Sweating during equine exercise causes significant electrolyte losses that impair muscle function, thermoregulation, and recovery, requiring proactive management in performance horses.
Electrolyte depletion in exercising horses causes measurable physiological dysfunction and discomfort. Muscle cramping, fatigue, and impaired thermoregulation reduce performance and increase injury risk while also causing direct suffering. Endurance and event horses are most at risk, but any horse working in hot, humid conditions experiences significant sweat-related electrolyte losses. Proactive electrolyte management - appropriate supplementation timed around exercise, access to water, and monitoring for signs of depletion - is a fundamental welfare and performance responsibility for owners of working horses.