Mineral deficincy?

[Bright_Spark]

Some of the horses at my livery yard are eating the mud (not just licking it but taking mouthfuls). They are also chewing there stables and branches in the field.

I'm thinking they are lacking something. Is there any good mineral supplements they can go on? Amber is on NAF general supplement but she still's munching her stable.

Sorry for all the posts lol.

 

[Tempi]

my mare goes through phases of wanting to 'chew wood'. Vet said its nothing to do with her lacking anythng, its just something they do occasionally.

 

[Scarlett1980]

Do they have enough grass out there and hay when they're stabled? Horses only produce saliva when they chew by have no bile duct so continuously have bile going into their stomach. Without saliva to neutralise it they often chew other things to produce saliva.

just a though!

 

[Bright_Spark]

Yes they have plenty of grass, all constanly stuffing their faces. i am wondering if its just a bit pants though because of the odd weather this year?

The stabled ones get haylage and the ones who live out get hay at night. I've noticed it more with the stabled ones though. Maybe the stables taste nice lol.

 

[vickers22]

yeh my horsy started licking mud, and eating poo!which means he is difficient in something...think i need to put him on a supplement as well.Im not sure of which one to use either though.If she is on NAF you would have thought that would give her everything she needs, is she on recommended dose?

 

[Llwyncwn]

We found out last autumn that our land, being a mining area is deficient in copper, therefore the hay and haylage we have made over the last few years has also been deficient. One horse on the yard last spring became anaemic and, thanks to our very own Star on HHO, we discovered another horse had Vitiligo (lack of copper which caused loss of pigmentation and muscular problems). Some of the horses on livery dont get any suppliment, but my own and a few others are on Equivite which is a broad spectrum suppliment with higher levels of copper and magnesium. We can at last get the land fertilised in April with the correct nutrients. Hope this helps.

 

[pottamus]

I use Feedmark's Benevit which is an all round vit and min supplement and my boy looks fab on it. Saying that though, he has a favourite tree and he is constantly stripping it of bark!!! But he just likes doing it and is fine and well...horses do chew wood.

 

[Stinkbomb]

When my horse Simon was poorly he used to eat mud constantly. Leahurst recommended a supplement called Visorbin. Its good for general minaerals and vitamins but also good for those horses feeling under the weather and gives them a good pick me up. Have used it and it works although the results are not sponataneous. Heres a link Visorbin