11 Best Electrolytes for Horses That Need to Hydrate

Lifesaver or Waste of Time?

Electrolytes play a huge role in helping your horse’s body function at its best. But what exactly are they? And when might you need to supplement your horse with them?

Electrolytes, often lost through sweat during exercise, play a vital role in nearly all body functions. Horses need five electrolytes (Sodium, Chloride, Potassium, Magnesium, and Calcium) to be healthy.

Signs of an electrolyte imbalance include muscle problems and poor performance.

Most horses only need to be supplemented with a combination of sodium and chloride, aka table salt.

Electrolytes for Horses

Horses lacking in electrolytes will experience issues like decreased stamina and fatigue. Most owners will reach for salt, but beware! Salt isn’t the only electrolyte horses need.

What are they? Why do horses need them?

Electrolytes play a key role in nearly every bodily function, from digestion to fluid regulation.

Horses lose electrolytes through sweat, urine, and poop, so it’s important to make sure they’re getting enough in their diets to offset what is lost and remain healthy.

Five Main Electrolytes that Horses Require

There are five main electrolytes horses need. They are (in alphabetical order):

• Calcium (Ca²⁺)
• Chloride (Cl⁻)
• Magnesium (Mg²⁺)
• Potassium (K⁺)
• Sodium (Na⁺)

Many of you probably know sodium and chloride by a more popular name: table salt! These two help maintain blood volume and are lost in high amounts through sweat.

Potassium helps horses to contract and relax their muscles.

Calcium is well known for its role in bone development and integrity, but it also assists with blood clotting, cell signaling, and neuromuscular function.

Magnesium is essential for nerve and muscle function, and is involved in numerous metabolic processes throughout the body.

What electrolytes are best for horses?

A horse needs all five electrolytes to be healthy. Most horses get enough potassium and calcium from forage. Magnesium is commonly included in grain.

Sodium and chloride (in the form of table salt) is typically added to daily rations or is available free-choice in the form of a salt block.

What are signs of an electrolyte imbalance in horses?

A few signs of electrolyte imbalance in horses include reduced sweating, poor performance, muscle issues (like tying up), and slower post-exercise recovery.

Can you give a horse too many electrolytes?

It is possible to overdo it with electrolytes. Signs of this include excessive drinking, refusing food, and loose stool. Most horses in no or light work don’t need electrolytes, except table salt.

If your horse is in regular or heavy training, they’re more likely to need electrolytes to replace what they lose through sweat.

Best Electrolytes for Horses

Electrolyte	Key Features	Price Point
Farnam Apple Elite Electrolyte Pellets	Apple flavor, pellet form discourages sorting	$$
Manna Pro Bounce Back Electrolyte	Can be fed to other animals, including calves	$
For-a-Flex Electrolyte Concentrate	Can be added to water or feed	$$$
Finish Line Apple-A-Day	No sugars or dyes	$$
Farnam Apple Elite Electrolyte Paste	Concentrated formula, paste applicator for direct administration	$$$$
UltraCruz Electrolyte Plus Supplement (90-Day supply)	Palatable pellets for the picky eater	$$$
Kentucky Performance Endura-Max	Perfect for endurance horses	$$$
Oralx Electro-Plex Electrolyte Paste	Easy to administer	$$$$
Horse Health Apple-Dex	Apple flavor	$$
Kentucky Performance Products Summer Games Electrolyte	Originally developed for Olympic horses	$$
Farnam Apple Elite Electrolyte Powder	Apple flavor, granular form is easy to add to a mash	$

Farnam Apple Elite Electrolyte Pellets

This easy-to-feed apple-flavored pellet will help encourage your horse to drink while replenishing electrolyte balances in the body.

Plus, the pelleted format makes it more difficult for your horse to sort it out in their grain.

Pros:

• Apple flavor
• Pellets (easy to add to feed)
• Options for level of work (maintenance to heavy sweating)

Cons:

• Some horses might not like the flavor

See it at State Line Tack

Manna Pro Bounce Back Electrolyte

This electrolyte works for a range of farm animals and is water soluble for easy administration. Always check feeding instructions for the specific dosage by species!

Make sure your horse likes the flavor and keeps drinking if you opt to administer it through their water supply.

Pros:

• Super affordable
• Easily dissolves in water
• Can be fed to multiple species

Cons:

• High in dextrose (sugar)

See it at State Line Tack

For-A-Flex Electrolyte Concentrate

With two feeding options (either powder and pellet), this apple-flavored electrolyte blend is easy to feed as a top-dress on your horse’s grain. A 5-lb bag contains a 40 day supply.

The powder form can also be dissolved in your horse’s water.

Pros:

• Simple dosage instructions
• Ideal concentrations of electrolytes
• No added sugar

Cons:

• More expensive than other options

See it at State Line Tack

Finish Line Apple-A-Day

Finish Line has mastered the art of promoting hydration. This electrolyte comes in powdered form with three different size container options: 5 lb, 15 lb, and 30 lb.

