Support hydration and normal sweating with OsmoPlex
Support hydration and normal sweating with OsmoPlex
What are Electrolytes?
Electrolytes are essential minerals - sodium, calcium, chloride, magnesium and potassium that are vital to many key functions in your horse's body - including hydration, muscle contraction, regulating body pH and more. Horses lose large volumes of water and electrolytes in their sweat. It is recommended that all horses are supplemented on a daily basis with electrolytes as well as other minerals and vitamins.
What Do Electrolytes Do?
As we know, electrolytes help keep your horse hydrated and their body functioning. However, electrolytes are also needed for complex biochemical, physiological and neurological functions that ensure a horse maintains its general health and wellbeing.
- Electrolytes are essential for the transport of ions across cell membranes, stabilising enzymes and maintaining correct osmolality of intracellular and extracellular fluids. Too much water in your cells can be dangerous, which is why one of chloride's major functions is balancing osmosis.
- Electrolytes control the production and secretion of sweat, saliva, urine, mucus & gut fluids (which is where most electrolytes are lost).
- Sodium (often considered to be the primary electrolyte) is the main regulator of thirst in horses.
- Electrolytes regulate the activity of heart muscle, skeletal muscle & intestinal motility.
- Electrolytes also help balance pH levels (the measure of acidity and alkalinity), which is required for body function.
What Are Some Consequences of Low Electrolyte Levels?
- Just 2% dehydration can cause loss of performance or fatigue.
- Inadequate sodium intake can promote or aggravate anhydrosis (inability to sweat normally).
- It can take 72-96 hours for a badly dehydrated horse to fully recover. If your horse is dehydrated for a prolonged period of time your horse may need intravenous fluids and other treatments to prevent organ damage.
- Chloride is the electrolyte which is lost in the greatest amount in heavily sweating horses.
With how formidable our summers here in Australia can be, its important that you provide your horses with a quality electrolyte replacer when temperatures rise and/or if your horse is in work.
How to Supplement Your Horse with Electrolytes:
When and how much to supplement electrolytes in your horses diet will depend on their work load and their environment.
Horses in high intensity work as well as horses in hot and humid areas should be supplemented with salt and electrolytes at least twice a day. Horses in work lose up to 15L of sweat per hour, and lose massive amounts of electrolytes so it is highly important to replace them as soon as possible.
Horses not in work, and/or horses in cooler climates should also be supplemented with a salt and electrolyte replacer though at a smaller rate.
We recommend finding a high quality salt and electrolyte supplement that can be added to your horses feed, and fed twice a day. It is important to choose one with salt, as it will help your horse's thirst drive (and stay hydrated).
An electrolyte and salt replacement supplement can be fed before, during and after training or competing. It is recommended that horses are used to your chosen supplement as it is highly important they eat it with no fuss during competitions to maintain peak condition. Support your horse this summer with OsmoPlex?, salt and electrolyte replacer.
OsmoPlex
Is a salt and electrolyte replacer, is a specific blend of minerals designed to support osmotic balance and normal cellular pH.
- Provides electrolytes
- Supports hydration and normal sweating
- Supports muscle function and fluid balance
- Safe for horses with anhydrosis
- Formulated with added magnesium & calcium
- Includes chemical-free natural Australian sea salt (sodium chloride)
