Why is my horse eating mud and soil?!

[sophiebailey]

I have noticed Bailey digging at the ground to expose some soil, then licking the soil for a few seconds. Occasionally he will rake his teeth across the soil almost like he's trying to take a mouthful!!

I've brought him a rock salt lick, baby salt lick and mineral lick all of which he hasn't touched.

What sort of minerals could he be missing and what could I possibly feed to him that would help, seeing as he's too cool to be seen with salt licks?

Advice appreciated

 

[horse.love92]

Ahh there's a reason isn't it Iron deficiency ? I could be wrong though ...

 

[CobsGalore]

My friends horse started doing this. So she started adding a general vitamin and mineral supplement to his feed and he stopped within a week.

 

[lamlyn2012]

I think it is lack of minerals. I feed codlivine which also makes the coat shine.

 

[teasle]

My horse does it but only in the woods and he is fed minerals daily.

 

[3OldPonies]

Most likely a lack of minerals. Try adding a supplement or putting up a mineral lick.

 

[Gryfiss]

I think you need to feed seaweed my friend did this and her horse stopped doing it x

 

[hihosilver]

My new young horse did this. I had his bloods tested as he was coughing. He has raised white cells, anaemia, and raised liver enzymes! so a poorly boy. Now feeding milk thistle, a good supplement and ad lib grass!!! his blood tests are normal and he is not eating soil anymore

 

[sophiebailey]

Anyone recommend any good supplements? I think a local tack shop sells seaweed I shall have to investigate .....

 

[PolarSkye]

Two horses at our yard do this - and both are fed shedloads of vits and mins.

P

 

[ester]

Mine does it, always has, will not touch a lick but also likes to lick the trailer and receives a number of minerals on his 'barefoot diet'.

Seaweed isn't really recommended as it isn't very balanced.

 

[stencilface]

Mine does this every so often, but he has a good varied diet and access to mineral licks. I'm not overly worried it is surely how horses would get essential nutrients in the wild

 

[maccachic]

Horses can't get sufficient quanities from mineral licks they were designed for cows with ruff tounges.

Not all vit and mins are created equal so do an as fed analysis of the diet and see where you may be deficient.

 

[Highlands]

A horse mineral lick

 

[ester]

maccachic mine is on a 'barefoot' diet with minerals spec'd to diet.. He still does it! I leave him to it . The other one uses her teeth not her tongue on licks .

 

[Dry Rot]

They do it because they want to. Simple!

 

[maccachic]

Try adding salt to their feed. Mine gets between 50 and 70g salt in their feed and has loose salt in the paddock as its easier to get the required amount loose than in a block.