# salt block v mineral block



## dreammountainminis (Nov 16, 2005)

I was wondering which is best to use a white salt block or the brown mineral block. I heard a minieral block has something in it that is not good for horses.. any help would be appreciated ..I'm using the brown minieral block and now i'm worried???


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## Ashley (Nov 16, 2005)

Is it a mineral block that is safe for horses? I know the cattle ones shouldnt be used for horses.

That said we have one of each in each pasture.


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## Black Magic (Nov 16, 2005)

First, let me compliment you on your avatar.. He is such a gorgeous little guy!

I've tried both blocks and hubby tells me that the mineral blocks are better for us. He said.. see if I can say this right.. (before someone shoots me). The mineral blocks have selinium (hope I spelled it right), that is something our minis seem to need.

I have two little stud colts and one developed a stiffle problem. I had the vet out.. he said, exercise the guy, or we can do surgery. (didn't like that idea). But I ran into a woman that I had no clue she knew anything about horses, and she said he was dragging his back leg, because he had a selinium problem, and to get him a mineral block. I did, and about ten days later, he didn't have a problem anymore. We ran out of the mineral block I was using, and the feed store was waiting for a shipment of them.. and guess what?? The dragging leg returned! Glad I got the stuff.

I asked Niki, who used to work for Buckeye, and she told me, the important thing was that your mineral block be made by the company you get your feed from, i.e. Buckeye Feed makes their own mineral block, as do other companies. She said that if you don't do that, you can be giving them too much of various minerals. I was told that you need .. as an example ... vitamin D.... but if you have too much of it... it can cause other problems, and that person was talking about people and vitamins and how we have to be careful not to overdose on vitamin D or A. I'm clueless on this subject, but I wanted to pass it on anyway.

So.. for what it's worth... that's my two cents.... probably not even worth that, but might give you a starting point for discussion with your feed store people or your vet.

God Bless,

Lynn Weed


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## nootka (Nov 16, 2005)

Lynn is right. Your salt or mineral block should be dictated by what else your horse is eating.

Read the labels on the feed you use, and perhaps consult your veterinarian and/or your feed store or better yet, call the nutrition experts that work for the feed company you use. Many times they can help you determine what supplements to use.

The feed that I use, LMF, suggests a salt only block since the feed contains the minerals they actually need (provided I am feeding the ideal amount for their weight), and feeding a mineral block would create a possible overload or imbalance.







Your vet really should be able to help you figure out a good plan for your horse and area, also your feed type.

Liz M.


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## Margaret (Nov 16, 2005)

Well Ive been told by the vets to get the large 12-12 block that contains "minerals only" by Purina- (no salt added), and provide a "seperate salt block" (white) on the side..You can never tell what your soil, is lacking or horse is needing, but the horse can access the mineral block only, and get just what he or she needs, to make up the difference. This way they are not "forced" to take salt with their minerals, and visa versa. They are more inclined to take as much, or just what they need.. You will need to call around in your area first to see what feed store is a "Purina Distributator" to see where to go to get the 12- 12 mineral -only block, made just for horses. Not all feed stores carry the Purina 12-12 mineral block. You can get a hook over the fence holder for it as well.



At first dont be suprised if they take big chunks to make up for what they were lacking,.. but they will taper off once they have achieved there mineral quota..I used to use the salt/ mineral mix method, but this way seems more efficient to meet their needs.


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## Southern_Heart (Nov 16, 2005)

We use both and have them side by side, but I find that they lick the mineral one more!


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## Becky (Nov 16, 2005)

Interesting question! I started using the mineral blocks formulated to go with the Progressive Diet Balancer I feed and find the horses lick the mineral blocks more than the salt blocks. I was wondering if plain salt blocks are necessary since the mineral blocks are mostly salt??


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## Tobey (Nov 16, 2005)

We use both side by side too and mine lick both but the salt block more.


