Mineral Buffet

Mineral Buffet for Horses: Give Your Horse a Choice!

Why mineral buffet? You want to give your horse the best nutrition. Choosing the best feed isn’t easy. If you look at what a horse has “in the wild,” it’s a choice of which grasses, twigs, leaves, and herbs he (or she, of course) eats throughout the day. A mineral buffet for horses gives your animal that choice too. Read on to learn what it is and how to put one together yourself.

A mineral buffet for horses lets the animal choose

Imagine the ideal situation for your horse. It isn’t the same for every horse, as it depends on age, breed, sport, and personal preferences. But there’s likely one element in common: space, variety, and high-quality forage along with the right herbs in the pasture.

In addition to the fact that horses enjoy herbs, they also contribute to a natural dietary variety. Herb-rich pastureland with good, mineral-rich soil often contains a wide range of vitamins, minerals, and trace elements that are naturally present in the soil.

That green pasture is not feasible for many horse owners. Certainly not year-round. Lack of space, poor soil, overgrazing, and the Dutch winter throw a wrench in the works.

Good forage contains various grasses and herbs and comes from healthy soil. Much of the roughage in the Netherlands does not meet that high standard. This is because the soil is often nutrient-poor. If there are no minerals in the soil, they won’t be in the hay either. It’s difficult to know for sure if your hay is of good quality. There is a solution that lets the horse make the choice. A horse is quite capable of regulating its own intake, but that option must be available. You can provide that with a well-stocked mineral buffet.

So what exactly is a mineral buffet for horses?

Very practical: a mineral buffet often consists of a row of buckets or feeders. These containers hold minerals such as Icelandic seaweed, Celtic sea salt, Mother Earth, and diatomaceous earth. We’ll explain more about these later.

With a mineral buffet, it’s important that you offer the individual minerals completely separately. That way, your horse has a true free choice. They don’t mix with each other.

Just watch what your horse does. Horses have different needs. The preference for a particular trough—containing a specific mineral—varies from horse to horse. The level of exertion also plays a role. When a horse sweats, it loses salts. During intense exertion or hot weather, the animal will likely consume more Celtic sea salt. During the shedding season, the preference will likely shift toward peat extract.

To give them free choice, provide continuous access to the mineral buffet. It’s best to hang the buckets and troughs to prevent your horse from defecating in them or knocking them over as much as possible.

Clean the containers thoroughly every now and then and don’t overfill them. This keeps the minerals clean and fresh. And it goes without saying, but make sure your horse always has fresh water. You mix the ingredients with water, but it’s important to also have “regular” water within reach.

Water, Salt, and Sweating

Horses need daily access to fresh, clean water. A horse can drink between 20 and 70 liters of water per day, depending on factors such as the weather, the amount of exercise, and the diet. A pregnant or lactating horse also needs more. In hot weather or during hard work, a horse sweats more and needs more water. That makes sense.

When a horse sweats, it doesn’t just lose fluid. You’ve probably heard of electrolytes. These are salts (minerals) like sodium, chloride, and potassium, which are found in the blood. You sweat out these salts. That’s why elite athletes often use recovery drinks or gels. It works the same way for horses. A horse loses even more electrolytes through sweat in comparison. The more the horse sweats, the more electrolytes it loses. Celtic sea salt, which you add to the buffet, contains many electrolytes. A Himalayan salt lick also contains these. Moreover, with a bit of luck, this stimulates the thirst reflex. Drinking water helps the animal recover after exertion.

With a free choice of minerals, it’s a win-win-win

A mineral buffet:

Replenishes deficiencies;

Restores the balance of minerals and trace elements;

Supports natural behavior and mental relaxation.

Sniffing, choosing, licking: it keeps the horse engaged. Licking also regulates stress and promotes saliva production, a form of relaxation, just like chewing. So make sure standard Himalayan lick stones are also available. Preferably three, each in a different shade, so that a diverse range of minerals and trace elements is available. Mother Earth is a unique blend of three powerful natural ingredients: lava, bentonite clay, and oyster shell. Each of these raw materials comes directly from nature and contributes its own unique properties to the mineral profile of this unique product.

The lava in Mother Earth comes from ancient volcanic deposits. This solidified rock is rich in natural minerals formed by millions of years of geological activity. The bentonite clay is formed through the weathering of volcanic ash and naturally contains high levels of montmorillonite, a substance known for its binding properties in the gut. This clay is extracted deep from the earth in various European regions. And then there is the Dutch oyster lime, derived from ground oyster shells from coastal areas. This lime is exceptionally rich in calcium and perfectly absorbable by the horse’s body.

Together, these three raw materials form a well-balanced mineral blend that provides your horse with essential elements such as magnesium, calcium, phosphorus, zinc, sodium, potassium, copper, and iron. Each of these minerals contributes in its own way to your horse’s health and vitality.

For example, magnesium helps release energy from food, supports muscles, bones, and teeth, and promotes a normal balance in water and mineral metabolism. It plays a role in cell division, protein synthesis, and contributes to mental functions such as concentration and stress resistance.

Zinc also does a lot at once: it is involved in cell division, supports the immune system, and helps build proteins. Additionally, it is good for the skin, hooves, hair, vision, and a balanced metabolism. A true all-rounder that is especially valuable for horses in training, growth, or recovery.

Calcium is essential for strong bones and teeth, but it does much more. It supports energy metabolism, aids muscle and nerve function, and contributes to proper digestion and blood clotting. In combination with phosphorus, which also contributes to skeletal development and energy supply, it is important that the ratios are correct. For adult horses, a calcium-to-phosphorus ratio of approximately 2:1 to 3:1 is ideal. For young horses and foals, this may vary slightly. An imbalance between these two minerals can affect absorption and utilization in the body.

Other minerals in Moeder Aarde also play an important role. For example, copper and manganese contribute to energy metabolism, while iron helps the body transport oxygen and form red blood cells. Potassium supports normal blood pressure and healthy muscle function, and both copper and potassium have a positive effect on the nervous system. In addition, copper helps maintain healthy blood vessels and cartilage, and supports the transport of iron in the body.

Manganese supports the formation of connective tissue and the maintenance of strong bones. Iron is also involved in the horse’s learning ability, concentration, and natural energy levels. And because all these elements come from natural sources, they are easily absorbed and balanced with one another.

Mother Earth is therefore not a random mix, but a carefully considered supplement that allows the horse to choose exactly what its body needs at that moment.

Original post= Natuly

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