Horses sweat during exercise, transport and even resting in a paddock. Here’s why replacing electrolytes is vital for performance.

Want to know if your horse is suffering from dehydration? Here are some handy tips to check the hydration status of your horse.

Adequate hydration is critically important for your horse’s wellbeing, particularly during the hotter months. Here we look at the role electrolytes play, and how to choose the right electrolyte supplement for your horse’s needs this summer.

The evaporation of sweat is a horse’s major cooling mechanism. 80% of the energy produced in working muscles is in the form of heat. This heat needs to be expelled to prevent the horse’s body from overheating. The blood transfers this heat to the skin and lungs where it can be expelled. 70% of this heat is expelled via sweat which evaporates. The remainder is expelled via the lungs as the horse breathes.

Horses can sweat up to 15 litres per hour during intense exercise and can lose up to 60 litres per day.

A horse’s blood has a pH of 7.4 – 7.45, making it very slightly alkaline. It is very important that a horse’s blood pH is kept within these levels for the horse to function correctly. Fortunately, a horse’s system is very good at maintaining this, but to do so it requires the right electrolytes and fluids to be available.