Re: Horses eating tree

[Teddy Lancaster <Teddy@runningbear.com>]

I am feeding free choice the Rushcreek Mineral Mix from ABC.  I have 5 horses
on 16 acres of hillside...not much to pick from. In the winter I put out
round bales of hay (cheap) it is a good time occupier and filler.  They get
alfala mix hay on top of that (but not tossed out on the ground).  For 8
horses, I go through 200 lbs. of the mineral mix a year..they LOVE it...

Teddy


Angela C. McGhee wrote:

> >My horses NEVER eat a tree since I put them on free-choice
> >minerals....they
> >also have plenty of pasture (not great quality) and free choice hay.
> >
> >Teddy
>
> O.K. Maybe you can save me some trouble.  I got the ABC's  kit that had a
> big bucket of vitamins and 2 smaller jars of some sort of salts (not
> electrolytes, it's storming or I'd go check the label in the barn).
>
> My horse has sorry pasture, basically a chert 5 acre hill side with
> occassional pathetic blades of fescue hanging on.  He gets free choice
> the prettiest Coastal you can imagine, and a little grass/clover hay for
> variety.  However, the "Three Guys" make their rounds throughout the day.
>  They get grain in the morning, eat hay, take a nap, go down and
> pantamine grazing movements, then doze under the oak trees.  In the fall
> they eat acorns (no ill effects that I know of), then, if they see me
> looking, they gnaw a little bark for effect.  Then come up, finish off
> the morning hay, get evening grain, & hay.
>
> Are you saying that if I dump limestone, etc, I don't have to talk about
> putting wire around my trees any more?  What minerals do you supplement,
> how?  My horses have a mineral salt block, and free choice white salt.
> That's all.  Hair looks good, hooves look good.
>
> By the way, one of my ponies is the type that sits in a bar eating
> pretzles and drinking beer.  He stands around and eats salt to pass time,
> drinks an  incredible amount of water, and pees constantly.  The vet says
> it's just a habit.  He's probably the biggest culprit in bark gnawing
> too.  He has plenty of good hay at all times, and isn't on a high grain
> diet, he's just got an oral fixation...carries things, pulls off
> everyone's fly mask, etc.
>
> Angie