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Sasha Melia
Gold Member
 England
1333 Posts |
 Posted - 12 May 2005 : 12:54:54 PM
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Hello
I have a yearling colt in show training who is eating lots of soil when he is turned out which is causing a bit of concern. We noticed him doing this now and then whilst he was at home with us before he went away to show livery so it's not just a change of diet/environment/routine now he's in training.
He always had access to a salt/mineral lick and was fed a course mix with alfalfa and a vitamin & mineral supplement so I really don't know why he does this - he is apparently taking big mouthfuls of it and so he can't be left turned out for any time now as he is more interested in the soil than the grass! He also apparently likes to eat the sand in the school as well!
He has also developed a dry cough recently, with no other signs of a virus (no snotty nose and not off his food etc) - we are wondering if this could be related to the soil eating?
The vet has taken a blood sample due to his cough so we are now just awaiting results on that to see if he may have any deficiencies.
Just wondered if anyone has any experiences or thoughts on this at all?
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Cate
Platinum Member
Scotland
1785 Posts |
Posted - 12 May 2005 : 1:28:20 PM
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I have a 3 year old colt and he also eats the soil. I have only noticed it a few times, but I usually thought this meant he was missing something in his diet. He is given Event which is full of vitamins and minerals. He has adlib hay and is fed Simple Systems, and has access to grazing every day...only in if the weather is so bad that we would be blown away does he stay in, which has amounted to just about 3 times this winter.
I would also be interested in comments regarding this. |
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Sundance
Racing Moderator
England
932 Posts |
Posted - 12 May 2005 : 1:30:38 PM
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Hi Sasha,
As you're already guessed horses that generally eat soil are supposed to missing certain minerals from their diet and therefore try to get them from the earth itself as it were. As you've said your horse has access to vitamin and mineral licks and is turned out so should be having enough of what is required. The horses I know that have done it have been race horses who were stabled for long periods and never turned out, but as you've said yours goes out. More worrying is the sand eating, not good for the lungs. Might be worth checking with a horse nutrionist to see if they can suggest anything. It could be just be his age and a stage he is going through, might help to turn him out with an older gelding in the paddock.
Paul |
Paul
www.zayinarabianstud.co.uk |
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Sasha Melia
Gold Member
England
1333 Posts |
Posted - 12 May 2005 : 1:55:04 PM
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Hi Paul
He doesn't get turned out much now as he is generally exercised by his trainer then goes back indoors, now that he seems to be eating the earth/sand if he is ever let loose we are now not so keen to let him loose at all! This however definitely isn't down to the fact that he is spending more time indoors as up until March when he was at home with us he was out every day, usually all day and I still spotted him eating the soil sometimes then. Not sure if keeping him in more has made the problem worse but obviously we need to get the root of why he's doing it in the first place. I wonder if the sand eating might have caused the cough?? I can't wait to get these blood test results to see if anything funny shows up! |
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Lynda
Platinum Member
England
1957 Posts |
Posted - 12 May 2005 : 2:02:23 PM
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Hi Sasha
I had a very similar problem some years ago with a youngster eating soil etc. After prolonged tests, it was discovered that he was low in selenium, and was getting it from the soil. As it turned out, once given the correct additive, he was fine.
Lynda |
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Sasha Melia
Gold Member
England
1333 Posts |
Posted - 12 May 2005 : 2:07:00 PM
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Hi Lynda
Did the low selenium show up on a blood test or did you find out some other way? Did you ever find out why he was low in it? What did you give him to correct it - Selenivite E?
Thanks
Sasha |
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Michelle
Platinum Member
United Kingdom
3197 Posts |
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Lynda
Platinum Member
England
1957 Posts |
Posted - 12 May 2005 : 2:21:50 PM
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Hi Sasha
The soil eating happened after I had sold him, and he moved to a different area. Whilst he was with me, there wasn't a problem. If you need info re. what he was given, I can find out for you.
Lynda |
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Kazzy
Platinum Member
England
3335 Posts |
Posted - 12 May 2005 : 2:35:10 PM
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Hi,
My two used to lick soil, especially when it was wet, my gelding
used to paw the gound like crazy and lick to his heart content.
