for the horse.

When you look at beet pulp, it hardly looks edible, but the horses don't seem to notice.  A by-product in the table sugar-making process, beet pulp surprisingly contains relatively little sugar itself.  Manufactuers usually add molasses for palatibility and to reduce dust, though.  Beet pulp contains approximately 10% protein and 18% fiber, making it easily digestible.  It comes in shreds or pellets, but most prefer the shredded form.

There are quite a few myths surrounding the feeding of beet pulp (despite the fact that it's a common ingredient in many commercial feeds).  One feed store owner told me it would 'swell up' in the horse's stomach and cause colic.  Others have said it causes choke or has no nutritional value.  These myths have all proven to be false, though.

While you wouldn't want to feed beet pulp as your sole source of nutrition since it's relatively low in vitamin and mineral content, it's great as a 'carrier' for minerals and can also be fed mixed with another feed such as oats, rice bran, etc.  Most people choose to soak beet pulp before feeding, but it can be fed dry.  The following are some of the benefits of beet pulp:

• Can be used as a forage replacer (up to 25-50% of forage) for horses who can't eat hay or when hay is in limited supply
• Helps 'hard-keepers' hold weight and can safely help underweight horses gain wieght
• Acts as a pre-biotic, setting up favorable conditions for the 'good bacteria' to grow in the horse's gut
• Contains relatively low sugar content, making it safe for obese, insulin-resistant, or laminitic horses in most cases (use non-molasses beet pulp or soak and rinse for the least amount of sugar)
• Safe to feed for older horses with dental problems when served as a mash

Beet pulp may not be the answer for every horse, but I've fed it to my horses for the last few years as part of a forage-based diet and have been very happy with it.  It may be something you'd like to add to your feeding program as well. 

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Hoof Flares

We've all seen a hoof flare--that unnatural outward bending of the hoof wall, usually on the bottom part of the hoof.  It's the result of many things, but commonly occurs when hooves are trimmed infrequently or incorrectly.   Flares have become increasingly common on domestic horses today, but a flared hoof is not natural and is definitely not healthy for the horse. 

While visiting a stable with a friend this past weekend, I was reminded of just how bad hoof flares can get.  The picture above is a horse that was supposedly trimmed by a traditional farrier just a few days prior.  Aside from having bad flares, the horse had two extremely unbalanced front feet.  For a natural trimmer like myself, it was a sad sight. 

A flare is simply a separation of the hoof wall and coffin bone.  It is also known as a stretched white line.  You can easily see a severe flare (like the one above), and many times, you can feel a slight flare if you run your fingers down the hoof.  They can occur on the toe or the quarters (sides) of the hoof. 

Flares are not comfortable for the horse.  You could compare them to your fingernail being pried away from the skin on your finger.  Every time the horse's flared hoof wall comes in contact with the ground, it's prying the wall away from the coffin bone.  This is why overgrown and flared hooves tend to crack and break away in chunks.  It's the hoof's natural defense mechanism for getting rid of the flare and the pain. 

So what can be done about flares?  They need to go!  You won't be able to get rid of a bad flare in one or two trimmings, but if you keep up with correct, frequent trimmings, you can get them under control.  Horses in wet climates are especially prone to flares and may need to be trimmed as frequently as every 2-3 weeks.  If you don't trim your own horses, which many of you probably don't, find a trimmer/ farrier who knows what the heck they're doing!  Even a traditional farrier should know that flares aren't a good thing. 

Pete Ramey suggests the flared hoof wall should be taken out of ground contact and beveled all the way to the sole.  This will put the sole in contact with the ground, but that is far more comfortable than a stretched white line.  The sole was actually meant to help bear the weight of the horse.  You can also rasp the outer, bottom 1/3 of the hoof wall to help eliminate flares.  You don't want to do too much at once, but this will help get them under control more quickly.  The goal is to get the entire hoof at the same angle as the wall that is growing down from the coronary band at the top of the hoof. 

