Digging!

eatmyshorts

eatmyshorts

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My retired horse has a habit of pawing the ground in his Summer field, which creates a bare patch. He doesn't do it loads but i need to stop him doing it. There are maybe 3 or 4 patches about the size of a saddle, not deep, just surface grass scraped back to mud, in his couple of acres. I honestly have no idea how to stop him, it's just something he does. If i fence off the area he has done it, he will just move somewhere else. Help! Any suggestions?
 
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Mine digs in the all weather turnout, so hubby doesn't allow him in it any longer :( Right through the topping and through the membrane......

Funny enough he doesn't do it in the field, there must be more to occupy him there.

Could you get some safe (ie non toxic) branches for him to nibble in the field..... Willow or something.

Fiona
 
Thanks Ester, I know it's normal, but unfortunately it's not up to me & the concern is that it's damaging the grazing, so I've been asked to try to resolve it. That's a pretty good idea Fiona ... he is naturally a nibbly kind of character ... I'll have to see if I can find some!
 
I wonder if moving him off it is making it worse though rather than it just being in one area that you can reseed later on?
 
Yes, I agree ... he'll just make more patches elsewhere, he doesn't seem very fussy about location. It makes sense to just let him do it then reseed it while the field is resting (approx 6months per year).
 
ester said:
our two have well established dig patches... they usually use them for soil licking too- or in frank's case biting at it. Why do you need to stop him, I'd consider it normal behaviour for most horses.
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Is soil licking normal? My horse was doing it the other day and I assumed it meant she was mineral deficient- so added salt to her feed.

No help with stopping digging - mine has made quite a hole!
 
Your lucky to have bald patches! I have 2 giant craters in my field that fit rather large TB's in when they decide to splash in the puddle and roll in it!

I have just learnt to jump out of the way when they start their splashing!
 
Your horse is probably lacking something in the diet so they dig for minerals. Make sure you feed a decent mineral balancer.
 
Fiona said:
Mine digs in the all weather turnout, so hubby doesn't allow him in it any longer :( Right through the topping and through the membrane......

Funny enough he doesn't do it in the field, there must be more to occupy him there.

Could you get some safe (ie non toxic) branches for him to nibble in the field..... Willow or something.

Fiona
Click to expand...

I have one who is a nightmare in the arena, she has damaged the membrane quite a few times has also now been banned. She doesn't do it in the field either but I it occurred to me that she is probably 'moving' the surface aside to get to the grazing beneath. It makes sense that they would look for food. I have now made a gravel pen for her for any time she can't be in the field and she doesn't do it in there either, but there are plenty of bits of weeds and sparse grass patches to occupy her.
 
Leam_Carrie said:
Is soil licking normal? My horse was doing it the other day and I assumed it meant she was mineral deficient- so added salt to her feed.

No help with stopping digging - mine has made quite a hole!
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It is IME, mine's been fed minerals based on forage analysis for the last 7 years, he still does it!
 
ester said:
our two have well established dig patches... they usually use them for soil licking too- or in frank's case biting at it. Why do you need to stop him, I'd consider it normal behaviour for most horses.
Click to expand...
This. It would be better to just let him have the original patches and reseed if necessary (although I've always found it isn't). Mine have patches out hacking that they like to lick too, especially where natural springs come up (they do have salt licks). As long as they aren't gobbling mouthfuls of dirt, it's fine.
 
WandaMare said:
I have one who is a nightmare in the arena, she has damaged the membrane quite a few times has also now been banned. She doesn't do it in the field either but I it occurred to me that she is probably 'moving' the surface aside to get to the grazing beneath. It makes sense that they would look for food. I have now made a gravel pen for her for any time she can't be in the field and she doesn't do it in there either, but there are plenty of bits of weeds and sparse grass patches to occupy her.
Click to expand...

I'm sure you're right, and he's only doing it to 'look' for grass under the stones lol.....

Silly daft Connemara...

Fiona
 
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