Horse eating soil

[Sugarplum Furry]

My arab gelding recently had major surgery for colic...a loop of intestine had flipped the wrong way and wrapped itself around his spleen. He's home now and on box rest with advice from the clinic vets to walk him out twice a day in hand to graze. He will nibble at a bit of grass but mainly he wants to try to eat large mouthfuls of soil.

I understand that it's a sign of mineral deficiency, and I've bought him a mineral lick for his stable..also he's on a pro-biotic. I'm worried that when he gets turnout, in two weeks time in a small pen, he'll carry on trying to eat soil...not good for a horse with a recently repaired gut.

Any advice on what to do about it?

 

[pagancluf]

Not very good at these things - but can you get your soil analysed and find out what mineral content there is in it (zinc, copper etc) then try a supplement that matches. Most leading food co's will do for a small fee I think. Hope this helps

 

[Guinness]

i would have thought that after the surgery the bacteria in his gut which digests fibre will need replacing and im assuming this will take time, the probiotic should help but maybe feed a balancer too? If hes not better in a week or so i would ring the vet and ask their advice-they are the experts after all!

 

[SirenaXVI]

Sometimes eating soil can be a mineral deficiency but can also happen if they are short on fibre. Tis a good idea to have the soil analysed.

 

[Shilasdair]

I know this sounds odd, but perhaps let him eat another horse's poo if he wants to (they do this to repopulate their gut bacteria, and foals do it so it isn't as weird as it sounds).
Or let him eat a little bit of soil?
S