How can get a 3 month old foal to stop eating dirt and rocks?

Question

im afraid shes going to coilic

Answer 1

You do have a mineral and salt like for her, right? Otherwise, it might be Pica, so contact a vet.  

Answer 2

I would be willing to bet that she does in fact have a mineral/vitamin deficiency...funny thing is, a woman I used to work with said when she was about 5 years old, she used to scrape the dried dirt off of her grandmother's car and eat it (gross, I know...) but when she was taken into the doctor, he said that she is missing certain minerals in her diet, and her body was reacting in response...

Answer 3

I've never heard of a foal or a horse eatting rocks. But the dirt want hurt it. I've had horses for years and you can buy these red balls to hang in  your barn or in a tree for foals or mares to play with. You can find these at tractor supply. Or the foal may be lacking some kind of a nutriant and may need a special type of feed. You best bet is to call your local vet and ask them about this problem if it continues.

Answer 4

She CAN AND WILL colic if she keeps eating dirt/sand. She will outgrow it eventually. Just make sure she has a mineral block available to her at all times.  

Answer 5

Confine her to an area without those items and/or provide her with a mineral block.  Also maybe a grazing muzzle

Answer 6

foals like babys go thru a trail phase where they mouth everything.  my q horse foal  carried a willow branch around for 2 weeks. slowly pealing the bark and leaves off of it.

Eating dirt is usually a sign of mineral inbalances, so giveing her a mineral block, and makeing sure there is a creep feeder that she can get to but others cant, should help.

Answer 7

I have had a few horses do this and eat sticks.

It is usually form a lack of something in there diet such as salt.

I would suggest get a vet out to check what vitamins or what is missing form his diet.

I would try a mineral block though that contains alot of nutrients.

Im not sure if you can use it on younger horses but we have so give it a try :P

Answer 8

she wont colic.

she is trying to get minerals/salt etc or just testing the world around her.

ETA- do not muzzle a foal, ever, its fine for older horses but there is no need with foals. she is doing it for a reason, its better to find that reason than to stop the 'symptom'

Answer 9

One word Mineral-Deficiency oops maybe 2  

Answer 10

Get a mineral block (Moremans) with a trace of salt, not one of those red salt blocks with a tiny trace of minerals.  A good vitamin supplement won't hurt, either.

She's missing something and her body's telling her to find it.

Answer 11

If she's swallowing these items, she may well colic.  If she's actually eating the items, it's called Pica, and is usually due to a mineral and/or vitamin deficiency in their diet.  Call your vet for testing and treatment.  If she's just mouthing things, it's normal, but try positive reinforcement and toys to keep her occupied.

Answer 12

At 3 months I hope she is still nursing - you may need to improve what the mare is eating - there may be a mineral imbalance in the feed.

Foals learn from watching the other horses - she would be 100% normal to mimic what mom is doing ie. head down and putting her lips on "stuff".

Trial and error will get her to eat the yummy stuff.

Get the foal on pasture not just a dirt paddock so she can learn to make the right choices - grass is easier as a "baby food" than hay.

If for some reason she is not nursing you have a whole other Q to ask!!

Answer 13

It's a condition (or behavior) called Pica, and you'll find some ideas/answers about it here:

http://www.horseadvice.com/horse/message...

I wish you and your baby the best of luck :)

Answer 14

he might be lacking mineralls so try bying a minneral block or salt block from your saddelry and that should fix the problem leah