Lick Stones & Bowls: Salt and Minerals for Your Horse

Lick Stones & Bowls: Essential Minerals Freely Available

Salt and essential trace elements are vital for the horse's organism. Since hay and pasture grass often do not contain enough minerals, lick stones and lick bowls (tubs) are basic equipment in every horse box and on the pasture. They offer the horse the opportunity to cover its individual requirements for sodium and chloride completely instinctively and independently. Especially on hot summer days or after sweaty training sessions, they quickly balance electrolyte loss, prevent muscle cramps, and stabilize the water balance. A nice side effect: licking stimulates saliva production, soothes the stomach, and is an excellent pastime to prevent boredom.

Salt Lick or Mineral Lick?

A pure salt lick (like rock salt or the popular pink Himalayan salt) consists almost entirely of sodium chloride and should always be available to every horse. A mineral lick, on the other hand, contains additional trace elements such as zinc, copper, selenium, or iodine. It is well suited as a supplement on the pasture, but for horses with high performance demands, it often does not replace the daily administration of a complete mineral feed via the trough.

Lick Tubs: The Robust Solution for the Herd

For the open stable or the paddock, large lick bowls or tubs (lick masses) are the ideal choice. They are extremely weather-resistant, do not disintegrate in the rain, and can be used by several horses at the same time. These bowls often contain valuable herbs or garlic for natural insect repellent in summer in addition to minerals.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much salt is a horse allowed to lick?
Horses usually have a very good sense of their salt requirements. However, if the horse eats half the stone in one day out of pure boredom, you should remove it and only offer it for a few hours. Excessive salt consumption strains the kidneys and leads to extreme thirst.

Where is the best place to put the lick stone?
The lick stone should always be placed in a special holder so that it does not lie on the dirty floor. It is best to hang it near the water trough, as salt consumption stimulates thirst. Avoid hanging it directly over the feed trough, as dripping salt water can spoil the concentrate feed.

Are Himalayan salt stones better than white salt licks?
Himalayan salt is often preferred because it is completely natural, extremely hard, and very weather-resistant (it does not disintegrate as quickly in damp air). Due to its natural state, it also contains many natural minerals that are often missing from pressed, refined table salt.