There are no added sugars or dyes in this product, so you can feel good about feeding it!

Pros:

• Well-balanced recipe
• Apple flavor
• No added sugar

Cons:

• Dosage instructions could be clearer

See it at State Line Tack

Farnam Apple Elite Electrolyte Paste

This electrolyte paste is perfect for intense situations like hauling, horse shows, and high heat. It provides electrolyte replenishment fast and can be fed every 4-6 hours, if needed.

It’s important to note this product is meant to be fed in certain circumstances, not as a daily electrolyte topdress.

Pros:

• Convenient for on-the-go situations
• Can feed 12 hours before exertion to help prevent electrolyte loss
• Veterinarian recommended
• Well-balanced formula

Cons:

• Expensive (could potentially use one tube at a time)

Click to see it at State Line Tack

UltraCruz Electrolyte Plus Supplement

This pelleted supplement is as easy as adding one scoop into your horse’s feed. Available in a 25 lb bag, this quantity should last you 93 days.

An added benefit? Multiple customers mentioned how palatable this pellet is—it may be a great option for a picky eater.

Pros:

• High concentration of salt (plus calcium, potassium, and magnesium)
• Ideal for high-performing horses

Cons:

• Is designed to replace any additional salt supplementation

See it at Amazon

Kentucky Performance Endura-Max

This concentrated electrolyte supplement was designed with the help of a veterinarian specifically for endurance horses. It comes with a variety of feeding directions, from daily maintenance to competition.

This product can be fed as a topdress or mixed into a carrier such as applesauce or yogurt and fed directly into the mouth as a paste.

Pros:

• Can pre-load before a competition
• May be fed regularly during competitions

Cons:

• Oral feeding isn’t the easiest (may require a syringe)

See it at State Line Tack

Oralx Electro-Plex Electrolyte Paste

This paste was designed for replenishment related to strenuous exercise, not as a daily supplement. It delivers key electrolytes and will encourage your horse to drink.

The syringe makes it easy to measure the correct dosage.

Pros:

• Great for hot weather or competition

Cons:

• Expensive (could potentially use one tube at a time)

See it at Amazon

Horse Health Apple-Dex

Apple-Dex is a versatile product in powdered form. It’s designed to be fed as a daily supplement. Add it as a topdress or dissolve it in your horse’s water.

Customers love this product, specifically calling out how palatable it is and its affordable price point.

Pros:

• Encourages drinking
• Palatable
• No added sugar

Cons:

• High levels of salt, so additional salt supplementation may not be necessary

Click to see it at State Line Tack

Kentucky Performance Products Summer Games Electrolyte

You can feed this one with confidence, as it was developed for horses in the 1996 Summer Olympics! This electrolyte was designed for high-performance horses.

It’s concentrated and contains no added fillers.

Pros:

• Well-balanced formula
• Adjustable feeding amounts

Cons:

• Works best mixed with water, which some horses may not drink

See it at Amazon

Farnam Apple Elite Electrolyte Powder

Farnam offers a convenient electrolyte in every form, including powder. This product is easy to sprinkle on top of a warm mash to encourage drinking in cold winter temperatures.

You can also mix it directly into your horse’s drinking water. It comes with a 1 oz scoop for easy measuring and doesn’t clump.

Pros:

• Can add to water or over feed
• No added sugars

Cons:

• Designed to replace salt, so no additional salt should be fed

See it at State Line Tack

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Should I give my horse electrolytes every day?

Unless your horse is high-performance or in a rigorous training routine, he probably doesn’t need electrolytes every day.

Q: What is the best electrolyte replacer?

For most horses, the answer is table salt. Adding one to two tablespoons a day is sufficient for most horses to maintain the proper electrolyte balance.

Q: What is the best electrolyte for horses in hot weather?

Because sodium and chloride are lost in high amounts when a horse sweats, the best replacement is usually table salt.

Most horses get enough of the other three from forage and feed, though high-performance horses may need an additional electrolyte supplement.

Q: What is a natural electrolyte for horses?

Sodium chloride (aka table salt) is the simplest electrolyte out there and the one most horses need additional help getting enough of.

Q: Is salt or electrolyte better for horses?

Technically, salt (which is sodium and chloride) is an electrolyte. The difference comes down to each horse.

Horses in no or light work probably only need table salt, whereas horses with medium to heavy workloads are more likely to need a full electrolyte supplement.

Parting Thoughts

Electrolytes might sound complex, but they’re easy to feed once you understand them. If your horse is in no or light work, he probably only needs salt.

Consider electrolyte supplementation during hot or humid weather, if your horse sweats heavily, or if your horse has a medium to heavy workload or competition schedule.

Further Reading:

https://ker.com/equinews/importance-magnesium-horse-diets/

Electrolytes for horses – all you need to know, including how to make your own!

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