I am wanting to get a regular salt block and a trace mineral salt block for my mare but when I went to my local farm store they had a trace mineral salt block with selenium also.
Would it be ok to have all three out in the pasture for her the regular (white) salt block the regular trace mineral salt block and the trace mineral salt block with selenium or would she overdose on minerals from both trace mineral salt blocks being out there?
Thank you for any help 
What are the selenium levels in your area?
Trace mineral blocks with Se in them are usually so low in Se as to be ok almost anywhere (Colorado is a big exception), so unless a horse just starts eating one, pretty much not a problem, BUT, it’s a good idea to know what you area is generally like.
Why do you want both regular and trace mineral? The trace mineral blocks are usually still 99% salt, give or take.
She’s not going to OD on minerals just because there are 2 different kinds of TM blocks. She’s almost always just going to lick one or another based on which she prefers taste-wise, and that’s that.
Is there a way to use a loose TM block? That’s much better for horses, whose smooth tongues are not a consideration when creating those blocks - they were designed for cows.
I figured they couldn’t od on Tmb I’m not sure what the levels are but if they are low even in the tmb then there isn’t a point in getting both I’ll figure out what minerals she needs and get them. Thanks for the help!
I use Equilix tubs vit/mins all they need in it. Then put out loose white salt. My horses look fantastic.
I give a complete vitamin mineral supplement as well as having a 50 pound white salt block and a 50 pound trace mineral salt block. It is amazing how they go for one block and then alternate to the other. Right now they are attacking the trace and the white is untouched.
I always have both out.
Trying to figure out what minerals she needs is pretty labor-intensive, and ends up making you a bit nuts with micro-managing. You’re better off using at least a v/m supplement.
What’s the rest of her diet?
The more common minerals needed to be added are selenium (always test the horse’s blood, never rely on forage or soil tests), magnesium, copper, and zinc. Calcium will be necessary if your forage is really low, phosphorous if you feed all alfalfa.
If you feed all hay, they need Vitamin E.
Ration balancers and v/m supplements are the base supplementation that’s the easiest for most people.
You CAN get into customized supplements, but you need a detailed forage analysis first.
She has been on nothing but poor forage/pasture then alfalfa in the winter for at least the last 2 years not exactly what she might be low on though.
Here’s a link to the tubs i get www.sweetpro.com/products-equilix.html This is better then any salt mineral block.
Get a basic ration balancer if the horse can use the calories, and feed per directions. Or get a complete vitamin mineral supplement and feed in a small mash of beet pulp or alfalfa cubes, or in whatever grain you use.
Like giving a vitamin pill to a person.
Licks and blcks don’t let you ensure the dosage.
I also feed an ounce of salt in my morning and evening mashes and maresy still goes through a 7 lb Redmond rock in about 8 weeks.
Equilix is a very good product, I agree. I’d also wager it’s better than most trace mineral blocks. But it’s also a different category of product, so it’s sort of apples to oranges. And as Scribbler said, still doesn’t ensure any reliable intake. Horses can, and have, developed a taste for these things and consumed far too much. Not necessarily unhealthy amounts, but could become unhealthy if allowed to just eat and chow down on block after lick after block.
Sporadic licking is hardly anything.
They’re fine to have out as long as the horse isn’t eating them, but it’s still just better to feed controlled amounts of a stable source like a v/m or RB.
My horses consume plenty every day 50 lb tub is gone in just over 30 days. One horse will not consume enough feed to do any good. Neither will eat RBS so not an option.
Not telling you how to feed, just putting out more information for others who might consider Equilix as The Solution.
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