Really stupid question.... :P

[Kellys Heroes]

but can a horse o.d on salt lick or take in too much..???!
I put a salt lick in Kelly's stable today and she went at it like she'd ever seen one before! She was chewing it, licking it, biting it and moving round from side to side I don't think I've ever seen her as excited!! Do we have to limit it? Or was it just that she maybe wasn't getting enough salt in her diet?
She didn't bother with it when I gave her her feed and her net (obv she'd rather have them!)
she is a little backwards at times, bless her, but this salt lick was like the best thing she'd ever had!!

 

[ThePony]

Yes. Often it is considered that horses will self regulate, but they can take too much salt from a lick. Perhaps just pop it in her stable for 20 mins if you have had a particularly sweaty schooling session or hack?

 

[Kellys Heroes]

Yeah we thought we might have to take it out - we're due to get back on her on Thursday after being out of action for 5 months (lami) so atm, even a small bomb about in the field or the walks we take her on is knackering out at the minute - she's not sweaty, but maybe needs more salts from that little exercise? she is really unfit due to being out of work for so long

 

[hannah87]

Mine tend to go crazy when they first get a lick then only bother with it now and then - you might find she doesnt bother so much with it as the days go on

 

[JenHunt]

what sort of lick is it?
I have found that witha proper salt lick (rockies or himalayan) they might go mad for a bit, but they settle down soon enough.

Just make sure she's got plenty of water. salt excess prompts the horse to drink so that the excess salt can be excreted in the wee.

 

[Kellys Heroes]

She has 3 75 L trug buckets of water in so she should be okay.
Its just a plain white salt lick not one of the himalayan ones. We've just put it on the floor next to her net - she may stop bothering with it so much - I just wondered why she was so excited by the prospect, and worried that she'd eat the whole 2kg of salt lick in one go!!