Feeding Baking Soda

[pdf75559]

Can anyone tell me about feeding baking soda to help from tying up? Read that some of the pros use it but did not tell how much to use, side effects, etc.

Pam

[Sherry May]

never heard of that before.

[pdf75559]

Sherry,
I read it in the Barrel Horse News. It doesnt say how much to feed or how often.

[bj]

Don't do it.  If you have a horse that is prone to gas colic, this will only cause more problems.  My husbands rope horse died from doing this.  We were told to use it by a "Chiropractor" to keep the muscles loose.  This resulted in the death of the horse.  They don't consume all of it if you top dress it on your feed and if you do not carefully remove any that has been lost to the bottom of the feeder, it will accumulate and then they will lick it out in a dose greater than is recommended because of the salty taste.  Baking soda is just like feeding alka seltzer to a horse.  They do not have the ability to belch and this can be very harmful. Please do not do this unless your vet recommends it and then only under very guarded conditions.

[Rita Barnett]

I don't feed it any more  I had one to colic  not sure if the baking soda  was the cause  but I think it was!

[cocoabean]

I have used it once or twice, not for tying up, wouldn't use it on a regular basis, but never had any problems with it.