Sand eating is part of nature

Naturally, horses also eat sand, or at least soil. Black soil is rich in various minerals and also contains the roots of many plants. Actually a very nutritious addition to the diet if you purely look at the minerals in black soil. It is therefore not strange that horses lick/eat soil, it is a natural need. Often you see that this need increases during the shedding period, in this period horses have an increased need for minerals to be able to make the new coat. Of course, it is intended that soil eating remains within limits and does not cause health damage. But if your horse occasionally eats some soil, especially black soil, then you do not have to panic immediately. Be careful if your horse eats white/yellow sand, a horse cannot extract minerals from it, causing it to continue eating sand and health problems may occur.

Reason 1: A deficiency of the mineral silicon

The main reason why horses start eating sand is a deficiency of the mineral silicon. Silicon is a mineral that is important for many processes in the horse's body. For example, for the formation of bones, cartilage, hooves, and coat. Horses do not need a lot of it, but it should be sufficiently available in the diet. Silicon is not present in mineral balancers and horses do not get enough silicon from fresh grass. In addition, silicon is a difficult mineral that is only well absorbed in liquid form. Since sand consists largely of silicon, it is logical that horses try to get silicon from sand through licking. Unfortunately, the silicon in sand is not absorbable for horses, so the deficiencies in the body are not replenished and horses continue to lick sand. Therefore, always choose liquid hydrolyzed silicon, which is the only form that is highly absorbable for horses (and humans).

Reason 2: A general mineral deficiency

Not only a deficiency of the mineral silicon causes horses to eat sand. Other minerals can also be the cause. Especially horses that do not receive mineral balancer (or receive little concentrate feed) easily have a mineral deficiency. However, you often see that horses with a general mineral deficiency really start digging pits in search of roots and black sand. That sand is richer than white/yellow sand.

If your horse licks sand? Always critically review the diet. A handful/half scoop of pellets/muesli is not enough to meet the recommended daily amount of vitamins and minerals. Did you know that a body needs more minerals when you give a grain-rich pellet? Check the label of your pellet for grain fillers. Preferably use a high-quality mineral balancer (Agrobs, Vitalbix, Metazoa, etc.) and, if necessary, supplement with liquid minerals from Bering Sea water concentrate.

Reason 3: Boredom

Eating sand can also arise from boredom. Horses that have no challenges in the paddock and/or have no companions get bored. This can lead to the bad habit of eating sand out of boredom. Therefore, always ensure direct contact with companions, access to roughage (which can also be branches), and a challenging environment. And always use slow feeders in various places.

Reason 4: Worms

Did you know that some horses try to get rid of worms themselves during a worm infestation? This can be by eating very rough fibers, but sometimes horses also eat sand. Therefore, check the manure of your horse at least 4 times a year to rule out a worm infestation.

Reason 5: Too little roughage

Unfortunately, many horses still stand on the paddock without eating for hours. This not only causes boredom but also stomach problems. Horses should never stand without food for more than 4 hours and for many horses, this is already too long. Standing without roughage for a long time can result in horses searching for food. The stomach continues to produce stomach acid, and therefore the horse wants to get some food to neutralize it. That is why some horses start eating sand to satisfy this "hunger feeling".

Therefore, provide unlimited access to roughage. And this does not always have to be in the form of hay. Straw, branches, tree trunks, and other plants are also roughage. If your horse gains weight quickly, choose poorer sources (for example barley straw or grass seed hay), also slow feeders can help slow down eating.

Reason 6: Sand eating has become a habit

Unfortunately, this is something that happens regularly. Eating sand has become a mischievous habit that the horse will do as soon as it is in the paddock. The conditions are ideal and the nutrition is in order, but unfortunately, the horse still starts eating sand.

In these cases, there have often been (long) periods of deficiencies or there has been mismanagement. There has in any case always been a reason for the horse to start eating sand. In these cases, it is very difficult to break this cycle. The summer period often helps when horses can graze again. In very serious cases, sometimes wearing a grazing mask in the paddock is necessary, but of course you would prefer not to. Look for distractions in the paddock. Put down branches, a tree trunk they can eat the bark from, hay nets at different heights, etc.

Always find the reason for sand eating and adjust the (feeding) management

There are several reasons why horses start eating sand. The most common ones are a deficiency of nutrients, and this problem is relatively easy to solve by adding silicon and/or extra minerals. Check if your concentrate feed does not contain too much grains. If that is the case, replace them with a mineral balancer. There, the vitamins and minerals are much more concentrated than in most concentrate feeds, without added grain-based fillers.

If it is due to housing/management, it can sometimes be a puzzle to see how you can adjust this. And sometimes, it is better to move the horse to a place where the management fits better.

Psyllium cure often underdosed

Lastly, it is good to know that the dosage of a sand-clearing cure on the packaging is often too low. Does your horse lick sand? Then give a short but powerful cure. The University of Utrecht (and other animal clinics) advises doses of 1 gram of psyllium per kilogram of body weight to be given for seven days if there is actual sand in the intestines. That is 500g of psyllium per day for a horse weighing 500 kg. And for prevention, 0.5 grams per 1 kg of body weight. The most effective against sand are psyllium pellets, their mucus effect comes into action later, so the most optimal effect takes place in the intestines and not in the esophagus/stomach. Pay close attention to the ingredients that contain a large amount of psyllium. Some brands add other fillers that are unnecessary.