Re: electrolyte supplementation

[Michael I Lindinger <mlinding@uoguelph.ca>]

Heidi, I agree completely that electrolytes need not be used
when they are not required.

Mike Lindinger

On Wed, 29 Apr 1998, CMKSAGEHIL wrote:

> In a message dated 98-04-29 09:28:36 EDT, mlinding@uoguelph.ca writes:
> 
> << One also need to know the decrease in body weight of
>  the horse.  >>
> 
> You are, of course, right about this.  I forgot to add that on rides where
> researchers were present and horses were weighed, my horses have consistently
> been among those losing the least percentage of their body weight.  Have had
> this done on at least three or four occasions, and feel very comfortable that
> we are doing well with our policy of not forcing electrolytes into horses that
> do not exhibit a need and who eat well and drink well.
> 
> I am not saying that there are not times that one should supplement--horses
> are very different as individuals, and some DO require supplementation,
> sometimes LOTS of supplementation.  However, one MUST know one's horse, and
> not do it just because "everybody" does it.  I also must say that in almost
> every case of metabolic breakdown that I have had to treat at rides, with the
> exception of the Strongid C horses, almost all have either tried to pre-load
> electrolytes or supplement electrolytes as part of the feed program, rather
> than having them present for horses to ingest at will to replace depletions.
> 
> Heidi Smith, DVM
>