Twydil Electrolytes

Twydil Electrolytes

During intensive exercise, horses lose substantial amounts of water and electrolytes through sweating. Sodium, chloride, and potassium are particularly important components of equine sweat. These minerals are essential for maintaining fluid balance, nerve conduction, and normal muscle function. During intensive training, competitions, and hot weather, targeted electrolyte supplementation may therefore be necessary to replace these losses.

Twydil Electrolytes is a complementary mineral feed specifically developed to replenish electrolytes lost through sweating in horses. The formula contains sodium, chloride, potassium, calcium, and magnesium, supplemented with Palatinose™ (isomaltulose).

Twydil Electrolytes is particularly suitable for sport horses undergoing intensive training, participating in competitions, or experiencing substantial sweating during exercise or transportation. The product can be administered daily during periods of increased electrolyte requirements.

Properties and benefits

Twydil Electrolytes contains a combination of minerals that play essential roles in maintaining fluid and electrolyte balance:

• Sodium: the principal extracellular cation, essential for regulating fluid balance and transmitting nerve impulses. Horses lose substantial amounts of sodium through sweating, making its replacement particularly important after strenuous exercise.
• Chloride: the principal anion in equine sweat. It contributes to osmotic balance and acid-base regulation. Replenishing chloride is therefore an essential component of electrolyte supplementation following intensive sweating.
• Potassium: plays an important role in the electrical activity of muscle and nerve cells. Horses lose considerable amounts of potassium through sweating. However, the need for additional supplementation depends partly on the diet, as forage generally provides substantial quantities of potassium.
• Calcium: contributes to muscle contraction, nerve conduction, and several cellular processes. Calcium losses through sweating are relatively limited compared with sodium, chloride, and potassium.
• Magnesium: is involved in numerous enzymatic processes and contributes to normal neuromuscular function.
• Palatinose™ (isomaltulose): a carbohydrate that complements the mineral formulation. It is not the primary component responsible for replacing electrolyte losses.

By providing these minerals, Twydil Electrolytes can help replenish electrolytes lost during exercise. Adequate water intake remains essential, as electrolyte supplementation alone cannot restore fluid balance if the horse does not drink enough water.

Composition

Twydil Electrolytes contains sodium chloride, potassium chloride, calcium lactate, Palatinose™ (isomaltulose), and magnesium oxide.

Directions for use and dosage

Twydil Electrolytes is administered orally by mixing the powder into the horse’s daily feed or dissolving it in drinking water.

The manufacturer’s recommended daily dosage depends on the ambient temperature during training:

• Temperatures below 20°C: 1 scoop daily (40 g per day).
• Temperatures between 20°C and 25°C: 1½ scoops daily (60 g per day).
• Temperatures of 25°C or higher: 2 scoops daily (80 g per day).

One scoop contains 40 g.

Following intensive exercise or competition, 40 g of Twydil Electrolytes can be dissolved in approximately 3 liters of drinking water or mixed into the horse’s usual feed. During hot weather or periods of substantial sweating, the recommended daily amount may be increased to 80 g.

The actual electrolyte requirements of a horse are not determined by ambient temperature alone. Exercise intensity and duration, humidity, individual sweat production, and the composition of the basal diet are also important factors.

Twydil recommends regular supplementation for at least 7 days as part of an electrolyte supplementation program. This does not mean that electrolytes require 7 days to become effective. Electrolytes lost during exercise can be replenished immediately after physical activity.

Important: horses must always have unrestricted access to fresh drinking water. When electrolytes are added to drinking water, a separate source of plain water must also be available.

Packaging and duration of use

Twydil Electrolytes is available in a 5 kg bucket.

• 5 kg at 40 g per day: sufficient for 125 days.
• 5 kg at 60 g per day: sufficient for approximately 83 days.
• 5 kg at 80 g per day: sufficient for approximately 62 days.

The duration of use is calculated based on the different recommended daily dosages. Actual consumption depends on the horse’s training intensity and individual electrolyte losses.

Advice from the equine veterinarian

Electrolyte replacement is particularly important for horses that sweat heavily during exercise. Equine sweat contains relatively high concentrations of sodium, chloride, and potassium. During prolonged physical activity, substantial electrolyte and fluid losses may occur, potentially affecting hydration status and normal muscle function.

When assessing electrolyte requirements, it is important to consider more than ambient temperature. Exercise duration and intensity, humidity, and individual sweat production also play significant roles.

One practical method of estimating fluid loss during exercise is to weigh the horse before and after training. However, changes in feed and water intake, urine and fecal output, and other factors affecting body weight must also be considered.

A 1% reduction in body weight in a 500 kg horse corresponds to approximately 5 kg of body weight. Although much of this reduction may be attributable to fluid loss, it does not necessarily represent exactly 5 liters of sweat.

Electrolyte supplementation must always be accompanied by adequate water intake. Administering concentrated electrolytes without sufficient water availability may worsen dehydration.

For horses performing light exercise with limited sweat production, a balanced diet with adequate sodium chloride intake is often sufficient. During intensive exercise, prolonged transportation, and competitions, additional electrolyte supplementation may be necessary.

Horses that sweat excessively, recover poorly after exercise, drink insufficiently, or experience recurrent muscle problems may benefit from an individual assessment of their diet, training workload, and general health.

Twydil Electrolytes can help replenish minerals lost through sweating, but it does not replace adequate hydration, appropriate training management, or veterinary examination when persistent clinical problems occur.