As we head back into warmer, sunnier days, I’m seeing a familiar spike in posts and marketing about salt and horses. So, to kick off summer, let’s do a little salt myth-busting.
Good old sodium chloride (aka salt)
We all know horses need salt—and yes, pasture alone is often low in sodium and chloride, especially for working horses.
However, every year I see blanket advice telling owners to add large amounts of salt to daily feeds without considering the individual horse or the rest of the diet.
A common recommendation is:
👉 “Add 10 g of salt per 100 kg of bodyweight”
But this figure only makes sense when looking at the TOTAL diet, not just what’s added extra to the feed bucket.
Let’s add some perspective:
Salt provides sodium and chloride, which are essential electrolytes involved in:
- Fluid balance
- Hydration
- Nerve and muscle function
- Stimulating thirst
According to the NRC, a 500 kg horse not in work requires a minimum of 10 g of salt per 100 kg of bodyweight per day from the TOTAL diet. This requirement increases with exercise, hot weather, stress, or illness.
Common salt myths I see every year:
❌ “You can just add salt on top of everything else.”
This is one of the biggest misconceptions. Salt intake must include what’s already coming from grass, hay, chaff, manufactured feeds, and supplements. Most commercial feeds already contain added salt and electrolytes.
➡️ Always read the label and add up what’s already there before adding more.
❌ “You can’t overfeed salt.”
Actually… you can.
Too much salt can make feed unpalatable, causing horses to stop eating and miss out on other essential (and often expensive) nutrients. Many horses have gastric ulcers— excess salt can irritate the gut. High salt intake can disrupt or damage beneficial gut microbes, leading to further digestive issues.
❌ “Salt is only needed in hot weather.”
Horses require sodium and chloride 365 days a year. These electrolytes are lost not only in sweat, but also in saliva, mucus, and urine. Even in winter, horses still have a daily salt requirement.
❌ “Horses will drink when they need to.”
A horse’s thirst response is triggered by sodium. If sodium intake is too low, thirst may not be stimulated adequately. If you are feeding salt, unrestricted access to clean, fresh water is critical, This allows excess sodium to be safely excreted if intake exceeds requirements
🔎 Fun fact:
Salt is the only nutrient horses have been shown to actively seek out when deficient. They do not instinctively seek other nutrients—something worth remembering when you look at how much molasses and salt are added to many “free-choice” supplements.
❌ “A salt block is enough.”
Unlike cattle, horses don’t have abrasive tongues. While some horses may meet their salt needs from a block, most don’t. Loose plain salt, either mixed into feeds or offered free-choice, is usually more effective and less effort for the horse.
❌ “Himalayan salt is better.”
Himalayan salt contains additional minerals such as iron, which is rarely needed and often already abundant in forage. Plain white salt provides exactly what horses need: sodium and chloride.
The takeaway:
Before adding salt to your horse’s feed, ask:
- How much work is my horse actually doing?
- What is already being supplied by forage, feeds, and supplements?
- What are the current weather conditions?
- Does my horse have constant access to clean, fresh water?
Salt is essential—but more is not always better.
Feed it thoughtfully, based on the individual horse, not a one-size-fits-all rule.
