Medical Expert. There has been a lot of discussion about magnesium supplementation in horses. It can improve tolerance to stress and resistance to illness and injury. During lactation, mares require more of this mineral to keep up with how much is excreted into milk. Deficiencies in magnesium can result in nervousness, muscle tremors, incoordination, increased respiration and even death. With higher dietary levels of this mineral, more will be absorbed. As well as being important for the function of nerve and muscle, Magnesium is involved in the formation of one of the principle components of bone. Below are the top 10 reasons why horses need adequate magnesium in their diet: Many horses require magnesium supplementation in their diet to support optimal well-being, mood and performance. The best way to find out if your horse is likely to be magnesium deficient is to analyze their diet. Young foals also have a higher need to support growth. [1]. Liquid and tablet form can also be found, but much less frequently. To provide calcium and magnesium in an optimal two to one ratio you need to know the nutrient levels already present in your feed. Some horses may take time to adjust to the chalky texture. Magnesium toxicity is rare because excess is It is recommended that you divide dosages of supplemental magnesium oxide over two meals per day to improve palatability. If you are unsure how much magnesium your horse needs, we advise you to talk to your veterinarian. Such grass is also likely low in sodium and high in potassium which can exacerbate a deficiency. In scientific experiments, the only way to induce chronic deficiency is to feed artificially low magnesium diets to young growing animals. In … Behavior Changes In Horses Due to low Magnesium Levels High amounts of fibre, oxalates, phosphates, and fat in the feed might decrease absorption in horses. Try 10 grams of magnesium and give it 30 to 90 days to see results. Magnesium is a macromineral that horses need for optimal muscle function and nerve transmission. A "Charlie horse" is a slang term for painful spasm or cramps in the leg muscles and is caused by a magnesium deficiency. Magnesium sulfate intravenously injected directly affects the heart, forcing it into a state of arrhythmia. For a 500 kg horse, the magnesium requirement would be 10 g per day. Read all of our magnesium … When feeding a supplement always carefully follow the manufacturers instructions to get the correct dose for your horse. In addition, Magnesium is necessary for the maintenance of electrolyte balance, particularly for Calcium and Potassium. Magnesium toxicity is very rare as excess magnesium … Minerals need to be fed in balanced ratios to ensure optimal health. Supplementing Your Horse’s Diet with Magnesium Determine your horse's weight. Magnesium Oxide is about 50% absorbable, depending on the relative levels of Calcium also present. One or two scoops per day is usually the recommended amount. We recommend feeding 6 to 10 grams daily or to bowel tolerance, for working horses exhibiting mild to … As for all mammals, magnesium is an important mineral for many functions in the horse’s body. [4]. Magnesium is primarily absorbed from the small intestine. While at Guelph, she worked at the Arkell Poultry and Equine Research Station where she assisted with daily care of the horses. Horses deficient in this important element can show signs of nervousness, wariness, excitability, jumpiness, tight sore backs, muscle tremors and skin hypersensitivity. Help your horse … 354 Burritt St, Stratford ON, Canada N5A 0A3 | 226-240-2183, 10 Science-Backed Benefits of Magnesium for Horses, submit your horse’s diet for analysis online, Equine magnesium supplements: Evaluation of magnesium oxide, magnesium sulphate and magnesium carbonate in foals fed purified diets. Please enter your email address. Is Magnesium Deficiency Causing Your Charley Horses? How to get rid of a charley horse – supplement with magnesium. By james. Pathological features of magnesium deficiency in young horses fed purified rations. For a 500kg horse in light to moderate work, a requirement of 10g per day is needed to counteract losses due to sweat. Magnesium functions as an electrolyte, plays a role in protein synthesis and is involved in over 300 metabolic processes in the horse’s body. More studies need to be done to assess whether administering magnesium in these cases would be beneficial. Thus, for a 500kg horse in light to moderate exercise, an intake of 10g per day is necessary to maintain blood levels at the minimum value reported. This minimizes the risk of digestive upsets like diarrhea. Toxicity: Having too much magnesium in the body is rare in all species because it is readily excreted in urine. There are several factors to consider when determining which magnesium supplement is best for your horse. Dietary ratios of two-parts calcium to one-part magnesium are optimal to have proper absorption of both minerals. Too much Vitamin A in a young horse's diet can hamper growth, ... the hooves will slough off and the horse will have to be euthanized. St Louis (MO): Saunders; 2010. p. 1291–5. Some say magnesium can calm a nervous horse. By enabling muscle relaxation, it can support recovery and help to ease muscle pain and cramping in animals following heavy work. For under $20 I was able to get a 50 lb bag of magnesium oxide. The maximum tolerable level in the total diet is estimated at 0.8%, for a 500kg horse in light to moderate exercise consuming 2 to 2.25% BW that equates to 80 to 90g of magnesium in the total diet. As magnesium is needed for such a wide range of body processes, deficiency signs can present in an equally wide range of ways. This may be important when formulating oral replacement fluids for inappetent horses. According to NRC, an intake of 20mg of Magnesium per kilogram of bodyweight per day is necessary to maintain normal blood serum levels. Most signs of magnesium deficiency are related to disordered neural or muscular function including: [3]. 