Re: Redmond salt

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

-----Original Message-----
From: ChacoL@aol.com <ChacoL@aol.com>
To: ridecamp@endurance.net <ridecamp@endurance.net>
Date: Wednesday, February 10, 1999 3:13 PM
Subject: Redmond salt


>Sometime back on Ridecamp Redmond salt was mentioned as an alternative to
salt
>blocks.  I've read many times that salt blocks are made for cattle, not
>horses, and that horses don't have a rough enough tongue to deal with the
>blocks.


Don't worry about the TM salt formulated for cattle.  The primary component
is still just sodium and chloride and the contribution of most of the other
trace minerals included in the amounts that horses eat is negligible for the
most part.  So it's irrelevant whether they were formulated for cattle,
horses or penguins, as in any case they don't provide a significant portion
of most of the trace minerals included, and certainly not anything in a
harmful amount.  It's entirely up to you, and this is just my personal
opinion, but I really doubt that there's anything all that different about
Redmond that makes it worth a dollar a pound.

However, it is true that horses needing alot of salt to replace that lost
through exercise often can't get enough if they have to lick at a block.
Once the block gets slick and smooth, their tongues sometimes get sore
before they've gotten all they want, so loose salt is a good idea.  But
that's available at the feed store as well.  I just got a forty pound bag
last week, I think it was six bucks.

>
>So I ordered some Redmond salt (a loose, TM salt) from KV Vet Supply.  It
>arrived today, and now I can't remember how to offer it:  Added to the feed
>daily? weekly?  After a ride?  Fed free choice in a small feed pan attached
to
>the stall?
>
>I'm also wondering if there are any caveats to using it.


Yes, it's darned expensive for just salt.:-)


 I notice that in
>addition to trace minerals, it has a maximum 1.35% calcium (minimum 0.35%)
and
>minimum 0.02% phosphorus.  Would this mean that offered alongside a ration
>that includes  alfalfa hay at one feeding would raise the Ca:P ratio
>significantly?



The Redmond salt isn't being fed in enough quantity to worry about upsetting
or changing any mineral balances.  Even if your horse was eating 4 ounces of
TM salt a day, that's providing a maximum of only about 1.5 grams of
calcium, or about 7% of her daily requirement.  Not a really significant
source.

Anyway, the primary minerals being provided are sodium and chloride and
those are two minerals that animals are very good at regulating themselves.
So rather than trying to figure out how much salt your girl needs, just dump
it into a box or pan somewhere so it's available free-choice.  She'll eat
what she needs.

Seeya,

Susan G