| I love to hear my horse whinny to me. The sound of | | | | feeding more than one horse sometimes horses will |
| his satisfied munching is another reward I find in horse | | | | bully others. More than one water source can help this |
| ownership. Of all the things we enjoy doing for our | | | | situation. |
| horses, feeding can be one of the most emotionally | | | | When feeding horses we must not overlook salt. |
| rewarding. Sometimes we can be guilty of "over-kill" | | | | Sodium and chloride (salt) is essential to many bodily |
| when it comes to feeding our horse. | | | | functions. Not naturally present in grasses and grains |
| In order to avoid causing damaging imbalances when | | | | salt is a vital nutrient that we need to add to our |
| feeding our horse we need to calculate the nutrients | | | | horses' diet. Horses lose salt when sweating and it is |
| the horse is receiving from his basic feed ration in the | | | | necessary for it to be replaced. A block of salt may |
| first place. Once that is established then a decision to | | | | be placed in your horses pasture. It will be available to |
| add supplements to his diet can be made. | | | | him when he needs it. If the horse has a balanced diet |
| Supplements can be beneficial to our horses if they | | | | a mineralized salt block will not be necessary when |
| need them. Overloading nutrients can be harmful when | | | | adding salt to his diet. In the winter additional salt (no |
| we are feeding our beloved equines and must be | | | | more than a tablespoon) to your horse's food at night |
| avoided. | | | | will encourage drinking as nighttime temperatures drop. |
| When feeding our horse we must not overlook the | | | | This can aid in preventing colic that sometimes occurs |
| significance of availability of fresh water at all times. | | | | as temperatures become cold outside. |
| Having access to fresh clean water will reduce the | | | | If given an opportunity horses will consume the salt |
| chances of impaction colic. This is very important for | | | | they need. Horses have a natural appetite for it. |
| horses kept mainly on dried forage. The horse will drink | | | | Sometimes horses kept in stalls will get bored and |
| more often if he is offered fresh clean water. This will | | | | consume too much salt. There is a solution for this. |
| help prevent dehydration in the horse also. In cold | | | | When feeding such a horse loose salt, an ounce or |
| weather heated water will encourage horses to keep | | | | two may be added to the diet. Table salt may be used |
| drinking water. Heaters for water tanks are available | | | | if the horse already has a balanced diet. |
| commercially that keep the drinking water at a | | | | As we give our horses food we must make sure our |
| palatable temperature. This will encourage them to | | | | desire to care for them does not conflict with their |
| drink more water during cooler weather. Often | | | | need to graze and roam. We must make sure we do |
| decreased water consumption as the temperatures | | | | not create imbalances in their nourishment. After all the |
| drop can lead to colic. | | | | time and money we put into our horses we want to |
| Another consideration if you have more than one | | | | enjoy them for many years to come. When we are |
| horse make sure there is more than one source for | | | | feeding our horses right we are well on our way to |
| water and easily accessible to all of the horses. When | | | | obtain that goal. |