Hopefully, this post sheds some light on flares for you.  They are a nasty nuisance to our horses, but they CAN be corrected and eliminated!

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Magnesium for Horses

Magnesium--it's more than just a symbol on the periodic table.  It's a major mineral that you and your horse both need!  Up until a few years ago (when I took equine nutrition courses), I had no idea of how important it was in the horse's diet.  According to Dr. Eleanor Kellon, VMD, "Magnesium is involved in so many aspects of the structure and function of the body that it's virtually impossible to think of anything that doesn't involve magnesium." 

The National Research Council (NRC) recommends 0.015 grams of magnesium per kg of your horse's bodyweight (per day).  While magnesium is found in forages and many commercial feeds your horse may be consuming, it may not be enough.  The only sure-fire way to know how much of the mineral your horse is getting is by testing your pasture or hay and closely examining your feed labels. 

Common signs of a magnesium deficiency are:

• irritability
• hypersensitivity
• muscular symptoms (twitching/ spasms)
• stilted gait
• reluctance or inability to canter
• difficulty controlling hind end when turning

However, these are also symptoms of exessive calcium, so you will want to make sure you're not feeding too much calcium instead (i.e.--alfalfa).  The optimum Calcium to Magnesium ratio is 2:1.   

Equine nutritionists and vets may also prescribe supplemental magnesium for extremely anxious or  spooky horses and also for horses with insulin resistance or laminitis.   Studies have shown observable benefits of feeding magnesium for horses with these conditions.

When I learned to balance my horse's diets, I found that they all needed more magnesium (along with several other minerals).  I have one horse in particular that I've noticed a considerable difference in since balancing her diet.  She's always been on the irritable side (or what I always called 'marish'), had extremely sensitive skin, and has been continuously sore in the back--all symptoms that go along with magnesium deficiency.  Since being on a balanced diet however, these symptoms have improved noticeably.

So where does one get magnesium?  It's a common ingredient in many supplements, but to solely increase magnesium and not other minerals, you will want to feed magnesium oxide or a supplement like Quiessence. I get my magnesium oxide from Horsetech, but I hear that some feed mills carry it as well. 

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Natural Trimming Basics

I've been trimming my own horses using Pete Ramey's natural trimming methods for the last two years now, and I can honestly say that their feet have never looked better.  We're not quite to the 'gravel-crunching' level yet, but I think we're getting there.

I know a lot of people are becoming more interested in all things 'natural', including the natural trim.  I think there are even some farriers out there who've jumped on the natural trimming bandwagon, even though they know very little about it.  To me, if you are truly a natural trimmer, you don't shoe horses as well. . .  One farrier even told my husband (who also went to farrier school) that he just tells people he does the natural trim and that gets him business.  If you're an owner and you haven't done the research yourself, you'd probably have no way of knowing.

I am by no means a natural trimming expert, but I have studied the method quite a bit and trim at least one horse a week.  For those that want to learn to trim their own horses or just want to know what a natural trim looks like, I wanted to share the basics.  This is by no means a detailed tutorial on natural trimming.  I highly recommend Pete Ramey's book, Making Natural Hoofcare Work for You or his dvd series, Under the Horse to learn more about it.  His website is a great place to start, too.

Before you ever attempt to trim, you should study a diagram of the inner structures of the foot.  The natural trim uses the coffin bone's shape and placement in the hoof capsule as a guide.  You should understand how to gauge the coffin bone's position before ever laying a tool to the hoof.  With that said, here are the natural trimming basics:

1.  Place horse on a level surface and note any imbalances or flares.  Note if the horse leans forward (sign of heel pain) or leans back (sign of toe pain).

2.  Use the sole callous as a visual guide for trimming .  Never pare or rasp into live sole, but do scrape away dead sole with your hoof knife.  It is usually powdery or flakes off easily.  Pay close attention to scraping away dead, chalky sole in the seats of corn (V between bars and wall near heels)--it tends to build up there.

