F E AT U R E
This burning summer As a qualified equine nutritionist, LEISA HOFSTETTER from Hof Equine sees a lot of confusion surrounding horses and their need for electrolytes. She demystifies the subject for us.
H
ave you ever wondered if your horse actually needs an electrolyte supplement? Depending on what you are feeding them, the answer may well be ‘yes’. But how much, and what exactly, depends on a few factors.
The first thing you and your Equine Nutritionist need to consider is the horse’s current diet and workload. This summer it’s more important than ever to consider the higher ambient temperatures, and of course whether your horse has been affected by the drought, or by bushfires.
So what are electrolytes? Electrolytes are minerals with an electric charge that have important functions within an animal’s body. These electrolytes need to be at a specific level and must be kept as constant as possible. If the levels fluctuate too much, the consequences can be severe, and can even result in death if not treated promptly.
What do electrolytes do?
One of the functions of electrolytes – in horses as well as humans – is to
regulate water in the body. In other words, electrolytes help to keep water
at the right levels throughout the body. Some examples of electrolytes
include sodium, chloride, potassium, magnesium, phosphorus and
calcium.
With so much of Australia impacted by drought and bushfire, many horses have been adversely affected. The immense heat generated by bushfires can indirectly affect horses’ electrolyte
levels through excess sweating, and cause direct damage if
the horse has suffered burns. Burns to the body of a
horse can be fatal if not treated by a veterinarian.
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Part of this danger is due to potentially lifethreatening electrolyte level fluctuations in the first seven days after the burn incident.
