Most “palatable” electrolytes?

[Dr_Doolittle]

My black WB mare (eventer) will not lick a salt block, and has no interest in a Himalayan salt lick either. I can hand feed her salt from my palm, but when I put it in her feed she will tend to let it sift to the bottom. She gets several powdered supplements and an RB, so nothing to hold it together!

I’ve used electrolyte paste in the past, but now that it is hot, humid summer I would prefer to add electrolytes to her daily supplement baggie. I’ve tried the usual orange flavored electrolyte powders, but again – she eats around them. Has anyone had success with a particularly tasty electrolyte in a form that she can’t eat around, and/or that is particularly palatable?

TIA!

[Jump314]

I have a horse like this and bought SmartLytes since it is pelleted instead of powdered. He eats it better than powders.

[Dr_Doolittle]

Ah, thank you!

[Scribbler]

My mare refused powdered electrolytes but loves water with salt and molasses. It tastes somewhere between blood and Dutch licorice.

I feed wet mash so any added salt is dissolved and can’t be avoided.

[JB]

You first talk about the salt issue, but then ask about e-lytes - ?

Smart Pack has a pelleted salt supplement you might try for that. Or, wet her food and add loose salt to that. How are the powdered supplements getting eaten and not sifted out of the pelleted ration balancer?

Apple A Day is one of the better ones from a variety of perspectives including, I hear, palatability. But I can’t say that it’s tasty enough to lick from the bottom of the feed bucket.

[sascha]

I’ve had good luck with Power Quench apple. Not a beat is missed when it gets added for the first time each year. That said, I feed soaked feed so ymmv.

Re: salt block - try a few different flavours (colours/mineral composition) and locations in the stall. I’ve had best luck with consumption when it’s directly above the feed tub and is plain old boring cobalt salt from TSC/Peavey Mart. Leave for at least 2 weeks before changing out to try something new.

[reefy]

My not at all picky horse refuses to eat SmartLytes which is really disappointing because they are so easy to feed! I have yet to find one she will eat so - she does not care for Apple A Day (the current try). She does have a himalayan salt block and it appears that she licks that sometimes. But that’s it. Still searching for something!! Super hot and sweaty here in the SW.

[Janet]

@JB

Apple A Day is one of the better ones from a variety of perspectives including, I hear, palatability. But I can’t say that it’s tasty enough to lick from the bottom of the feed bucket.

MY horses find Apple-A-Day tasty enough to lick from the bottom of the bucket.

[mep0726]

Another vote for SmartLytes pellets here (all of mine have always ate them). I have also used Apple-A-Day (mixed with wet beet pulp) if I needed to add additional electrolytes. If you call them, SmartPak will usually send you some trial samples of any of their SmartPak branded supplements.

[FjordBCRF]

I started Apple A Day a couple weeks ago and my gelding approves! It gets mixed in his supplements which are soaked with beet pulp.

[wildlifer]

Another vote for Apple a day. It doesn’t have a bunch of added sugar & all of my picky ones have eaten it.

[Dr_Doolittle]

Thanks everyone! Have tried Apple a day, and she just turns her nose up at it

Also, she will not eat wetted food. Period. This has limited my options over the years!

SIGH

Anyway, I will try the pelleted electrolytes; that sounds like a great way to sneak them into her.

[Knubbsy]

@Dr_Doolittle

Anyway, I will try the pelleted electrolytes; that sounds like a great way to sneak them into her.

The Smartlytes pellets smell like they’re supposed to taste (banana-something?) so that might increase palatability. My mare doesn’t like bananas but she’ll eat the pellets.

[carman_liz]

Honestly, tractor supply has plain old dumor apple flavored electrolyte powder that has more of a salt than powder texture. It smells like apples but tastes kinda salty. .yes…I tried it darnit. Lol. But maybe try something simple like that? 14 bucks for a large size, my pony gets half a scoop 2x a day.

[speculation07]

Saratoga vet products has a cherry flavored electrolyte supplement that I can feed to my entire 30 horse barn without a problem and the powder doesn’t stick to the buckets at all I get the 30lb tubs and it’s a little more $$ than apple a day but worth it to not waste grain etc

[SLW]

I mix equal parts Lite Salt & Table salt with about 20 ground up Tums. I give one tablespoon a day with no problems. I’ve not found a commercial electrolyte to add to their feed that they will eat.