Horses that lick you ... good thing or bad?

Why do some horses love licking you? Is it something in them, or something about you? And would you let them do it, or be firm and let them know its not good manners.

My horse spent AGES licking both my bare arms this afternoon, while I held her and chatted to another owner down at the yard. She was quite intense about it, seemd to really really enjoy doing it.

She does enjoy her contact, but I don't recall anything like this in five years. She has been on box rest for a minor field injury, and we had just had a really nice half hour together walking around the manege and stopping to look at things. Is licking a human common? Is there any harm in it? I was a bit startled, but it didn't really bother me. Hmm, don't know what to do.
 
mine will lick my hands for ages after having a polo
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I think sometimes its to do with salt deficiency (sp) however my mums horse didn't have one he just loved licking people lol..
 
My boy does it after a treat or his dinner. He gets quite obsessive about it, he'll lick the walls if he cant get to me!! But he doesnt lick mineral licks etc if you give him them so im not sure why he does it!!!
I don't mind him doing it, can't see what harm it does! Im sure Im wrong though, theres probably some huge reason you shouldn't do it!!!
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Frankie loves to lick, Everything. Every time He is fed a treat (polo, apple etc) He'll then spend ages licking my hand, arm.. anything thing He can get to. & if no ones there, He just licks the wall. He has a salt lick in his stable which he doesnt touch and his teeth are fine and dont need doing.
He's an odd boy =\
As far as I can tell theres no harm in it. The vet didnt seem to mind when he came to do his vaccs and frankie stood there licking his face for tweny minutes!
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Most of the horses at work love licking me but not the others at the yard, even those that have salt licks. Maybe I sweat more than the others (eugh!!) or maybe they like my shower gel I don't no.
 
My boy licks me loads and he has access to a salt lick too.

He licks my hands, face, jacket, jeans, boots.....feel that he is just being very affectionate when he does and it's quite sweet.
 
My mare likes to lick my hands. Shes 7 but quite babyish in the way that she will try to get her lips around anything she can. But she doesnt bite. I think its just playfulness too. She has a salt lick in her stable.
 
Mine licks me all the time and loves to stick his tongue out to have it scratched/squeezed (weird pony i know). There's no time he does it particularly just when ever. He has a salt lick in his stable but he doesn't lick it that much. He does occsionally but not often.
 
My horse also licks alot and he has a salt lick that he uses. He seems to love my jeans, top, chest anywhere really. He always does during a scratching session on his back, neck, withers etc if he can reach me. Sometimes he grooms me back but usually he licks!
 
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