A mineral buffet: can horses still choose for the good themselves?

Regularly we are asked whether horses can really choose in a mineral buffet or if they will always choose the tastiest option. Because is the modern horse still close enough to nature to be able to make "healthy" choices? And what about mineral buffets, are they healthy for horses or not? And how do you offer a mineral buffet?

Genetically, horses are close to nature

All present-day horses are still genetically very close to the primal horse. While humans no longer resemble the ancient humans at all, horses have always remained true to themselves. Their digestion has hardly changed, and their needs have also remained the same. In terms of nutritional needs, the modern (sport) horse is still the same as the wild horse. This means that the instinct to search for the right nutrients is still present.

Horses grow up one-sidedly

The main issue with modern horses is that they grow up one-sidedly in terms of nutrition. Weeds are sprayed from the land, they receive standard feed, haylage, and no additions of herbs or branches. And when a horse chooses to eat some black soil once, there is immediate panic and measures are taken to prevent it.

As humans, we have actually "dumbed down" our horses from their instinct and genetics. We have taken away their ability to make choices for themselves, to think about what is good for them. As a result, many horses have not learned to choose certain herbs or to extract minerals from the ground. But it is still there, just look at all the horses that lick sand; they start doing this to address a mineral deficiency.

A mineral buffet is offering choices

With a mineral buffet, you give the horse the opportunity to choose between plain water or water with an addition. This way, your horse has a choice again, which is a beautiful piece of enrichment and development for the horse. Through a mineral buffet, the horse can learn to receive certain nutrients in a different way and can feel in their own body what it needs.

A mineral buffet can be expanded as much as you want, including liquid nettle, liquid rosehip, liquid dandelion, Celtic sea salt, green clay, peat drink, Bering sea water, etc.

So offering a mineral buffet to your horse is very healthy, as long as you approach it responsibly and guide your horse through it.

Horses need to learn!

Some people are afraid of a mineral buffet because they think a horse will only choose what they like best. But as an owner, you are in control because you don't have to offer the same bucket constantly. You can alternate! And then the question arises: does the horse constantly choose that bucket because it likes it, or because it has a huge deficiency and is trying to supplement it? Is the horse experiencing discomfort, indicating that you as the owner need to look further?

Horses that have grown up one-sidedly need to learn how to use a mineral buffet. These horses have never had the freedom to make a choice. Sometimes these horses want nothing to do with a mineral buffet because they are unfamiliar with it. Other times they try everything to see what it is. It is a very enriching process for the horse, giving them the opportunity to develop themselves and return to nature.

Don't offer everything at once!

What is important with a mineral buffet is not to put out 10 buckets at once. Start small with 1 or 2 additional buckets. Also, start with safe choices (nettle, rosehip) and see how the horses react to them. Fill the buckets maximum once a day, to prevent excessive consumption. If you notice that the horses are using them well and are really starting to make choices, you can choose to add an extra bucket with something new.

Also, choose to offer the same thing for a maximum of 3 weeks in a row and then switch to something else. A period without extra buckets is also good! In nature, not everything is constantly available. There are periods of scarcity and periods of abundance in nature; you can mimic this with your mineral buffet.

Conclusion: horses can choose for themselves, if they learn!

So as a horse owner, you don't have to be afraid of a mineral buffet. Versatile horses can make these choices very responsibly, while others need to learn. Therefore, offer a mineral buffet with caution.

And if a horse drinks a particular mineral/herb excessively, this is a sign that there is either a large deficiency or an underlying problem. The chances of the horse continuing to drink it because it is "tasty" are low. This is not how horses think; they live based on instinct and intuition.