Field/paddock licks and supplements

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Pc2003

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So now my 2 are living out 24/7 on hay/grass only and one of mine is a youngster I thought I would get one of those big paddock mineral horselyx thing. Says it supplements grazing etc.
I casually put it out earlier and they went mental over it 😬 both fighting and licking it furiously. I left them too it and 40 mins later my older gelding was still standing rooted to the spot licking the hell out of it.
Are they supposed to do that? It’s not flavoured or a feed is is?
 
KittenInTheTree said:
Is it molassed?
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I didn’t think so as it says suitable for lami’s and those at rest and it doesn’t mention it on the front list of ingredients.
However if I look the ingredients up online it does seem to contain molasses.
Oh crap. I thought maybe as it was the original unflavoured one suitable for lami’s it would be fine.
 
It's probably a smaller ratio of molasses to other ingredients or something. I can't risk feeding licks because my roan would throw them at people!
 
i had one of these for my boy, i had to ration it, 10 mins max. I dont think they are meant to be woofed down as they do have sugar in them. i also worried about the licking itself, sore tongues ect
 
I wanted one of those ones you just leave in the paddock but clearly I’ve chosen the wrong one. He will probably spend all bloody night at it now 🤨
 
I have used the dengie stable licks in the fields, they are molassed but extremely hard work to get at so most just have a few licks and leave it, they say it lasts 2 weeks but I found it lasted at least twice that shared by 3, far longer when used in the stable by one, it probably doesn't provide much in the way of extra vits but is a bit of a top up, mine wouldn't touch the field lick and that ended up being binned.

https://www.dengie.com/horse-feeds/licks/stable-lick/
 
I bought one a few years ago, firstly my two mares fought over it, and secondly one got a huge allergic reaction bring her out in blisters all over her neck (she still has the scars).

Needless to say it was removed and I never bought another.

They have salt blocks in their stables and that it.

Fiona
 
Gloi said:
Our 2 oldies finished a large block in one night. They never got another, boring salt blocks after that.

Oh and why lick when you can bite and stamp to break chunks off?
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That’s exactly what my older gelding was doing. Slamming it hard with his feet and trying to knaw big chunks out of it. Don’t suspect there will be anything left tomorrow
 
Years ago I put one of the Rumevite ones that go in the huge orange bowl out one evening and my 3 horses just ate it until it was all gone. I think it weighed something like 20kg. I went to check it the next morning and it was just an empty bowl and I was :eek::eek::eek:
 
They’ve all got either molasses in or sugar ..not great for laminitics...all the horses I’ve known who’ve had one in their paddocks have licked them to empty..takes about 2/3 days..and they end up with a sticky muzzle 😂🙈
 
If I’ve wanted to Ive just put rockies in the field, they last fine. The dengie one looks ok though too
 
Archangel said:
Years ago I put one of the Rumevite ones that go in the huge orange bowl out one evening and my 3 horses just ate it until it was all gone. I think it weighed something like 20kg. I went to check it the next morning and it was just an empty bowl and I was :eek::eek::eek:
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Yep, that's what ours got through. The dish is still useful though
 
They are 33% sugar - horse crack!
Horslyx reckon that based on feed rate, a horse will get less sugar from one of their blocks than from hay or hard feed, hence their assertion that they are safe for laminitics.
 
Gloi said:
Our 2 oldies finished a large block in one night. They never got another, boring salt blocks after that.

Oh and why lick when you can bite and stamp to break chunks off?
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I must admit, I put a 15kg one in our field (2 horses). I had introduced my horse to horslyx gradually with a mini one, then put one in the paddock as the garlic is good for his sweet itch. but they have cleared 90% of it in a week! Safe to say he can stick to the minis for special occasions! :p
 
Frankly save your money. The majority of Licks are nothing but mollasses. IF you feel you need to feed any supplements, then put them in the feed as straights rather than combi-supplements which are made up of basically nothing more than fillers.

And beware what you put down if you've got sheep grazing alongside; know that some which are ok for horses are not good for sheep (can't remember now whether it's the copper or magnesium which sheep shouldn't have).
 
Copper isn't safe for sheep but is fine for goats and cattle.
I'd have chucked the Horselyx out if they hadn't already scoffed it (stuff of the devil - give it to a farmer) and just use plain salt or one of the Rockies. Rockies are great although I have gone back to plain salt licks due to having a combination of horses, sheep and goats.
 
Gloi said:
Oh and why lick when you can bite and stamp to break chunks off?
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Yes that's my experience too.
Left Bailey with one of those small round likkits that you leave on the floor, went back ten mins later to find she was wearing it on the bottom of her foot like a stiletto!

She'd stamped on it and because it was sticky pulled it out of the container and it had stuck on her foot!
 
For the field the Rockies ones are great and you can get ones that are sheep safe (if they share space with sheep)
They last a long time in Yorkshire rain.

Also notices in the really hot weather the small bird sat on them (never noticed them do it before so not a usual perching spot).
 
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