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## MeadowRidge Farm (Nov 16, 2005)

We use both. I have the block holders which sit next to each other and it seems like my mineral lick goes down faster then the salt lick. We have these in each pasture for the minis and standard size and its the same in each--mineral lick over salt. Corinne


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## Robin_C (Nov 16, 2005)

Becky - to answer your question about whether to supply plain salt, the answer is a definitive "yes". Providing minerals free choice is fine, too, but always, always provide plain white salt (or iodized salt). This can be in the form of a block or loose salt, either table salt from your kitchen or "stockman's salt" which can be purchased in any feed store -- just be sure it is designed for horses and not other types of livestock. The stockman's salt is very cost effective, under $5 for a 25 lb bag in my neck of the woods. It has been noted in several reports that loose salt is better for horses than block salt because it is easier on their tongues. However, I find that most of my horses seem to prefer licking their blocks and spend more time at the salt feeder than when I have loose salt in there -- go figure -- probably habit and what they are used to more than anything.

Free choice minerals, either in block form or loose, are appropriate, too. Matching the minerals as closely to your forage source and geographic needs is a wise consideration. Many manufacturers produce several different types of minerals, the two most basic ones being "grass balancers" and "legume or alfalfa balancers". The major difference between the two is the calciumhosphorus ratio -- the grass balancer has more calcium and the legume balancer has more phosphorus. These "low-powered" mineral supplements (like Purina 12:12) can generally be fed free choice along with many feeds. There are more "high octane" mineral supplements available that should be carefully balanced with the rest of the diet. This is particularly true if you are feeding a highly concentrated, mineral-rich feed such as a ration balancer (Buckeye Grow N Win, Purina Born To Win, TC-30, Progressive Ration Balancer, etc). Staying within a manufacturer's line of products for feed, minerals etc. was also a good suggestion. If you need extra help deciding whether a product combination is appropriate for your horse, go straight to the "horse's mouth" and call the manufacturer's rep. Information is free and so is the call!

Robin C


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## Becky (Nov 16, 2005)

Thank you, Robin C! As I figured and I do have both out. My horses seem to prefer the Progressive Mineral Blocks, but of course, it does have some molasses in them to 'bind' them together.


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## Cathy_H (Nov 16, 2005)

We have always had the white salt block & added the 12 12 block last year.. The first one was consumed in 3 weeks so I bought the loose minerals which is suppose to be the same as the 12 12 block. Well my picky horses seemed to think otherwise & would not eat the loose salt from a bucket................ We went back to the blocks but they still eat them pretty fast. As well as we feed our horses I can't believe they need all of the minerals they consume. Still waiting for them to slow down.


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## Loess Hills (Nov 16, 2005)

This is a very interesting topic. Nice to get some expert advice! We use both the mineral and salt blocks, also, but have always wondered which was best or if I was overdoing their use.


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## Frankie (Nov 16, 2005)

My babies eat mineral block like candy!!!!!

So I took it out.

According to the label, they were consuming too much. I guess they aren't reading the label to know just how much to eat???


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## Firefall (Nov 16, 2005)

Due to our low selenium levels here I feed the salt blocks with selenium and Purinina 12-12 free choice.

Seem to all be doing well.


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## opie7441 (Nov 16, 2005)

[SIZE=14pt]With both blocks being aval. do you also use a supplement ( coat, hoof, joint, all in one, ect) in your pellet food or just the pellet food and the 2 blocks?? I have seen these supplements and wondered if the horses might benefit, but worried about giving too much of anything. Some have the probotic microbs (SP?) that is supposed to balance thier gut, some claim to do everything but make them sprout wings and fly........[/SIZE]


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## Lisa-Ruff N Tuff Minis (Nov 16, 2005)

I didnt read any responses yet but my horses have the white ones in there stalls the 1 lb bricks and go thru them like you wouldnt believe some every 2 weeks or so which is GREAT in the winter. They are turned out about 8-10 hours a day and have the mineral one in there turn outs they last me FOREVER


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## Robin_C (Nov 16, 2005)

> With both blocks being aval. do you also use a supplement ( coat, hoof, joint, all in one, ect) in your pellet food or just the pellet food and the 2 blocks??


