Feed oats with direct action vitamin supplement, soy oil, probiotics and uguard RX for one of my horses that had signs of ulcers after an illness and also for the young ones when we travel. I add salt to the feed ration and have mineral blocks in the stalls for horses at night. My horses will not use plain white salt blocks. I have been using iodized salt. had one of my horses stop sweating on me this past weekend, very hot and humid. Use to sweat just standing around. Concerned because feeding iodized salt and know that the same symptoms occur with toxicity and deficiency so not sure what direction to go since i need to increase the salt intake for this unusually hot humid weather this time of year. Thank you very much for any information you have.

Where are you from? Venice, florida

How did you locate this forum? friend told me about your book, browsed the website

Hello Sandi,

Thank you for your patience -- I am finally able to type with two hands after my injury. I hope you were able to solve your problem in the meantime.

But, to clarify... many horses do not lick salt blocks adequately because their tongues can develop tiny sores and licking salt blocks causes discomfort. Therefore, I recommend feeding table salt, free choice. You can place some salt in a bucket and allow them to eat it at will. Iodized table salt is available in the grocery store and is appropriate if there is not additional iodine in the diet. So check your supplements and/or feeds -- if iodine is added and you're feeding according to directions, choose the non-iodized table salt instead.

During the hot summer months, horses require more than the maintenance ounce per day of salt (equivalent to two tablespoons). You should add this amount to your horses' meals, but more than that would make it too salty for them to enjoy. They will likely eat the salt provided in the granular form.

Mineralized salt blocks are not advised if they are receiving minerals from other supplements and/or feeds. And many horses avoid them because they are bitter tasting.

Thank you for writing about this important topic. Be sure to have cool, clean, fresh water easily available at all times.

All the best,

Dr. Getty

Where are you from? Bayfield, CO