Horse Licks

Why do horses need licks?

Licks for horses come in different forms. Either they compensate for a loss of the electrolytes sodium, potassium and chlorine or they contain minerals.
Electrolytes regulate important processes in the body, such as nerve and muscle function and acid-base water balance. They are mainly lost through sweat, which is why the horse needs free access to a salt source to compensate for the losses. If it is denied licking at a salt source, deficiency symptoms, for example muscle cramps or sore muscles, can occur in the long run.
Therefore, a salt lick for horses can make sense when the horse

• Performs strenuous work
• Sweats at high temperatures
• Is ill
• Or is being transported for long periods of time.

How much salt does a horse need?

The amount of salt needed daily is highly dependent on the size of the horse and its workload. A warmblood needs more salt than a pony and a very sweaty horse has higher electrolyte losses than a horse that has not sweated after riding. It is estimated that a 600kg horse needs about 12g of salt per day in moderate work. In sport horses, on the other hand, the need for minerals is 20% higher than in other horses. Per litre of sweat, approx. 8.5g of sodium chloride are needed.
In order for the horse to regulate its electrolyte balance itself, free access to a salt source is necessary. In nature, this can be tree bark or roots. Sometimes horses also resort to salty soil substrate. In horse keeping where these natural salt sources are not available, sodium chloride should be provided in the form of a salt lick.

When does a mineral lick make sense?

Mineral licks are mixed with minerals and sometimes other ingredients such as herbs. They are available either as pressed cubes or in lick bowls. There are also different flavours and different compositions. When buying a suitable mineral lick for your horse, you should pay attention to the quantity and trace elements as well as vitamins it contains. In many cases, a mineral lick does not contain the amount of nutrients the horse needs to cover its daily requirements. In addition, the elements are usually present in inorganic form, making them difficult for the horse's metabolism to access. The best way to supply the horse with all the necessary bulk and trace elements is through a mineralised hard feed, balancer or and high-quality vitamin and mineral supplement. However, for purely field-kept horses, it can be useful to offer a lick.

When can you start offering salt licks to foals?

Foals, especially suckling foals, should not have free access to salt licks. They are not yet able to assess their salt needs themselves and may ingest too much sodium chloride out of boredom or play. This can lead to dangerous diarrhea and a heavy burden on the kidneys.
Foals usually receive sufficient sodium and potassium in their foal feed. They can only be slowly introduced to a salt lick when they are about 6 months old or when they are on solid food and weaned from their mother's milk.
Horses that bite off whole chunks from the lick and thus consume too much salt had unrestricted access to salt when they were foals. The only way to counteract this is to only put the lick in front of the horse after work/sweating and otherwise keep it away from the horse.