I know I’ve seen this here somewhere before, but for the life of me, I cannot find it. I want to switch from blocks to loose salt. I can’t recall how much to feed.
iirc, it’s a teaspoon. . .or. . . it might be a tablespoon. I doubt you can give them too much, though, unless you’re force feeding it. I have salt blocks in all the stalls and I supplement extra salt for those horses who don’t drink enough water.
I feed loose salt free choice.
Also, loose minerals free choice.
Sometimes, they go crazy and eat a bunch. Then they might not touch it for a while. 
Per the horse nutritionist who balances my hay, I add a tablespoon of iodized salt to the balanced minerals I give each horse daily – two tablespoons during the sweaty months. I also leave a bucket hanging up in the run-in with about a 1/2 cup of free choice salt at all times. I check it daily and add more as needed. I do not leave a larger quantity out as it gets hard as a rock before they can eat it.
[QUOTE=Hermein;8105072]
iirc, it’s a teaspoon. . .or. . . it might be a tablespoon. I doubt you can give them too much, though, unless you’re force feeding it. I have salt blocks in all the stalls and I supplement extra salt for those horses who don’t drink enough water.[/QUOTE]
Well, you can feed too much if you’re adding it to the feed of a greedy horse who will just chow down everything without a second thought!
Yep you can certainly force-feed too much.
Is there a way to put the salt out for him to eat free choice? That’s really the best way, until you have someone who just seems to like salt and just eats too much :\
My anhidrosis horse gets 2oz of iodized salt in his feed daily. His hard feed consists only of whole ingredients (alfalfa pellets, flax seed, whole oats) with a cup of Fibergized for flavor, so other than hay and pasture, he’s not getting any other sodium source. He also licks his salt block daily, so I feel confident I’m not over dosing.
I have tried free choice loose salt and/or salt/minerals in the past, but it never worked well for me, it always seems to attract moisture and puddle/dissolve quickly and the horses lose interest and I eventually end up throwing it all away.
It’s usually a tablespoon if you’re adding it to the feed.
I always just hung a bucket and put a cup or so of stock salt in at a time. It’s so cheap in the 50lb I didn’t mind losing some if it got gloopy.
It’s 1-2 tablespoons per day. My mare won’t eat it in a block or free by itself in a bucket, so adding it to her feed is the only way.
1-2 ounces per day, and, fortunately, that is 1-2 level tablespoons. If the horse is working, up the amount accordingly. Best bet is iodised loose livestock salt, it’s cheap. Lots of horses will not use a salt block and some tend to chew a small block and get too much salt. The old guys around here always said salt blocks are for cows, give the horses loose salt.
I just hang one of those small buckets in the stall with a thin layer of loose salt in it, half an inch or so. Then they can get what they like. If it gets disgusting, I dump it and refresh. I also keep mineralized salt blocks in the run-in shelters.
Excellent! Free choice is good. If she doesn’t bother with it, then I can just add a couple ounces to her feed. Thanks, everyone!
[QUOTE=JB;8106164]
Is there a way to put the salt out for him to eat free choice? That’s really the best way, until you have someone who just seems to like salt and just eats too much :[/QUOTE]
I have a horse that REFUSES salt. I have tried plain salt blocks, Himalayan salt blocks, mineral salt blocks etc - and they NEVER get touched.
I have owned this horse since she was a foal and she has always been this way.
I do add loose salt to her feed, but I can’t add anywhere near a full table spoon, as she will refuse her feed if I do.
So, she gets a “sprinkle” most days, closer to a tea spoon on days when she was worked to a heavy sweat.
This horse has always been fit, great sweater, can go 15 miles in steep terrain in high heat without issue (we do not have humidity though).
[B]What are the signs of a horse being salt deficient?
How do “wild” horses get access to so much salt[/B]? (two table spoons seems like a lot - but that is what I have consistently heard recommended)
[QUOTE=Appsolute;8106737]
I have a horse that REFUSES salt. I have tried plain salt blocks, Himalayan salt blocks, mineral salt blocks etc - and they NEVER get touched.
I have owned this horse since she was a foal and she has always been this way.
I do add loose salt to her feed, but I can’t add anywhere near a full table spoon, as she will refuse her feed if I do.
So, she gets a “sprinkle” most days, closer to a tea spoon on days when she was worked to a heavy sweat.
This horse has always been fit, great sweater, can go 15 miles in steep terrain in high heat without issue (we do not have humidity though).
[B]What are the signs of a horse being salt deficient?
How do “wild” horses get access to so much salt[/B]? (two table spoons seems like a lot - but that is what I have consistently heard recommended)[/QUOTE]
I would be interested to know as well, Appsolute.
