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Q: I’ve been told that I should put a salt block in my horse’s
stall or pasture, to make sure he gets enough salt in his diet.
He always licks a salt block until it is nearly gone. Other people
have said I need a trace mineral block. What’s the difference?
Which should I choose? How can I make sure I’m doing the
best for my horse? A: Good question!
Horses, like other animals, need a free-choice salt and trace mineral
source that is made specifically for them.
Horses require a mix that is higher in trace mineral concentration
than other specie. 
In general, trace mineral salt blocks and bricks are not made specifically
for horses, so they fall short when used to supply what horses
need. The best solution is to offer your horse either Seminole
Grass Balancer 16:8 Horse Mineral or Alfa Balancer 12:12, depending
on the type of forage your horse is receiving. If your horse eats
grasses and grass hays, supplement that with Seminole Grass Balancer
16:8. If your horse eats legume hays, supplement with Seminole
Alfa Balancer 12:12.
These horse minerals are made specifically to supply salt and trace
minerals to horses. Both are available in either 25-lb. blocks
or in 25-lb. bags of granular loose mineral. Horse Mineral Blocks
The blocks are very unique. They are made to be soft enough so
that horses can eat them, yet they are weatherproof so they don’t
wash away in the rain. Horse Mineral Bagged
If you choose the loose, granular mineral instead of the blocks,
you can top-dress it on your horse’s feed – but I
recommend that you also make it available to free-choice in a
bucket somewhere out of the rain. Easy Access
Whichever source you choose, be sure to locate it where your horses
spend the majority of their days (paddock, stall, pasture, etc).
Horses are very much individuals, and their daily consumption
will vary depending on their specific needs, so having a free-choice
mineral mix available allows them to pick and choose when and
how often they have intake.
It is in the best interest of your horse to supply the salt and
mineral mix that is made specifically for horses. Plain salt blocks
or trace mineral blocks are not recommended. Do you have questions about
equine nutrition? Email your questions to editor@ecmagazine.net,
and we’ll
put you in touch with an expert who can help.
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