3.  Trim the hoof wall so that it stands 1/16 inch above the sole.  Trim it just slightly shorter in the quarters (so that a credit card could fit under that area if the horse were standing on a flat surface).

4.  Trim the heels at the level of the wall, but never trim long heels drastically in one trimming.  You may need to work your way down in several trimmings.  (Yes, we actually want low heels!)

5.  Trim the bars level with the heels.  If the bars have been neglected, they may be folded over and run over part of the sole.  You may have to carefully trim them back with your hoof knife. 

6.  If the frog has any loose flaps, you can cut those away.  I tend to leave the frog alone for the most part though.

7.  From the outside of the hoof (usually with a hoof stand), rasp flares on the lower 1/3 of the hoof flat.  You want the lower 1/3 of the hoof to eventally be at the same angle as the hoof growing down from the coronary band. 

8. Finish off with the 'mustang roll'--a round beveling of the wall all the way around the hoof (except heels).  Using my rasp, I start the mustag roll from the bottom of the hoof, but then finish from the top using my hoof stand. 

9.  Inspect the hooves again while the horse is standing on a level surface to make sure hooves are balanced. 


And those are the basics!  Of course, I've left way more out than I've included here, but that's why there are books and dvds and entire websites dedicated to the natural trim.  Hopefully this will give you some insight though.  And if I can trim my horses, you can too.  Knowledge is more important than brawn here!

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Home Remedies & Acupressure for 'Gunky Eye'

First of all, I'd like to preface this post with the statement:  I'm not a vet.  If your horse has a condition that your unsure of, take him to a vet for a diagnosis.  With that said, occasionally my horses get gunky eyes for one reason or another, and I usually just treat it myself.  Three of them have the eye gunk currently, so I'm guessing that it's some sort of viral conjunctivitis (pink eye).  I thought I'd share a couple homemade remedies for treating conjunctivitis in horses and a few acupressure points that can help clear up eye problems.


Here are the remedies (borrowed from an equine rescue website):

Conjuntivitis Remedy #1:  
Steep several tea bags ( black tea is strongest ) in a cup of hot water (distilled water is safest). Bring to lukewarm temperature.  Wash each eye with soggy tea bag saturated in tea.  Wash carefully, do not break open the tea bag.  Use several tea bags for each eye to make sure the eye is thoroughly cleansed and do not use same tea bag on both eyes, it could cause contamination.  Do not dip tea bag back into tea, this will contaminate tea mixture, also.  The tannin in tea has antibiotic properties. 

Conjunctivitis Remedy #2:

Using unpasteurized honey, mix 3 tbs. honey in 2 cups of boiling water (distilled water is safest).  Stir to dissolve, cool, and use as an eye wash.  Unpasteurized honey has antibiotic properties.   

Note:  I haven't used either of these remedies yet, but I plan to as soon as I can get the ingredients. I'll probably try the first remedy since tea is cheaper!

Acupressure Points for Eye Problems

You can apply slight pressure with your forefinger to these points.  Hold for about 10-15 seconds or until you see a 'release' from the horse, such as head-lowering, licking, or chewing. The points are bilateral so use them on both sides of the horse.  If the horse won't tolerate you touching a certain point, just skip it.

Bladder 1: benefits eye disorders; located just in front of the inside corner of the eye (not on the eye itself)

Bladder 67:  clears the eyes; located just above hoof, 2/3 of the distance from the front to the back of the hind hoof on the outside of the leg

Stomach 1: used for all eye problems; located directly beneath the center of the eye

Large Intestine 4: benefits the eyes; located in the 'valley' on the inside of the 'knee' when you pick up the front leg (you have to feel for it by running your fingers around the backside of the 'knee' when the leg is held up as you would hold it when cleaning the hoof)

                                                Acupressure Points for Eye Problems

These are just a few natural remedies for treating gunky eyes or other minor eye problems.  Again, if you suspect your horse is ill or there may be something else going on, please see your vet!

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