"He ate the whole thing"

[trackgal]

Has anyone ever had a horse eat a whole red salt mineral block? I didn;t realize my horse ate the whole thing until after our ride when I got back and was mucking the stall, I noticed the mineral block was gone, I noticed his hind end seemed alittle weak, he's a young pig (oops I mean horse) and was a bit on the cranky side for a day or two but now he is o.k. can anyone believe he ate the whole thing!? he must have had salt poisoning.

[Diane]

My gelding once ate a 50 lb mineral, RABON and molasses block in a few days. He was ok. They now only get the small bricks (no rabon), plus I alternate with/without minerals according to how fast they eat them. When he steps in his feeder, big rubber things, it tends to break them up quicker. I often wondered how the filet d'mouse got in there too....

[Caper]

I have heard it said if they are deficient in minerals they will eat/lick the mineral blocks. I found mine lasted forever and some didn't even touch them. I then switched to the blue cobalt salt licks and finally they are using them. My old mare though, tends to exagerate the eating of them. It is likely a bad habit...so I remove every once in a while.

[jumper77]

I've seen them eaten whole too. I've seen a barn full, all on the same feed, and some get gobbled up and some are left untouched. Sometimes it's a mineral deficiency, but aside from that, I'm inclined to think some horses just like the taste of them.

[mini's mom]

I have a mare that won't touch a white salt block and will eat a red one only - what she does is she throws it on the floor of her stall or throws it on the side of her feed tub and breaks it - it is in pea size balls right now - the other mare just breaks it apart and then eats it - it ends up on the floor - I figure that if they wanted it then they wouldnot use it as a play toy and eat it -

mini's mom