Electrolytes are essential components to guarantee good hydration of athletic horses. Horses have a thermoregulation system that causes them to lose large amounts of sweat during exertion. They therefore have very high electrolyte requirements, particularly when they are competing. How can an adequate electrolyte intake be guaranteed to maintain their performance and protect them against risks associated with certain diseases?
During exercise, horses sweat profusely. The sweat they lose has a particularly high concentration of mineral salts, contained in electrolytes: potassium (K+), sodium (Na+) and chloride (Cl-) ions.
To compensate for these losses, it is necessary to implement a strategy designed to prevent dehydration problems. A high level of dehydration can have direct consequences in terms of reduced performance or even the development of certain diseases, such as colic or myositis (“tying up”), etc.
Electrolytes are ionizable elements that circulate in the intra and extracellular fluid compartments. The ones we are interested in here are mineral salts and, more specifically, sodium (Na+), potassium (K+) and chloride (Cl-).
Unlike calcium, these electrolytes are directly linked to the horse’s fluid balance. It is this that enables horses to regulate their hydration levels and thereby avoid dehydration. These elements are involved in a whole range of metabolisms, in particular muscle contraction. Hence their importance in athletic horses, who exert considerable effort during competitions.
Horses are homeothermic animals. This means they have their own thermoregulation system, of which sweating is a part. This system allows horses to maintain their core temperature at around 37.7°C. Factors causing a rise in body temperature include exercise, transport, environment (hot, cold, dry, wet weather, etc.), stress or, potentially, inflammatory reactions. Electrolyte losses due to sweating are very high in athletic horses. This phenomenon can be explained by two specific characteristics:
To avoid dehydration, you should heed the following advice: