Electrolytes

My gelding goes through this at the beginning of every Spring and throughout the summer.

He gets all drawn up in the flank areas, and not drinking much water at all. He has two 5 gallon buckets, and would only dink maybe 1/4 of both of them.

I got him on electrolytes and now hes back to normal. But my main concern is this....is it possible to keep him on them for too long?

All of my horses get electrolytes when they are working or when its hot... During the winter they don't get as much usually unless they are working really hard... Otherwise my kids stay on em!!!

Ok I was just curious.

He doesnt get them at all in the winter, but usually around this time of year all the way through until the next winter he does this draw up business.

I wanted to make sure there were no effects from long term use.

I know here in Texas, we need all the electrolytes we can handle during the summer!

Thanks Kidd!

You know, I've never used electrolytes... probably need to get some on hand, so I can't offer any help. I know at night, my horses only drink about a half a bucket... and I'm speaking strictly of Scamp and Jazz. During the day, they'll drink the whole thing.

Are you keeping hay in front of them at all time? Usually if you have hay in front of them at all times, they'll drink more.... usually!

He doesnt stay in during the day. Hes out on pasture until I feed him at night.

Hes also very sensitive, too much of anything and he colics at the drop of a hat.

He gets alot of hay at night to keep him busy until he goes out the next morning, but other than that its just pasture.

I really have to keep an eye on him, any little thing and hes down rolling.

I think if hes sooo sensitive that there MIGHT be something going on internally. I need to get some blood work done and see if there is anything going on in there.

How often do you wash out his water trough? The only reason I say this, is because I was out washing water buckets just then.

I've noticed that when I wash water buckets or whatever with Clorox, and rinse them real good, that they'll drink more water... maybe it has a differnet taste or is fresher... try that, wouldn't hurt.

Salt his Hay or feed, the salt will incease his drinking. Makes him thristy. Of provide all the loose table salt, Licking a block, IF you can get them too doesnt always to the trick. I find better results by putting it on the hay and or grain.

I'm assuming, B&B, that he's getting some kind of minerals and salt in his feed, is he not? If not, you need to start adding that; if they need it, they'll eat it; if they don't, they won't.

Ive tried the salt trick, and he doesnt buy into it. He always leaves it in a pile to the side of his feeder. And if I put it in his hay he wont eat it.

He does get his minerals too. I even put a mineral block in his feeder and put his feed on top of it. He does eat that block like crazy, it usually lasts a week.

His water buckets get washed everyday, cause if there is debris in it, he wont drink it. He will just let it sit there.

So do yall think I just have a picky horse? Lol!

Okay, first let's try something. Get you some loose minerals, and I'm sure they have the same kind I use up there... but I never can remember the danged name of it... it's in brownish-reddish sack - you need to put a half a jigger of that in his feed every morning. I'll get you the name of it in the morning. Have a salt block available, if he doesn't use it, then he's fine.

If he's on sand, I would try some of that sand colic mess that you can put in their feed.

If he's that gosh-darned picky and prone to colic, he needs to be on something that's working that intestine deal... tons of stuff out there - maybe somebody can help on that...

Remember last night that I'd washed my buckets out with clorox... well, this morning, Jazz and Scamp had sucked down almost every bit of their water... never fails. But that's what works for mine.

I don't use any kind of minerals blocks, except the same minerals that I feed loose... and when I do, it's only to the mares...but they go through it too fast and it costs too danged much, so I just stick it in their feed.

If you're feeding any kind of sweet feed, I'd stop that during the summer. Get him some kind of pelleted stuff with a high fat, low starch deal.

But I'll get you the name of those blasted minerals - I can never remember 'em! Sorry! But I'll update ya in the morning.