Re: carbonates/rocks in elytes?

["Susan Garlinghouse" <suendavid@worldnet.att.net>]

> riders not to buy electrolytes with calcium and/or magnesium in water
> insoluable forms.  Limestone (calcium carbonate) was considered one of
> the insoluble forms.  I dont think any of todays commercial endurance

Phooey.  Calcium carbonate is about 75% bioavailable for horses and 100%
available for ruminants and poultry.


> e-lyte formulas use carbonates as ca or mag sources, they tend have the
> calcium as a chloride salt, or calcim citrate which are supposed to
> dissolve and be absorbed better, or they get really fancy and they are
> chelated with amino acids (whatever that really means.) n

Some of the other calcium sources are somewhat more available---but not so
much that calcium carbonate should be disregarded.

Chelated means that you have a mineral of some sort bound to an amino acid.
The amino acid is absorbed and the mineral gets dragged along for the ride,
thus improving the bioavailability of the mineral.  It's value varies and
depends on how bioavailable (or unavailable) the unbound/inorganic form of
the mineral is.  Usually of most value with the microminerals such as
copper, etc.


>
> SO whats UP?  Susan is the horsey tummy (excuse the layman term) acid
> enough that the carbonates are dissolved just fine? and fairly quickly
> absorbed into the bloodstream, or they do take a few hours to dissolve,

There are a number of factors, such as acidity of the stomach, speed of
motility through the small intestine, tonicity (amount of accompanying
water), accompanying fiberous or fatty foods, presence of other potentially
binding molecules such as oxalates, phytates, etc.


> but pre-loading and giving often enough takes care of this? Or all these
> horses on homemade e-lytes just getting enough CA and Mag in their ride
> food that they don't need it in their elytes or what?

Don't depend on feed alone to provide sufficient e'lytes at a ride---there
isn't enough intake to resupply the loss from sweat.  Dont worry about the
use of calcium carbonate in homemade mixes---syringe little and often and
that'll do fine for most horses.  If the horse is still thumping, then it
often has to do with the feeding plan in between rides.

Susan G