Sea Salt For Horse Health
Without salt, life itself would not be possible. Salt is as important to life as oxygen and water. Horses utilize salt as an essential ingredient for life.1 When it comes to horse health and nutrition, not all salt is created equal. Most salt that is available for horses has been refined (treated with chemicals to remove the minerals, evaporated under high compression and heat which disrupts the molecular structure of salt, and evened bleached in order to obtain the white color) or mined from salt mines that are pure white, like walking into a snowball. This white salt is void of natural balance of life giving minerals in their natural state as they have been processed out by man or leeched out by nature over time leaving only sodium and chloride.
Unrefined sea salt contains much, much more. Quantitative analysis of the elements in the blood has essentially the same profile as the quantitative analysis of elements found in sea water2 (only major difference is the hemoglobin in the blood). This natural mineral balance is very important for optimum animal health. It gives the horse the “tools” it needs for growth, immune function, performance, etc.
Sea minerals are in crystalloid form which is defined as “a crystallizable substance which, when dissolved in a liquid will diffuse readily through animal or vegetable cell membranes”.2 Health care professionals are very familiar with this crystalloid state as this is the state of the minerals in hospital IVs.
Redmond Natural Trace Minerals is an all natural sea salt that is mined from an ancient sea bed in Redmond, Utah. This salt mine is unique and is only one of a few in the world where the minerals have not leeched out of the salt over time. There is a layer of volcanic ash (Redmond Conditioner) that lays adjacent to and in some areas on top of the ancient sea bed and may have some effect of helping to protect the salt from water leeching the minerals out. The conditioner itself is a remarkable product for horse health as it also contains a plethora of minerals (60+), improves the pH level in the digestive system, improves immunity, and absorbs toxins and exports them out of the body. Another benefit of the Redmond Natural Trace Minerals is that they are mined from underground so neither the Conditioner or the Salt has been exposed to any pollution, acid rain, etc. For a video documentary on the Redmond mine visit here.
As a sea salt, Redmond Natural Trace Minerals have a huge health benefit for your horse. Unrefined sea salt in humans has been shown to have positive effects on most every system in the body. Unrefined salt help maintain neutral pH and helps elevate acidic pH.1 It has an ability to help lower cholesterol and regulate blood pressure.1 Water and unrefined salt (including the 50+ naturally occurring trace minerals) are necessary for metabolism, detoxification, and transportation of nutrients as well as optimal functioning of the hormonal, nervous, and immune systems.1
A salt deficient diet and/or mineral deficient diet will lead to suboptimal adrenal function eventually leading to adrenal exhaustion.1 The adrenal glands not only dictate the “fight or flight” mechanism in stressful situations, in a resting state they also maintain adequate energy levels, blood sugar control, blood pressure control, and muscle strength.1 Consequences of adrenal fatigue include: fatigue, poorly functioning immune system, cancer, thyroid disorders (the thyroid gland is very sensitive to the nutritional status of the body – if vitamins and minerals are deficient, the thyroid gland will not work appropriately) , obesity, arthritis, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, autoimmune disorders, and many other chronic illnesses.1
Unrefined sea salt is known to have many health benefits for human health, and now your horse can experience many of these same health benefits with the Redmond Natural Trace Mineral products.
Redmond Natural Trace Mineral Salt is available in the following forms: The Redmond Rock – 7+ pound rock just as it has been mined out of the ground; 50 # bags – natural trace mineral salt mined from the ground crushed and bagged; 44 # blocks – same product pressed into block form (both bags and blocks are available with additional trace minerals as well); and also is available under the Real Salt label for humans.
Agri-Best Feeds (866 601-6646) is the regional distributor of both the Redmond Natural Trace Mineral Salt and Conditioner along with SweetPro, EquiPride, and EquiLix which are complete supplements that contain no molasses or grain (sugars or starches) for horses and all classes of livestock. For more information or to inquire about dealership possibilities call us or visit our website. While on the website you can register for a free informational webinar which will include a presentation on our product lines and Q&A from representatives from the companies.
1 Brownstein M.D., David. Salt Your Way to Health. Medical Alternatives Press 2006
2 Murray M.D., Maynerd. Sea Energy in Agriculture. Acres U.S.A. 2003