This is an archived Horseadvice.com Discussion. The parent article and menus are available on the navigation menu below:
HorseAdvice.com » Horse Care » Equine Nutrition, Horse Feeds, Feeding » Minerals and Electrolytes for Horses, an Overview »
  Discussion on Is Himalayan rock salt ok for horses
Author Message
Member:
dakotab

Posted on Wednesday, Jan 23, 2008 - 10:23 pm:

My horse licks everything in his stall, he does not chew. I got him a Himalayan rock salt about 3#. He licked it until it was gone, in about a week and a half. It does not have selenium in it. THe contents are, 05 mg CHROMIUM,25mg BROMIDE, 3200mg of POTASSIUM, 0 COPPER,6000mg SULPHATE,
300mgHYDrOGENCARBONATE,100MG CARBONATE,1.9 IRON,98.80 NACI,450MG MAGNESIUM, 0.15 MANGANESE.
I can't see many of these minerals on you site for salt blocks, that is why I am confused.

I just want to know if it will hurt him,I have another to give him but just am not sure. He does not lick the regular salt block to this degree. Since it's been in a lot of magazines for horses, I thought I would treat him to the best(that's what they call it).

My other horses still have theirs, 4 weeks later. They are licking it also, but not to the degree that Speck does.

Any help appreciated.
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Thursday, Jan 24, 2008 - 6:26 am:

Hello Hilma,
I think the question is why would you feed such a block at all. The ingredient list reads a bit like a bit like a nutritional farce:
  • listing the non-mineral ions bonded to the minerals as ingredients: carbonate, hyDrOgen carbonate, and possibly bromine (arguments exists whether bromine is a nutrient, a ultratrace mineral some have called it, but is plentiful in the diet) are not nutrients.
  • containing nutrients that appear in excess in the regular diet of horses: iron, magnesium, and possibly bromine (arguments exists whether bromine is a nutrient, a ultratrace mineral some have called it, but is plentiful in the diet).
  • does not contain many important microminerals like selenium and others (see article for details of mineral block composition)

As listed in your post Hilma this block is a very spotty attempt at good mineral nutrition and we strongly recommend you return to a a regular salt mineral block.
DrO
Member:
dakotab

Posted on Thursday, Jan 24, 2008 - 12:03 pm:

Thank You Dr. O
I guess because I purchased from Smark Pak and it was expensive, I was doing a favor for my horses.
I will do as you suggest and just keep their regular salt blocks in their stalls.
A lesson well learned.
Hilma
Member:
mysi

Posted on Thursday, Jan 24, 2008 - 1:24 pm:

Hilma,
When I was in Germany I saw those salt rocks and my friend said thats what she uses for her horse, so I bought one while I was there (I had not seen them here at that time). I brought it home and gave it to Moose, and he too ate the whole thing in a day or two. I thought, hmmm...that can't be good. I called my friend in germany and she said that they only put them in the stall for an hour or so after a workout(would have been nice to know that before hand). I never looked at the ingredients because I just assumed it was good until after and I realized it had nothing the horse really needed. I too thought I was doing the right thing because Moose won't touch a salt block. At least your horses eat a regular salt block. I had to take a mineral block and crush it with a hammer and a paper bag so I could hide it in Moose's grain. Talk about time consuming. I found a local feed mill here that makes the loose salt minerals which is much more convenient.
Member:
dakotab

Posted on Thursday, Jan 24, 2008 - 3:50 pm:

Melissa
You are so right, there is just not a lot of information about the salt on the web site or in the salt pkg. But after I read the little information that was on the pkg.today, it said mined from deposits over 550 million years ago???? If it had to be mined I'm sure the horses would not have been able to get to it naturally. Good clue Huh?
I do have one horse who will not lick his regular salt block and he does like the Himalayan rock salt. It problably won't hurt them if they just lick it slowly.
But now, I certainly would not put one back in Specks stall.
Is you horse Moose a licker. Does he lick everything?
Speck licks his walls, his gate, his buckets. He licks my hands, I thought it was because of the salt on my skin maybe. But he picks up tools, rakes, hammers, anything he can. In the pasture he picks up sticks and chases the other horses. So I know he is mouthy.
Member:
mysi

Posted on Thursday, Jan 24, 2008 - 5:09 pm:

LOL. I always wanted a horse that licked, but no he doesn't lick anything. I honestly think he bit pieces off and chewed it up. And he hates salt so that rock must not taste much like salt either. (I should have tried it).
Member:
corinne

Posted on Thursday, Jan 24, 2008 - 11:30 pm:

I just got a small one last week to keep in his grain feeder. The tack store said they harder to devour....Demetrius hasn't touched it after he figured it wasn't sugar....he hates it. He has probably read these posts...The neighboring mares...all of which are in heat due to the crazy weather changes do seem to like licking them but It looks like quartz so I am not sure how they could bite it which was the supposed selling point for me...so it wouldn't be eaten in excess.
If you have a mineral block do you need a salt block as well? Or does the mineral block cover it?
He doesn't eat that either so I assume all his nutritional needs are met with his hay and the small amounts of senior feed he gets twice a day as he is in full training, that is all he gets now and is in the best condition ever.
Member:
dakotab

Posted on Friday, Jan 25, 2008 - 9:45 am:

