By Suzie Middlebrook, B.Sc, Cavalor Nutrition Specialist Now that we are in the full swing of summer, many horse owners have incorporated electrolytes in their horses’ diets. But, what are electrolytes and why are they important? Technically, electrolytes are any mineral that has an ionic charge and dissociates, or becomes separate, in water-based fluids. Table salt, or sodium chloride, will dissociate in water into sodium (Na+) and chloride (Cl-) atoms in water and dissolve. Other examples of electrolytes are potassium (K+), magnesium (Mg2+), and calcium (Ca2+). In the body, electrolytes are critical for neuromuscular function including nerve signals and muscle contractions. The levels and ratios of different electrolytes and water in the system are critical not only for performance in the show ring, but also for the kidneys, heart, and brain. When these levels and rations are off, it is referred to as "water-electrolyte imbalance". Some symptoms of a water-electrolyte imbalance include irregular heartbeat, low or high blood pressure, muscle weakness, muscle twitching, and fatigue. An easy conclusion that may be made by a horse owner would be to supplement the horse with an electrolyte, but that can actually cause an imbalance as well, particularly if the horse is already dehydrated. While salt can be used to encourage a horse to drink with a thirst response, encouraging salt consumption in an already dehydrated horse that is reluctant to drink can further dehydrate the horse. One of the easiest ways to cause a water-electrolyte imbalance is through overconsumption of electrolytes, which may be accidently done by an overzealous horse owner. On a day-to-day basis, free-choice access to a plain, white salt block is all that is needed for a horse to replace what electrolytes are lost through urine and sweat during normal weather conditions. The goal of electrolyte supplementation is to replace what electrolytes are lost due to profuse sweating. The proper way to use electrolytes is to only administer it when the horse has already lost electrolytes, such as after exercise or traveling. By administering an electrolyte after exercise instead of before, one only replaces the lost electrolytes without risking over-supplementation, which can inadvertently cause a water-electrolyte imbalance potentially leading to dehydration, kidney stress, and impaired performance. And, unlike many other nutrients, electrolytes cannot be stored and saved for later use. If the horse cannot use the electrolytes then, the body immediately begins to try to expel the excess electrolytes to avoid a water-electrolyte imbalance. This can actually cause further dehydration since the horse will often need to urinate more to rid itself of the excess electrolytes. Horses are excellent sweaters and a horse will lose quite a bit of water, sodium, chloride, and potassium in this sweat. It is the responsibility of the horse's caretaker to make sure these are replaced by administering Cavalor® Electroliq Balance or Cavalor® Electrolyte Balance after exertion along with plenty of fresh, cool water. Both of the electrolytes made by Cavalor® contain appropriate ratios of sodium, chloride, and potassium to best replace what electrolytes are naturally lost in sweat and should be given after every significant work-out. NRC. 2007. Nutrient Requirements of Horses (6th Ed.). National Academy Press, Washington, D.C. Marlin, David and Kathryn Nankervis. Equine Exercise Physiology. Hong Kong: Blackwell Science LTD, 2002. Print.

