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electrolyte supplements to maintain proper fluid balance and prevent dehydration.”
Uckele encourages the inclusion of betaine (also known as trimethylglycine or TMG), in a horse’s diet. “Betaine is a compound found in beet roots, broccoli, spinach, fresh legumes, eggs, fish and liver,” he says. “Beets are the richest, most concentrated source.” In the horse, Uckele explains, betaine attracts water and protects the cells of the body from environmental stresses and dehydration. Te accumulation of betaine in the horse’s cells permits cellular water retention and protects from the possibility of dehydration.
According to Jim Helfter of Advanced Biological Concepts, the horse’s digestive tract must be healthy and his diet must be balanced for the proper absorption of electrolytes. “Electrolyte demand is dependent on a number of factors, including riding conditions, temperature, humidity, elevation and the condition of the horse,” Helfter explains. “Te required quantity of electrolytes is often misunderstood. A horse should be observed when he’s being given electrolytes. If he is constantly rejecting an electrolyte product, [that product] should be appraised again.”
ENCOURAGING WATER CONSUMPTION F
ree access to a clean water source cannot be over- emphasized. Slime-free water tanks and scrubbed buckets, appropriately positioned (i.e., far from the
manure pile) are much more inviting than dirty troughs with floating debris.
Some horses are averse to drinking water that’s not familiar to them. Plan ahead when traveling with your horse, hauling water from home. “Disguise” foreign water with flavorful additives such as peppermints, apple juice, or other fruity drinks.
Dr. Ormston suggests filtering water to remove odd tastes from various water sources, and encourages the use of drinking water hoses (as opposed to garden hoses) when filling your horse’s water trough.
A small portion of a horse’s daily water intake is ingested through his feed. Soaked hay, for example, can provide your horse with as much as 2 gallons of water. Salt blocks or free choice sea salt may encourage your horse to drink more, with the added benefit of providing the sodium necessary to help control body fluid.
It’s helpful to know that horses get the thirst signal more slowly than humans. According to the “Ask the Doctor” page at Tufts Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine, “this is because in humans, Na+ is less concentrated in sweat, so sodium becomes more concentrated in the blood, and the thirst signal goes out quickly. In horses, the sweat glands are very poor at conserving Na+ so even though the horse has lost a large amount of water and Na+, the signal does not go out for the horse to drink until a serious drop in blood volume occurs due to dehydration.
Holistic Horse™ • June/July 2010 • Vol.16, Issue 67
Consequently, even though your horse is clearly dehydrated, when you lead him to water you can’t make him drink! He’s not stubborn -- his body is just not giving him an early enough warning signal.”
So, be patient after your ride, remain vigilant during all weather conditions, and know the signs and symptoms of equine dehydration.
Sources:
www.abcplus.biz;
www.horsequencher.com;
www.jubileeac.com;
www.practicalhorsekeeping.com;
www.tufts.edu;
www.uckele.com
Ellen Haight, Editor of Holistic Horse, enjoys recreational rides with her 23-year-old large pony in the Rocky Mountains of south- central Colorado.
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