Electrolytes for horses

Pegasus Health

Electrolytes are salts that are essential for many critical roles around the body. They need to be available to the body in the correct ratios for good muscle co-ordination, healthy heart function, fluid absorption and excretion in the body’s cells, nerve function, and concentration and the processing of wastes.

Salts and other important minerals are lost from the body when the horse sweats or becomes dehydrated through strenuous exercise or training, and in these cases Electrolytes for horses may need to be supplemented.


The main electrolytes are:

• Calcium
• Chloride
• Magnesium
• Potassium

• Sodium

Feed Electrolytes for horses to:

• Racehorses
• Sports horses
• Horses whose electrolyte levels have been impacted by illness
• Horses whose electrolyte levels have been impacted by medication
• Horses diagnosed with a dietary imbalance

	per 30ml
Sodium Chloride	5,000mg
Potassium Sulphate	782mg
Zinc Sulphate	220mg
Calcium Gluconate	156mg
Magnesium Sulphate	80mg
Copper Sulphate	75mg
Manganese Sulphate	50mg
Cobalt Chelate	11mg

Weight		ml per day
Horses	Hard work	60
	Maintenance	30
Ponies	Hard work	45
	Maintenance	15 - 30

1 Litre fed at 30ml per day will last 33 days.

When a horse’s kidneys are working efficiently, they manage the correct absorption and excretion of fluids and can balance salt and mineral levels if there is a small fluctuation in the amount of electrolytes in the body. A greater fluctuation in the amount of electrolytes in the body may call for supplementation with electrolytes for horses.



Sodium and potassium are normally filtered and excreted in the horse’s urine and faeces according to the level the horse’s body needs to retain. But the natural level of electrolytes can be impacted by illness, some medications or a dietary imbalance.

All horses rely on sweating to control their body temperature during exercise. Some 90% of a horse's weight loss after exercise is due to sweating. It is important that owners and trainers keep a close eye on this situation and that fluid and electrolyte losses are replaced as necessary, otherwise the horse’s performances will deteriorate.



As well as unexplained poor performance, other symptoms which may indicate a need for supplementing Electrolytes for horses include: listlessness, depression, sunken eyes, a dull coat and dark urine.



Electrolyte losses can be heavier if a horse exercises hard in hot weather. Even under normal exercise conditions, an average horse weighing 500kg could lose 10 litres of sweat in a two-hour period. This sweat would contain 60g of chloride - some 10% of the body’s total chloride resources. In hot weather, or if exercise is more strenuous, the losses can be much higher.



After a spell of prolonged sweating it will take several days of supplementation with Electrolytes for horses to completely make-up the losses of these vital salts.

Horses fed minimal amounts of forage may also need Electrolytes. Most commercial horse feeds will not contain sufficient Electrolytes to counter-balance losses through exercise, so supplementation may be needed.