BEHAVIOR
Why horses eat soil
Q: My 9-year-old gelding constantly licks one spot in his paddock. As far as I can tell, there’s nothing unusual about this spot---it has the same clay-like soil we have everywhere in this area. My horse is otherwise healthy and well-behaved.
I’ve had people tell me that my horse is seeking some particular nutrient that his diet is missing, but he’s on a well-regarded commercial feed and gets lots of grazing time in spring and summer, and hay in winter. He also has access to a salt block.
Other people have told me that soil eating is a stereotypy like cribbing, but he doesn’t seem stressed out to me and he doesn’t have any other undesirable habits. The dirt patch is in the middle of the field, so it would be hard to fence off. I suppose I could get a giant boulder to put over it to deter him. Is that necessary or is there something else that I should do?
Cindy Dietrich
Ames, Iowa
A: Your horse is most likely licking/eating the soil (also known as geophagia) due to boredom. He doesn’t need to be stressed or unhappy to develop this habit. This type of behavior is similar to nail-biting in people---they aren’t necessarily unhappy or stressed but simply develop this habit over time.
ãã®èšäºã¯ Equus ã® Autumn 2020 çã«æ²èŒãããŠããŸãã
7 æ¥éã® Magzter GOLD ç¡æãã©ã€ã¢ã«ãéå§ããŠãäœåãã®å³éžããããã¬ãã¢ã ã¹ããŒãªãŒã9,000 以äžã®éèªãæ°èã«ã¢ã¯ã»ã¹ããŠãã ããã
ãã§ã«è³Œèªè ã§ã ?  ãµã€ã³ã€ã³
ãã®èšäºã¯ Equus ã® Autumn 2020 çã«æ²èŒãããŠããŸãã
7 æ¥éã® Magzter GOLD ç¡æãã©ã€ã¢ã«ãéå§ããŠãäœåãã®å³éžããããã¬ãã¢ã ã¹ããŒãªãŒã9,000 以äžã®éèªãæ°èã«ã¢ã¯ã»ã¹ããŠãã ããã
ãã§ã«è³Œèªè ã§ã? ãµã€ã³ã€ã³
PROGRESS AND STRUGGLE IN SENIOR HORSE CARE
A study from the Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University confirms what many dedicated horse owners have long known: Caring for a geriatric horse with a chronic health condition can be a significant physical and emotional burden.
THREE WAYS TO PREVENT BLANKET INJURIES
Of all the things your horse could injure himself with, his blanket seems an unlikely candidate. But donât rule it out. Blanket mishaps do happen and they can be serious. Here are three things you can do to avoid them:
PUT AN END TO BARN DRAMA
While itâs impossible to prevent all discord at the barn, conflict resolution techniques can help solve problems, restore calm and enable everyone to enjoy their horses.
The turning point
You donât always get the horse you want, but sometimes you get the one you need.
A FOREVER HOME
How a Facebook post led to a midnight rescue and an unexpected partnership
Nice work if you can get it
A career focused on horses is not for the faint of heart but the rewards are many and can last a lifetime.
MAKE WINTER EASIER FOR YOUR OLD HORSE
The season ahead may be hard on aging horses in cold climates but with some planning and preparation you can help yours sail through until spring.
7 THINGS YOU MAY NOT HAVE KNOWN ABOUT TETANUS
With modern vaccines and wound management practices, tetanus is almost a thing of the past. But the threat persists, so itâs wise to remember which horses are most at risk and why.
THE FIRST AMERICAN âSPORT HORSEâ BREED
The very name of the American Standardbred reflects the performance requirement established at the inception of the breed. Hereâs how genetics, conformation and training came together to create horses that could trot a mile in 2:30 or less, or pace it in 2:00 flat.
THE 6 WAYS HORSES LEARN
Youâll be more successful in teaching your horse new skills or maneuvers if your lessons, timing and tasks are aligned with his natural modes of acquiring information.
