licking the ground!!

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blackhorse37

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Is anyone elses horse doing it?
My boy has dug a small hole in the field and has been licking the dried earth! Could he be deficient in something? Whats he after?

He is in excellent health, glossy coat, good feet, clear eyes/resp tract etc, droppings/urine/appetite all normal!

Should i get him a pasture lick? (although dont want him to have addded sugars-theres enough rocket fuel in the grass as it is!!)
 
They do it because they feel they are lacking in some vitamins or minerals in their diet. What about putting in a field lick for an hour or so a day so he can get what he needs but not go mad on it?

At least yours is digging to lick mud - my big TB digs holes and I mean crators! So that when it rains he has a puddle to roll in - weirdo! It does get quite funny if you try and re-fill the hole while he is out in the field. He comes charging over and runs rings round the hole whinneying and generally getting in a tizz. The minute you leave the hole he is straight in digging it all back out again. These days I fill it back in every few days or so just so he can dig it out again and entertain himself whilst there is no rain.
 
My horses started doing this, I fed them NAF Pink Powder and they stopped. They always have access to a salt lick, I guess any balancer/vitamin supplement will help.
 
Thank you !
This made interesting reading for me.
We have had ponies and TB 's here over the last 10 years with absolutly no wood chewing or soil licking.
Then for 18mths we didn't have ponies /horse, due to loss of pony/horse through cancer / sold due to uni etc.
9mths ago got TB on loan, happy laid back, settled in well but chewed my p&r fences which after 10 yrs were still sound!!
This last winter went out on turn out area 1/2 acre no grass but ad lib hay, still perfectly happy and laid back etc. Paddock lick in stable and turn out UNTOUCHED!!!!
This march back out in paddocks 3 acres lush spring grass but seems to spend much of the day licking soil around eculiptus (sp) tree where there is no grass and LOTS of rabbit droppings.
I have wondered if he is lacking in something as in 20 yrs of horse ownership have never come across this behaviour!
We never stop learning do we!
Can someone explain what he needs as he won't lick pasture lick!!!!
 
UPDATE!!

He has been on pink powder for three days now (and i also put a mineral lick in the field but he hasnt touched it! ) He is still chewing the P&R fence and tree bark and licking the ground! Should i call the vet?
 
my yearlings have 24/7 access to a salt lick and a mineral lick. they chew wood and lick soil . one of my mare ,who sadly died a couple of years ago did this too,but my others didnt. I have no idea why, I have beed told that lack of salt can cause it even if they have a salt lick. In the winter when they had bucket feeds I put a tablespoon of salt in their feed and they stopped wood chewing by 90%. I am going to start adding salt again. I also think it could be lack of fibre as the spring grass is rich and they wont eat any hay now. In answer to your question,calling the vet will do no harm. worth a try.
 
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