1, pp. Read all of our magnesium resources. Magnesium oxide is the recommended form for supplementation. Article Sources. (380 to 550 kilograms). According to NRC (6th … For example, to provide 10 g of elemental magnesium, you would need to feed approximately 17 grams of magnesium oxide compared to 186g of magnesium gluconate. Our AminoTrace+ supplement which is designed for horses with metabolic issues has higher magnesium content at 5.5%. According to the National Research Council (NRC) , the daily requirement for horses is estimated at 20 mg per kg of body weight. For a 500 kg horse, the magnesium … Free Regular Shipping with all purchases over $150. By some estimates, up to 80 percent of Americans are not getting enough magnesium and may be deficient. Magnesium. One or two scoops per day is usually the recommended amount. In two cases of acute toxicity due to high doses of epsom salts, horses experienced symptoms including agitation, muscle tremors, accelerated heart rate and rapid breathing within a few hours. Need help knowing how much magnesium is in your horse's feed? Before feeding your horse additional magnesium, it is recommended to have their diet reviewed by a qualified nutritionist. Horses that are deficient in magnesium show a variety of symptoms, including nervousness, muscle tremors and incoordination. In order to … [2]. Depending on its age and breed, your horse could weigh anywhere from 840 to 1210 lbs. Magnesium based calmers are by far the most common in the equine supplements market, yet experience from client feedback tells us that magnesium fails in far more horses than they help. Although severe deficiency is rare in horses, suboptimal levels can affect their mood and performance. There is no rigid rule that determines how much supplemental magnesium is needed by any individual horse. Magnesium … Magnesium is required for the normal function of every cell in the body and is necessary for muscle and joint health, metabolism, energy levels, and a healthy nervous system. Magnesium toxicity is very rare as excess magnesium is excreted in the urine. Equine internal medicine. A few years ago, researchers in the United Kingdom found that 300 mg of supplemental magnesium (as magnesium citrate) reduced nighttime or nocturnal leg cramps in individuals who suffered chronic leg cramps. The recommended daily intake of magnesium for horses recommended by the National Research Council (2012) is 20mg per kilogram of bodyweight per day. In most areas a dose of 5000 to 10,000 mg of magnesium (equivalent to 1.5 to 3 generous scoops of Bioplex Magnesium) is a good starting point. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Horses with colic might benefit from supplementation. My 16 hand horse gets 2 tsp. Magnesium is a mineral that plays some very important roles in our body. Stress causes magnesium to be depleted in the body faster. The trouble with this is that much/most of the magnesium they get from hays and grains is not in a form that the animal can absorb. Advertisement. Supplementation with this mineral might improve, Muscle tremors, spasm, twitching, flinching skin, trembling, Chronic Exertional Rhabdomylosis (tying up), especially tight, sore backs, Increased respiratory rate or laboured breathing, Metabolic dysfunction, abnormal fat distribution and weight gain. A blood test will likely not tell you if your horse has suboptimal levels because blood magnesium levels are maintained in a narrow range. Horses evolved … Keeping horses healthy requires horse-owners, trainers, and barn managers to acquire so much scientific knowledge, it’s a wonder we aren’t all Call Us Today (503) 650-1663 Home [5]. Breaking that down per scoop, there is a total of 2,624 mg or 2.624 grams of TOTAL magnesium per scoop, 1.750 grams comes from the 100% bioavailable form of the product. Food Grade Magnesium Chloride is a natural salt harvested from a pristine region 3,000m above sea level: Elektra Magnesium® Chloride Hexahydrate (MgCl2.6H20) are natural salt flakes comprising magnesium … Epsom salts should be avoided except on the advice from veterinarians to treat intestinal compaction. Equine Veterinary Journal, 12, 32-33. iv Divide amount of magnesium needed (in this case, 5 grams) by the percent magnesium in the source to get the amount of compound needed. If your horse experiences thumps (synchronous diaphragmatic flutter) they likely are low in magnesium. Read Alison Stewart's review article on magnesium in horses. How much magnesium does your horse need? For example, it helps enzymes to function properly and this enables us to digest our food properly. Diet composition might influence magnesium levels in horses because digestibility varies by feedstuff. A "Charlie horse" is a slang term for painful spasm or cramps in the leg muscles and is caused by a magnesium deficiency. The ionized form is magnesium in the blood or the tissues as a free magnesium ion, with two positive charges – Mg+2. Liquid and tablet form can also be found, but much … for OMAFRA-funded research on how altering the amino acid balance of lactating cow rations can affect milk production and composition. The risk of toxicity is very low when feeding supplemental magnesium to your horse.