“What are the signs, symptoms, and treatments of protein deficiency?” By Suzie Middlebrook, B.Sc., Cavalor Nutrition Specialist It doesn’t matter if your horse is a top level competitor, a broodmare, or just a pasture ornament, protein is important to all horses. In contrast to popular thought, protein is rarely utilized as a form of energy except in cases of starvation when the horse has to resort to metabolizing its own muscle. Instead, protein is used to build and repair nearly all the structures in the body. Protein makes up everything from muscles and joints to vital organs such as the intestines, kidneys, and lungs. These structures and others may be damaged due to exertion or stress. For example, when a horse lands off a jump or takes a funny step on the trail, there may be small tears in the tendons or ligaments that need repair. The body will use the protein from its diet to heal these small injuries. If the diet does not contain a sufficient amount of protein, then the horse will be forced to prioritize what structures are repaired first. So if the heart also suffered some small amount of damage, then the body may begin to breakdown muscle, tendons, or ligaments to repair the injured vital organ. Just like many other nutrients, there are different types of proteins, called “amino acids,” which must be included in the diet. Amino acids are the basic components of a protein. Hundreds of amino acids must be bound together in a string-like formation to make up a single protein, similar to the beads of a necklace. There are twenty different amino acids that are divided into two groups: essential and nonessential. Essential amino acids, such as lysine, arginine, and phenylalanine, are amino acids that must be consumed by the horse since the horse is unable to synthesize them. In contrast, nonessential amino acids can be produced by the horse, making these amino acids not critical parts of the horse’s diet as long as the total protein content of the diet is sufficient. Some examples of nonessential amino acids would be cysteine, proline, and glutamine. If one amino acid was determined to be the most important for horses, it would be lysine. Lysine is considered to be the “first limiting amino acid.” More simply put, if the horse is going to be deficient in an amino acid, it would most likely be lysine. Conversely, if the horse is receiving an appropriate amount of lysine, then the horse should be receiving adequate amounts of the various essential amino acids. It is still possible that a horse may not ingest sufficient amounts of the other amino acids due to the protein quality, not amount, of their forage or grain. For example, while alfalfa is high in both crude protein and lysine, it is comparatively low in the essential amino acids methionine, threonine, histidine, and phenylalanine. If a horse was relying on alfalfa for its primary source of amino acids, the horse may still be considered protein deficient even if the total daily crude protein and lysine requirements are met. A horse with subpar amino acid intake will often display an under muscled topline and a large belly. These horses are usually described as being “easy keepers” since they maintain their “hay belly” even on only a modest amount of grain and forage while being in substantial work. In truth, these horses are being deprived of a high quality protein source with proper amino acid ratios. Some other effects of an unsuitable amino acid ratio would be an increased chance of injury, compromised immune system, slower muscle recovery, muscle soreness, and reduced feed efficiency due to the compromised lining of the intestines. All these factors combined can dramatically affect the horse’s overall level of performance and wellbeing. When a horse is suspected of a protein deficiency, it should be given a complete grain with relatively high protein content of adequate quality, such as Cavalor® Strucomix Senior or Cavalor® Perfomix. Both of these feeds are specifically designed with the ideal protein ratio in mind to best meet the needs of the horse. These horses also may benefit from less forage to address any calorie surplus that may occur with an increased grain ration. On the supplement side of things, one may also consider using Cavalor® Muscle Force which is a blend of high quality protein sources in conjunction with the trace minerals critical for protein synthesis, such as magnesium, zinc, and manganese. Ball, RO, KL Urschel, and PB Pencharz. “Nutritional consequences of interspecies differences in arginine and lysine metabolism.” Journal of Nutrition. 2007; 137(6 Sup. 2): 1626S-1641S. Harper, F. 2009. “Protein in Horse Diets: The Balancing Act.” Department of Animal Science, University of Tennessee. Knoxville, Tennessee. Metges, CC. “Contribution of microbial amino acids to amino acid homeostasis of the host.” Journal of Nutrition. 2000; 130 (7): 1857S-64S. National Research Council. Nutrient Requirements of Horses: Sixth Revised Edition. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press, 2007.

IS IT JOINT PAIN OR MUSCLE PAIN? With modern veterinary medicine, it is quite easy to get into an inject-a-thon trying to pinpoint the source of your equine’s pain using the common assumption that arthritis is the culprit. But what if it’s actually your horse’s muscles that are causing them pain? Just like in people, horses often suffer from delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) which is muscle soreness or stiffness that can occur 1-3 days after the original exertion. While it is a common misconception that DOMS is caused by lactic acid build up in the muscles, it is actually the result of damage to the muscle cell membranes caused by the free radicals (highly reactive compounds that want to combine with everything) left over from the energy generative processes which fuel the working muscles (Schwane et. al. 1983). The open muscle cell will then spill its contents of proteins and enzymes into the surrounding areas resulting in inflammation, limb lameness & reduced performance. Fortunately, unlike the expensive treatments for arthritis, treating muscle soreness may be minimized simply by ensuring that your horse is consuming a ration appropriate for its level of work & life stage combined with a sensible training schedule. Some horses will experience chronic muscle soreness, particularly over their back: these horses in particular seem to benefit greatly from a re-evaluation of their feeding program, paying particular attention to the nutrients critical for muscle health. For horses experiencing either chronic or acute muscle soreness, the nutrients most involved in muscle function and efficiency are vitamin E, thiamine, selenium, and magnesium (NRC 2007). Next week we’ll look into each of these nutrients in more detail. But, how can you tell if the horse has a muscle issue or a joint issue? There is actually a clear cut way to figure out the cause of your horse’s pain: two simple blood tests. If you recall the enzymes mentioned earlier spilling from the broken muscle cells into the surrounding tissues, two of those enzymes are creatine kinase (CK), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST). Ideally, one would test for the LDH- 5 varient since that isoenzyme is only in the liver and skeletal muscle, both of which are most affected by muscle issues. While CK is skeletal muscle specific, AST and LDH is also used as a tool for liver function, though it is still useful in evaluating the severity of muscle issues. It is important to note that often times only the “catch-all” LDH test is available, which may indicate a rise of the enzyme’s activity in a variety of other areas as well, such as the heart or lungs. One of the two blood tests would be taken in a pre-exercise state, often after a day of rest, while the second blood test should be taken 2-6 hours post-exercise (Harris et. al. 1990). A normal horse will see a slight rise in CK, LDH5 & AST levels. When a moderate rise in CK, LDH 5 & AST is seen, it is possible that the horse is experiencing some muscle soreness & may even be prone to rhabdomyolysis (tying up) if not addressed. When CK, LDH5 & AST rise dramatically post-exercise, then the horse may be currently tying up (often times the resting values are also slightly increased). If resting levels are significantly raised, then there is the possibility that the horse had some acute muscle injury that needs to be addressed. If the horse is showing stiffness or lameness & no abnormal increases are seen in CK, LDH5 & AST levels post-exercise, then one should look at non-muscular causes. REFERENCES: Harris PA, Snow DH, Greet TR, Rossdale PD. Some factors influencing plasm AST/CK activities in thoroughbred racehorses. Equine Vet. J. Suppl. 9:66-71. NRC. 2007. Nutrient Requirements of Horses, ed. 6th. Washington DC: National Academy Press. Schwane JA, Johnson SR, Vandenakker CB, Armstrong RB. 1983. Delayed-onset muscular soreness and plasma CPK and LDH activities after downhill running. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise. 15: 51-56.

