Horses that like to lick metal

[Keith_Beef]

I've noticed that a few of the horses where I ride like to lick at metal things. This can be the metal along the top of a stable door, and I've even seen one that was licking at the metal ring that fastens the plastic manger to the wall, that's about 1.5cm in diameter and right in the corner, so he has to make an effort to get his nose in close and stretch out his tongue to find it.

Is this perhaps a symptom of being low on salt?

 

[Rumtytum]

Haven’t seen any licking metal but have had them lick my sweaty arms, probably for the salt.

 

[FinnishLapphund]

Curiosity made me do some searches, and I found these potential answers:

*Lack of minerals.
*Like the taste/feel of metal.
*Licking metal may help the horse salivate.
*Boredom.
*Some horses seems to have a "fetish" about licking things/metal.
*Some horses like the taste of rust.
*Horses are designed to eat grass, which requires them to spend a lot of time grabbing, chewing and swallowing their food. When we give them food which they can eat faster than they eat grass in nature, they haven’t spent the required time feeding so they find something else to nibble or lick, and horses seem to prefer things made of metal for these activities.

 

[Keith_Beef]

Haven’t seen any licking metal but have had them lick my sweaty arms, probably for the salt.

Last week the horse I had ridden licked my arm while I was talking off its tack and then continued to lick me while I was in reach. I suspected a desire for salt there as it seemed very clear. But licking metal door fittings and such?...

 

[L&M]

My horse likes to lick cars..........?!

 

[ElectricChampagne]

My horse likes to lick cars..........?!

Could be the salt spread on the road he's looking for.

Once went to a farm where he had tumbler pigeons and they went nuts eating the silica sand and salt from the underside of my car. The owner said it was likely from the salt they spread on the roads

 

[J&S]

My old mare licks the metal on top of the door after she has had her bucket feed. She has extra salt in her feed so I don't think that is why she does it. So finnishLLaphund's last suggestion might be the answer.

 

[Shooting Star]

Mine likes licking metal after feeds & particularly after eating a mint, he has a decent spec mineral balancer & added salt so I don’t think it’s a deficiency in his case just that he likes the taste for some reason

... when he was kept on a cattle yard he liked licking cows noses too - some horses are just odd ?

 

[ponynutz]

Agreed some just like it. I bought mine a salt lick because she used to lick the metal pole we tied them to and she never used it but carried on licking the pole.

 

[cowgirl16]

We use sweet iron bits a lot in western riding. Good for salivation, and keeping the mouth moist. These bits gets quite rusty, but the horses appear to really like them. Perhaps there is some sort of chemical reaction with the saliva that makes them dribble? maybe they taste nice! Many years ago when my old boy was young, he used to like biting cars. Stupidly left a car within his reach, and he had a really good session on the roof. OH was not impressed!

 

[L&M]

Could be the salt spread on the road he's looking for.

Once went to a farm where he had tumbler pigeons and they went nuts eating the silica sand and salt from the underside of my car. The owner said it was likely from the salt they spread on the roads

Hmmm.....good thinking but he tends to go for bonnets!!!! Think he is just a weirdo......

 

[millikins]

One of mine is a licker, favourites are the metal strip on the door, arms and waterproof jackets, he has access to salt. Is it a texture thing, enjoying the sensation? All my boy's choices and the others mentioned, cars and cows' noses are all smooth.

 

[Bradsmum]

Where we walk the dog there are cows & sheep roaming on the common. I came back once to find the cows had licked all over the car (and done some damage) and occasionally the sheep do it too. I'm more careful where I park now.