Too much salt???

Tinsel Town

Tinsel Town

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My new horse likes to lick me- alot! which is very sweet but I am wondering if its the salt on my skin that he is after.

He has also licked the wall in his stable where a previous salt lick has been.

I am going to get him a natural salt lick (one of those pinky coloured ones) and hopefully that will satisfy him.

But I was wondering will he stop when his body tells him he's had enough or will he just keep eating it? (as I said hes a very licky horse) and I'm worried that he will then have an intake of too much salt??

thanks everyone- mcflurrys for all :D
 
Don't worry, horses can eat lots of salt a day before it damages them. One of my horses has RER and the vet looking after her at Liphook hospital said she needed at least a 25g of salt added to her feed every day. She has had that for the last 10 years with no problems.
 
TangoCurly said:
Don't worry, horses can eat lots of salt a day before it damages them. One of my horses has RER and the vet looking after her at Liphook hospital said she needed at least a 25g of salt added to her feed every day. She has had that for the last 10 years with no problems.
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thank you Tango! puts my mind at rest! I just constantly worry about him!! lol!
 
One of ours likes a lot(!) of salt, one a fair bit, one the occasional lick, and one hardly at all. Different ages, mares and geldings, very similar feeds (same in some cases). Just all have different needs :D.

The very keen one will stop licking his salt lick, so he does know when he's had enough.

My mare likes to have a drink and then a lick, then a drink, and then a lick - this can go on for some time. Quite funny to watch :cool::rolleyes::D
 
If he gets a feed I would add salt to it (tablespoon a day for 15/16hh) and I would provide loose table salt in a bucket instead of a lick. Often they can't get enough from a lick.
 
I have a licker too. In his case I think it's behavioural but I haven't worked out a plausible meaning.
 
25g a day AND free access to a pure salt lick.

More when sweating and working.

Horses aren't like us who should be careful with salt - they can have as much as they want.
 
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