We have always provided plain white salt blocks for our horses, in addition to putting a tablespoon or so of salt in their daily beet pulp/alfalfa pellet mashes. Horses need salt, usually more than they can get by just licking a salt block, so unless Jackson is eating a 4 lb. block in a week, he's probably ok and making up for being deprived. The paddock mate of one of my horses spends a lot of time licking the salt block, but I seldom see mine working on it (unfortunately, he won't eat his mash if he tastes very much salt in it--picky, picky eater!) Don't get a red salt block, in the US they have iron in them, which horses don't need supplemented. If after a few weeks, you think he still has an unhealthy fixation on the salt block, you can remove it and and add loose salt to his feed ration.

I JUST read an article today in Western Horseman about the importance of salt in a horse's diet. Horses are not affected by salt like humans, so a horse eating a lot of salt is not going to retain more water or get high blood pressure like a person would. And I agree that I'd rather a horse drink too much than not enough, espeically during this time of transition for him! The article suggested adding a tablespoon or two to a horses feed every day in the winter to ensure adequate water intake.

I think too maybe he's enjoying the access and partaking more than he will once the novelty is worn off. And the vitamin supplement may be a good idea too, he may be trying to make up for something else? I never supplemented regularly and then my vet just talked me into a multivitamin and mineral supplement about a year ago, and sure enough both my boys have shinier winter coats this year.

Or maybe you're just watching him more and noticing his habits since you're the mommy in charge now? Nugget hates to ride with a full bladder, and if he knows I'm coming to get him he always heads to his pee spot before he puts his nose in the halter to go for a ride. Lots of drinking and peeing can be a sign of metabolic syndrome or insulin resistance, but if he's not cresty or overweight it's probably not the issue.

You should never restrict a horse's salt unless they do not have access to water, such as a long ship in which case you should remove their salt from their diet the day or two before you ship out.

You cannot overfeed salt as it can be peed out. This being said the horses will need water to get rid of excess salt. But another interesting aspect to salt is if you feed enough (which most people think is A LOT) the horse with pee less. I have fixed the 'over peer' many times with feeding more salt. Yes they will drink more but salt dehydrates the cells causing them to search out more water. Many over peers are actually dehydrated horses which drink and drink only to pee it out with no hydration.

This part will hard for you to convince yourself to do. Feed your horse more salt. And as said above horses cannot get enough salt off salt blocks. They were designed for cattle with rough tongues and who can salivate by licking. Horses have smooth tongues and only salivate by chewing so they cannot get anywhere near enough salt. Feed loose salt. You can feed it free choice as suggested above in a cover bin (say in a run in) or fed directly into the feed. Now trust me when I say this , start with 1/4 cup of salt for a horse that doesn't work, keep upping it as their work load increases (they sweat it out and need more). You can feed a whole cup if you would like! Like I said, as long as they have water you will not hurt their kidneys.

Complete feeds will have some salt in them but not enough for them. This is a false idea. They may or may not have your macro and micro minerals and vitamins in them, all pending the brand. If they do not have everything you can feed a ration balanacer but again this will not have your salt in it. Salt must be fed!! Ask for loose salt, stock salt or mixing salt, all depending where you by your feed. A mainly dairy feed mill will know it as mixing salt, more horse friendly places will know what you are asking when you say loose or stock salt.

The best thing you can do is get a sales rep out from the brand you buy. Most will give you a free body score on your horse and teach you what to look for, and tell you what your balanced ration should be. Often times if you are using their feed they will not try to sell you on feed you don't need, just feed you are using and teach you how to feed it properly.

Good luck!