Your horse needs supplemental salt in its diet. Salt supplements are especially crucial if your horse does any form of work under saddle, racing, or pulling carriage or sulky. We researched eight products to find the best salt block horses may need at leisure or with heavy work demands.
Performance horses lose potassium, magnesium, chloride, and sodium through their sweat. Providing a simple salt lick works if your horse is on high-quality forage and can obtain trace minerals from it.
The other feature we examined was palatability. Horses can be finicky about salt licks, perfectly content to let deer take them over. Finally, we explored each salt block’s compatibility with other species as horses often share their pastures with goats and cattle.
8. Champion’s Choice Plain White Salt Block
Ideal for: Horses with no special electrolyte needs
A basic salt lick manufactured by Cargills Salt Inc., this 50-pound block is safe for horses, and cattle, pigs, and sheep. Its dimensions are 8.7 x 8.7 x 10.7 inches. It is weather resistant and many people enjoy attracting deer with it.
The occasional horse is only attracted to the plainest salt licks. Surprising as it may seem, some horses will not pay any attention to a salt block unless it is white. The value of pink premium salt rocks is lost on them.
Pros:
• Safe for all animals
• Multiple uses – can be used as a water softener
• Economical
• Safe to feed free choice
Cons:
• Only sodium chloride – no additional electrolytes or minerals
7. North American Salt 90012 White Brick Pet Nutritional Supplement
Ideal for: Horses requiring minimal salt support
The North American Salt Brick is a basic supplement that can be placed in the corner of each horse’s stall. It is also weather resistant enough to endure outdoor conditions in pastures, lots, and arenas.
Ideally, horses self-regulate their salt intake, partaking if licks or blocks are available. Although not all horses will have anything to do with salt blocks, many do and will in this manner replace lost electrolytes.
Pros:
• Tough and durable
• Safe for beef and dairy cattle, sheep, pigs, and deer as well as horses
• Contains calcium
Cons:
• Limited scope – performance horses likely require more electrolytes and minerals
6. Evolved Sturdy Steed Horse Block Peppermint
Ideal for: Picky horses, horses that have a sweet tooth
Containing a plethora of crucial trace minerals like calcium, phosphorus, manganeses, and copper, the peppermint-flavored Evolved Salt Block is a comprehensive electrolyte supplement.
It is the best salt block horses that love peppermint candies can hope for. It dimensions are 7 x 4 x 2.5 inches and it weighs four pounds.
Pros:
• Horses like the taste – comes in carrot also
• Does not crumble or crack
• Provides 12 vital trace minerals in addition to salt
• Good source of selenium
Cons:
• Expensive
5. REDMOND Rock Crushed Loose Mineral Salt Electrolyte Supplement for Horses
Ideal for: Horses that will not touch salt blocks
Infused with Nature’s Essential Minerals, Redmond’s Loose Crushed Salt provides trace minerals and electrolytes. Calcium, phosphorus, copper, zinc, iodine, potassium and magnesium are among the minerals it provides.
Although not convenient, loose salt should never be overlooked as an option to supplement horses. Loose salt is occasionally the best salt block horses will tolerate.
Horses tend to slack on water intake especially as the weather becomes colder. They also do not like to lick cold salt blocks. Some horses rarely visit salt licks at all, even when conditions are sublime.
Dressing your horse’s feed with loose electrolytes can ensure your horse meets his daily requirements and encourages him to drink.
Pros:
• Good source of some essential trace minerals along with salt
• You know exactly how much your horse is getting
• All-natural balanced minerals from rich ancient sea beds
• Locally sourced
• Price is reasonable – a bag lasts about six weeks
Cons:
• Not as convenient as a block
• Not safe for all animals
4. North American Salt 90013 Trace Mineral Brick Pet Nutritional Supplement
Ideal for: Horses from areas with soils poor in minerals
The Trace Mineral Brick includes manganese, iron, copper, iodine, zinc, and cobalt, in a sodium chloride base supplement. Along with salt, they are essential nutrients. As with many copper-containing supplements, it is not safe for sheep if your horse has an ovine friend.
The dimensions of the brick are 6.7 x 3.7 x 6.7 inches. It is the best salt block horses can get if they graze on pastures growing on severely depleted soils.
Pros:
• Provides salt and a balance of trace minerals
• Palatable
• Convenient size for a stall holder
Cons:
• Not ideal for pasture use
• Not safe for all animals
3. Horsemen’s Pride Salt Block on Rope for Horses
Ideal for: All classes of horses; nutrient-depleted horses
Comprised of Himalayan salt crystals, this block is rich in iron and magnesium as well as electrolytes. Many equestrians consider Himalayan-sourced crystals to produce the best salt block supplement for horses anywhere because of their high concentration of nutrients.
Unlike its competitors, Horsemen’s Pride features three different sizes. Hanging salt rocks from ropes entices many horses to play with them, especially if confined for long hours in a stall.
Pros:
• Offered sizes: 1 kg (2.2 pounds), 2 kg, and 3 kg
• Complete trace mineral profile
• Nutrient-rich beyond mineral supplementation
• Durable
Cons:
• Highly variable levels of interest compared to other salt blocks
• Biggest complaint was about deer not liking it
2. Himalayan Animal Lick Salt on Rope for Horses
Ideal for: Bored horses; nutrient-deprived horses; horses on poor-quality forage
One of the richest sources of nutrients, Himalayan salt crystals contain over 75 trace minerals. Moreover, these minerals were deposited over generations in ancient seas.
The health benefits of naturally deposited sea salts stem from not only the sheer volume of minerals but also their biological balance. Scientists also point out the fact they pre-date toxins and pollutants.
Pros:
• All-natural
• Safe for all species, including deer and livestock
• Enhance vitality
Cons:
• Not as water-resistant as other salt licks
• Falls off the rope
1. REDMOND – Rock on a Rope Unrefined Salt Rock for Horses (3 Pack)
Ideal for: Performance horses and horses with health challenges
Redmond Unrefined Salt Rock purports to boost energy and support vitality. It does encourage horses to hydrate themselves and provides essential nutrients. The rock has natural minerals from an ancient seabed in Utah, a basis to be among the best salt block horses can have.
Pros:
• Has balanced trace mineral profile from being naturally sourced
• Can keep bored horses entertained
• Horses like the rough surface
• No sticky residue
• Copper level is safe for sheep
Cons:
• Some horses will not lick a salt rock
Conclusion
We chose Redmond’s Rock on a Rope Unrefined Salt Rock for Horses as the best salt block horses could have. It is locally sourced in Utah from an ancient seabed rich in nutrients and trace minerals.
The rock is very long-lasting and is not messy. Some salt blocks leave an annoying residue. Perhaps you have some experience with salt blocks for horses that were not mentioned. Feel free to elaborate on your experiences.
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