Hi Karen,
Funny you should ask. I JUST finished a nutritional analysis and report
for someone in an area with very high mineral content to their water.
Based on avaerage water consumption, I cannot imagine a horse getting
more than two or three grams of additional calcium from the water
source. In this particular case, magnesium added another .75 grams.
Although it is a consideration, it's not really one you're going to be
able to control very easily. If you paid attention to the rest of the
diet, managing the overall ca-p ratio and keeping the total amounts of
minerals within a reasonable level, then in my opinion, any additional
minerals derived from hard water isn't going to make a significant
difference and isn't worth losing sleep over.
Very clever of you to think of it, though. Amazing to think that even a
few gallons of water can have even a few grams of minerals dissolved in
it. But then, I'm pathetically easy to amuse.
Thanks for the post.
Susan