Muscles – Cavalor Academy

12 03, 2019

Keep Your Horse Fighting Fit
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Keep Your Horse Fighting Fit

Blog, Muscles, News

Keep Your Horse Fighting Fit

By Kelsey Sullivan|March 12th, 2019|Blog, Muscles, News|Comments Off on Keep Your Horse Fighting Fit

By Nikki Alvin-Smith Muscle soreness and stiffness are part of everyday life for all top athletes. Horses are no different to humans in this regard, but the solutions we can [...]

4 05, 2015

The Cool Down: Secrets Behind Keeping a Horse Healthy & Sound
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The Cool Down: Secrets Behind Keeping a Horse Healthy & Sound

Joints, Muscles, News

The Cool Down: Secrets Behind Keeping a Horse Healthy & Sound

By Dean|May 4th, 2015|Joints, Muscles, News|Comments Off on The Cool Down: Secrets Behind Keeping a Horse Healthy & Sound

By Suzie Middlebrook, BSc | Cavalor Nutrition Specialist It used to be that when you noticed heat or swelling on your horse's leg, you immediately reached for the hose and [...]

13 02, 2015

Is my horse really just naughty, or could it be nutrition? Client Tracy Vernier shares her story!
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Is my horse really just naughty, or could it be nutrition? Client Tracy Vernier shares her story!

Blog, Gastrointestinal, Joints, Muscles, News

Is my horse really just naughty, or could it be nutrition? Client Tracy Vernier shares her story!

By Dean|February 13th, 2015|Blog, Gastrointestinal, Joints, Muscles, News|Comments Off on Is my horse really just naughty, or could it be nutrition? Client Tracy Vernier shares her story!

I’ve owned my Thoroughbred gelding, Valentino for close to three years. As a lot of Thoroughbreds are notoriously known for being “high strung”, Val was no exception to this. We’ve [...]

7 07, 2014

Electrolytes
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Electrolytes

Energy, Muscles, News

Electrolytes

By Dean|July 7th, 2014|Energy, Muscles, News|Comments Off on Electrolytes

By Suzie Middlebrook, B.Sc, Cavalor Nutrition Specialist Now that we are in the full swing of summer, many horse owners have incorporated electrolytes in their horses’ diets. But, what are [...]

28 06, 2014

Protein, Part 1
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Protein, Part 1

Energy, Muscles, News

Protein, Part 1

By Dean|June 28th, 2014|Energy, Muscles, News|Comments Off on Protein, Part 1

“What are the signs, symptoms, and treatments of protein deficiency?” By Suzie Middlebrook, B.Sc., Cavalor Nutrition Specialist It doesn’t matter if your horse is a top level competitor, a broodmare, [...]

4 12, 2013

THE UNSOUND HORSE
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THE UNSOUND HORSE

Joints, Muscles, News

THE UNSOUND HORSE

By Dean|December 4th, 2013|Joints, Muscles, News|Comments Off on THE UNSOUND HORSE

IS IT JOINT PAIN OR MUSCLE PAIN? With modern veterinary medicine, it is quite easy to get into an inject-a-thon trying to pinpoint the source of your equine’s pain using [...]