Melissa
I tried tasting the one I just got, It is salty but does not stay salty on you tongue.
None of my horses are biting pieces off just licking it. It is extremely hard, that is why I bought it also. I think I will hang it in the pasture maybe some of the more aggressive horses will lick it and keep Speck away.
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Friday, Jan 25, 2008 - 7:53 pm:

Hello Corrine, we discuss salt vs trace mineral salts in the article see the "Recommendations" section.
DrO
Member:
mysi

Posted on Friday, Jan 25, 2008 - 8:19 pm:

Hilma you are so funny! I don't think there's anything in there to hurt them, they probably think it's a treat. Just make sure you give Speck back his mineral block (I think you said you did) because that has what they need.
Member:
dakotab

Posted on Saturday, Jan 26, 2008 - 8:27 pm:

Melissa
Yes, I did give the mineral block to him, he is licking a little but not much. Of course as cold as it is here they probably won't lick it a lot anyhow. Do you give your horses the Likit flavored treats?, they are suppose to take 2 weeks to lick through. But you probably know the answer already, all mine go through them in 1 day. But I don't replace them only every two weeks. But, they are in when it gets subzero, and get bored. That is why I tried the hard salt blocks. Anything so they won't chew the wood in their stalls.
Member:
dakotab

Posted on Saturday, Jan 26, 2008 - 8:38 pm:

Corinne
I think if you get the mineral blocks for your horse they have the sodium in them also. The Grain Mill said to use the ones marked for equine only for the same reason Dr O. said. They give the horses all they need as far as minerals
are concerned. Where are you at? You mentioned you weather has been crazy too. I'm on the Great Lakes and it finally looks like winter here.
Member:
mysi

Posted on Saturday, Jan 26, 2008 - 10:43 pm:

Hilma, I did give Moose the Likit thing when he was on stall rest, gone over night! I also got this molasses/oat/corn ball thing, it was a big hard ball that looked like a giant bird seed feeder. I caught the crows on it several times. That lasted a couple of weeks. If your trying to tackle boredom, take a likit or even the hym. rock and tie it from the ceiling. It swings and makes it hard to devour so quickly. All little trick I learned after all the money I was waisting.
Member:
dakotab

Posted on Monday, Jan 28, 2008 - 8:30 pm:

Melissa
I do tie it from the rafter in their stalls.
They use to push it against the wall to chew on it. So we moved them into the center from a rafter. Gambler my little bay grabs the whole holder in his mouth, and manuvor's his bottom teeth around the center and bite's one big piece out. His is gone in (I am not kidding) 5 min.
The rest manage to get theirs gone in about 2 days.
I was wondering about the balls of grain, if they would work. I don't give my horses sweet feed so I was not to sure of them. I am always looking for something to keep them busy in the winter, when it is really cold and they are in.
They all have rubber balls in their stalls and play with them a little.
Any other ideas would be appreciated.
I was clipping the likit in his stall, and when I turned to go out I ran into the Himalayan rock salt almost knocked me out. Be careful if you have any in your stall hanging.
Member:
mysi

Posted on Monday, Jan 28, 2008 - 9:44 pm:

Even hanging like that??? hmmm...smart little buggers! Moose had no patience for the swinging treat, he'd stomp away swinging his head. It alot longer to eat it like that, 2 weeks minimum. The grain ball lasted the longest for me, but your guys may devour it faster!
Member:
dove2

Posted on Tuesday, Jan 29, 2008 - 6:46 am:

My very oral two are masters at devouring anything and everything. Once when our mare was stall-bound, I tied up one of those HARD balls of grain. The mare pushed it over to the wall so she could take big chunks of if, ate it in two days, and was higher than a kite from the sugar. She was literally leaping straight up in the air on a leaDrOpe!

The best boredom buster I've found is the Amazing Graze. You put some treats inside, they rattle around and of course the horse can smell it. Horses roll and flip over the Amazing Graze until the treat is dispensed. My mare always keeps at it until all the treats are gone. My gelding, on the other hand, tends to give up before he gets all the treats. Never the less, they absolutely are entertained for hours. For the treats inside, I put one portion of the Flax Snax cookies (7 cookies) inside so they get a healthy snack. If you haven't tried these cookies yet, they're the best! Smells like home-baked vanilla cinnamon cookies!
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Tuesday, Jan 29, 2008 - 8:52 am:

Hello Dove2,
I have not heard of this contraption but it sounds like a great idea. If you will post this in the Behavior tips section it will definitely earn you some membership time.
DrO
Member:
dakotab

Posted on Tuesday, Jan 29, 2008 - 9:49 pm:

Dove2
I found the Horse feeder you are talking about.
I will try it, that is for sure. It is a little pricy, because I have 4 horses I think I will let them take turns. Gambler my 5 year old stomps everything. Is it strong enough to take that abuse?
You are right Melissa, I know Gambler would find a way to bite that grain ball.
Member:
dove2

Posted on Tuesday, Jan 29, 2008 - 10:15 pm:

Yes, it's pricey but built to last. My mare's taking good care of hers, but my gelding put teeth marks all around the cylinder! They can't really hurt it though. The nice thing is that it becomes an entirely new "toy" because you can put different treats into it! One caveat: it's a bit noisy when they roll it around with the treats rattling inside, but you gotta know they're loving it.
Home Page | Top of Page | Join Us!
Horseadvice.com is a BBB Accredited Business. Click for the BBB Business Review of this Horse Training in Stokesdale NC