There's a lot that goes into your question. Primarily, you need to determine if you are providing YOUR feed to manufacturer's recommendations according to the weight and class of your horse. If you are feeding just a handful or so of pelleted feed (or sweet feed, or oats, or corn) to your adult 200 lb mini, then he/she is likely NOT receiving the full benefit (i.e. all the vitamins, minerals, and protein that the bag says he is getting) of that feed. So many times we CAN'T feed our minis the recommended amount because they would get too fat. Feed not only provides vitamins/minerals/protein, but also CALORIES. Remember, most feed manufacturers' formulas are designed with full size horses in mind, not our air-fern minis. In order to get all the good stuff supplied in the feed, you have to provide it to your horse as recommended by the manufacturer BY WEIGHT, not volume (a can of this, a scoop of that).

If you are feeding a highly concentrated, nutrient-dense feed like a ration balancer (Buckeye Grow N Win, Progressive ration balancer, Purina Born To Win, TC-30, even Triple Crown Lite), then you would only have to feed 4-6 oz PER DAY to get the guaranteed analysis (what the feed promises to deliver). Other feeds might require you to feed 1 lb or more per day to a 200-250 lb horse. What may happen in this case is your horse gets fat, so you cut back on the grain. At that point he may lose some weight because you've reduced the overall calories, but he MAY NOT be getting enough vitamins or minerals from the feed any longer. You _can_ reduce the amount of your favorite feed, however, to just a handful or a cupful as long as you put back (supplement) the important parts -- the vitamins and minerals. Don't depend on your horse to think that out for you, however -- play it safe by putting it right on their feed once or twice per day. The bag instructions will tell you how much to "top dress". In addition, you can still leave a low-powered free choice mineral out for them to munch on when they like. As stated above, some of these blocks disappear VERY quickly. There is a lot of research which states this happens primarily because the blocks taste good, not so much that the horse is mineral-seeking (though he will seek out salt and phosphorus). If you find your horse chowing down on a mineral block, you might offer it intermittently rather than leaving it out free choice -- more like a treat -- and continue to top dress the Purina 12:12 (or similar product) daily when feeding less than the manufacturer recommends.

As far as supplementing with other products with specific targets (coat, hoof, joints), this can be done on a horse-by-horse basis. These type of products don't normally compete with or significantly repeat what is in the average feed. Coat products provide essential fatty acids or a fat source, hoof products generally contain amino acids/protein, and joint supplements contain neutriceuticals like chondroitin, glucosamine, MSM, and hyaluronic acid that aren't typically found in feeds. It never hurts, however, to review the ingredient list from your feed and supplements to be sure you aren't overloading in any department. This is particularly true of selenium which is easy to overdose. Most feeds are fairly low in selenium, but SOME are not. The average vitamin/mineral supplement is low in selenium, but SOME are not. It's a good idea to do the same type of label-reading for things you feed to your horse just as you would when choosing grocery items for yourself.

Robin C


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## lucyem (Nov 16, 2005)

Accoring to an article in the horse journal you have to be careful with mineral blocks as many are designed for cattle and not horses.

According to an equine nutritionist I know the mineral blocks should not be fed if you are feeding source or a mineral imbalance can occur. (too much of something & of course I forget which item)

Selenium is a whole other story and you really need to have blood work done to see if more is needed. Too much is just as bad as not enough. In selenium deficient areas many commercial grains add it already. We are in a deficient area and of 6 horses only 1 needs supplementation of selenium. The rest get enough from grain.

Sometimes a horse will literally eat a mineral or salt block due to illness or inbalance but will eventually stop. But you have to watch out for bored horses just eating them up all the time.


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## opie7441 (Nov 16, 2005)

[SIZE=14pt]Thanks Robin, thats what I was looking for. I do feed them purina pellets, they only get a handful, for that very reason. The new little guy I got two weeks ago has very dry hair, the mini I have had and been feeding the purina to has a coat like a mink. I didn't realize the difference until the new guy came along. Seems like we might be doing Ok.[/SIZE]


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## whitney (Nov 16, 2005)

I feed Buckeye Gro N Win (has all the vits and mins) so I just give them the white salt blocks.


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