They both are out now a lot more (they now have winter grazing
but come in at night) and they both seem to have stopped doing
it.
They both on a High Fibre diet, Spillers high fibre cubes
and spiller happy hoof, they also get a vitimin and mineral
supplement called Selenivite E.
My gelding used to eat his shavings when I put clean bags down,
and has also stopped that, makes you wonder if it is a boredom
thing. Seems to have stopped now they both out all day!
Jan
and Happy hoof
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Sunny Cheshire |
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Eden Arabians
Silver Member
336 Posts |
Posted - 12 May 2005 : 6:39:54 PM
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Hi Sasha
Would it be worth putting on a grazing muzzle until his habit has stopped. That way he could still go out but not eat quite so much of the stuff he shouldn't be eating ? Just a thought  |
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alistair leslie
Gold Member
England
1036 Posts |
Posted - 13 May 2005 : 09:21:41 AM
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We found that PEGASUS on 01279 871033 have the right suplements to cure this
Hope it helps
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blue moon |
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Sasha Melia
Gold Member
England
1333 Posts |
Posted - 13 May 2005 : 11:24:57 AM
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| Many thanks for your comments and ideas! He doesn't really get turned out at the moment as he is in show training so he mainly gets exercised in hand or loose schooled where there is always someone watching him. It does seem that this is possibly more common in youngsters and could just be a phase, but I am awaiting results of the blood test so will see if anything comes up on that which might indicate a reason why he is doing this! |
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Tinkerbell
New Member
United Kingdom
17 Posts |
Posted - 14 May 2005 : 8:05:22 PM
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| Please let us know the results of your blood test. My filly does this quite often as well. |
Leila
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zara
Gold Member
United Kingdom
1066 Posts |
Posted - 15 May 2005 : 10:33:43 PM
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| All my arabs did this! After consulting with a vet friend and a nutritionalist several things were tried but it turned out that they were lacking SALT. They had access to salt licks which they never used, were fed feed balancer, alfalfa , sugar beet and nuts. They now each get 1 to 2 tablespoons of common salt ( not Lo-Salt) per day,depending if they've been working and sweating a bit.No more soil eating or tree barking. if i run out of salt and forget to buy some quickly within a week they are back to soil eating so me and my vet have decided this must be it! Thankfully, for once, a cheap solution!!!!!!!!!!! |
"to his virtues ever kind, and to his faults a little blind". |
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diane
Bronze Member
United Kingdom
177 Posts |
Posted - 15 May 2005 : 10:33:49 PM
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Hi Sasha,
It is sounds like definitely a lack of Selenium. You can have your soil tested to see if it is low in this mineral. I dont use the selenite E but Selenium with Lysine which seems to do the trick, but do not feed over the dose as it can become toxic if fed in excess. If you do feed oil as well make sure you feed one in the morning and one at night as the oil depletes the selenium if fed at the same time.
Hope this helps.
Diane |
http://www.lapwortharabians.com |
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Sasha Melia
Gold Member
England
1333 Posts |
Posted - 17 May 2005 : 11:45:32 AM
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| Hi many thanks for all your tips! Unfortunately the vets only tested the blood for the cough that my colt had so I'm afraid I am no further along with knowing if he has any deficiencies. As they have to apparently do a seperate test for each mineral(!) and I already have a rather large vet bill I may have to just do a bit of investigative work myself by just trying him on maybe the salt and selenium supplements to start with to see if that makes a difference to his mud chomping habits! |
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zara
Gold Member
United Kingdom
1066 Posts |
Posted - 17 May 2005 : 2:44:26 PM
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| Please can you let us know how you get along with your yearling? it will be informative for all of us to know what (if any) of the ideas work. |
"to his virtues ever kind, and to his faults a little blind". |
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darcy
Bronze Member
England
155 Posts |
Posted - 17 May 2005 : 2:50:16 PM
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hi there my mare (8yrs) eats both soil and wood... she is getting selenium. someone told me they are cleaning their mouth!! i would also be interested as she is eating all the wood and soil she can find. thanks.
lynn |
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