T’other day, I noticed Albie was deliberately eating earth. He wanted to. Odd, I thought. So today we put out a salt/mineral lick.
Of course, Lilja was first up to investigate.
And then Vitamin spied it and made it Her Lick.
Storm got a look in when Vitamin posed for my camera.
She does love a camera.
But she also loves a salt lick. I had forgotten this.
I led Albie up to the lick and told him to go and help himself, if Vitamin would let him.
I hope the lick cures the problem.
It has lots of minerals in it. I shall keep an eye. I haven’t seen a horse/pony deliberately eat soil before.
Anywho, the others formed an orderly queue and are probably still waiting if Vitamin has anything to do with it.
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In the warmer months, I like to offer loose salt/minerals for all livestock. The sheep always get only loose minerals/salt. Loose minerals are helpful because the animals can get it much quicker and easier, which is especially important when there is competition. Of course there are special feeders available, but I just put it in a shallow rubber dish, and then I cover it if rain is forecast.
It’s interesting about the soil licking. Alfie, my little Shetland, has a patch in his starvation paddock which he goes to each morning and has a good lick before he wanders off to find some grass. He has a salt lick in his stable and gets a teaspoon of salt with his vit and min balancer so it’s definitely not the salt that he’s looking for.
I know when a cat eats grass, it is because they have an upset GI tract. Never heard of eating dirt. I wonder if Storm dared him to.
I like the way Vitamin gets stuck in! and of course she can hog it, she’s the boss.