It might sound a little strange, but the question “Why do horses eat dirt?” comes up a lot at the barn. This is because we often see our equine friends nibbling away at grit and earth. And even though this might seem like a bad habit to us, when horses eat dirt, usually they do it for a good reason.
So if you want to know all about the benefits and the risks of your horse eating dirt, keep reading to find out.
Why Do Horses Eat Dirt?
When horses eat dirt this is known as geophagia, and there are many reasons why your horse might eat a little bit of dirt now and then. In small amounts, dirt can be beneficial for a horses diet. In fact, foals will regularly eat dirt and their mothers droppings, to help them build up healthy gut microbes.
And to get a better understanding about why horses eat dirt, we’ll take a closer look at the most common reasons below.
Boredom
Horses are grazing animals, which means that their instinct tells them that they need to eat all day long. And when horses don’t have regular access to grass or forage, this will have a bad effect on their mental health. They’ll be bored and hungry and often, they’ll nibble at bits of dirt just to keep their chewing reflex going.
As well as this, when a horse licks and chews repeatedly, this will release dopamine. So a horse might also lick dirt if it’s feeling stressed out or anxious. When horses eat dirt out of boredom or hunger, this can quickly develop into a bad habit that’s hard to break. Overall, when horses eat dirt out of boredom it can be very bad for their health.
Diet
Sometimes, if a horse suddenly starts eating dirt, this could indicate that they’re lacking something in their diet. Dirt contains a range of minerals including copper and iron.
However, these days horse feeds are pretty well balanced. So it’s unusual for a horse to eat dirt due to mineral deficiencies. If a horse is eating dirt because of a poor diet, it would also show other signs of malnourishment. This includes weight loss, poor condition and a dull coat for example.
However, sometimes if horses eat dirt, or starts licking cement walls and floors this could be a sign that they need extra salt in their diet. Horses can lose salt quite easily when they exercise and sweat.
And finally, if your horse is dehydrated, this might also cause them to eat dirt. So you should make sure that your horse has constant access to clean water.
Stomach Ulcers
It’s possible that when a horse eats dirt, this could be a sign of a stomach ulcer. Stomach ulcers are very painful in an empty stomach. So horses will eat whatever they can to fill their stomach up, including dirt, to help ease the pain.
Other signs of stomach ulcers in horses include weight loss, irritability, lethargy, loss of appetite
Change in Routine
Horses love routine. So when there’s a change in their routine they can get a little bit stressed out. This means that dirt nibbling often comes with a routine change.
This is especially true if your horse has been stabled all winter with no access to dirt. Once they go out again, they might suddenly eat lots of dirt to make up for the lost time.
For Their Teeth
When horses eat dirt, the tiny grains will gently grind down a horses teeth. So dirt is actually good for a horses oral health.
Horses who live out at pasture, with plenty of access to dirt generally need fewer visits from the dentist than those that are kept in stables.
For Their Gut Health
Dirt contains lots of microbes that are beneficial to a horses gut health. And this is why it’s healthy for horses to eat a little bit of dirt now and then.
As well as this, some earth contains clay, which might be soothing to a horse who has an upset stomach. This is because clay absorbs toxins and will help to naturalizes the pH in a horses stomach.
Is Dirt Bad or Dangerous for a Horse?
It’s both normal and healthy for a horse to eat small amounts of dirt. However, if a horse suddenly starts to eat a lot of dirt each day this could be a sign of a more serious condition. And you should always investigate any sudden behavior changes in horses.
Dirt is only dangerous for your horse when it’s eaten in a large amount. Because this could lead to colic.
Is Sand Bad or Dangerous for a Horse?
Sand is different from normal field earth. It’s harder, sharper and heavier and it won't pass through your horse's gut like dirt. So this means that it can build up in your horse's stomach and it will ultimately lead to sand impact colic.
As well as this, sand is really abrasive and can damage the lining of your horse gut. So while it’s ok for your horse to eat small amounts of dirt, it’s not good for them to eat sand under any circumstances.
What’s Sand Impact Colic?
The horse's digestive system is very long, windy and only 4cm in diameter in some places. This means that it’s very easy for blockages to occur. Especially with sand. This sinks to the bottom of your horse's intestines and stays there. So, over time, the sand will keep on accumulating and eventually cause a partial or complete blockage in the gut.
Signs of sand colic are similar to the signs of normal colic. But additionally, your horse may be slow, lethargic and unwilling to work due to the weight of the sand in their gut. If your horse is showing any signs of colic you should call your vet immediately.
How to Stop a Horse From Eating Dirt
When your horse is out at pasture, they’ll naturally eat small amounts of beneficial dirt. But if your horse is eating excessive amounts of dirt or sand, you need to get to the root of the problem to stop them. And you can do this with the following steps.
Do a Health Check
If your horse is eating excessive dirt, it’s always a good idea to get your vet to check them over. This is especially true if your horse has other symptoms such as lethargy and lack of appetite. Your vet can rule out any underlying health problems that might be causing your horse to eat dirt, such as stomach ulcers or a parasite infestation.
If you think your horse has ingested a lot of sand, your vet might recommend treatment with a laxative, Psyllium. This can effectively dislodge sand from your horse's digestive tract. But you should always use this treatment under the supervision of a vet.
Reassess Your Horses Diet
Even though it’s rare these days for horses to eat dirt due to a mineral deficiency, you should still investigate your horse's diet if they start eating dirt suddenly. It might simply be that your horse needs more hay in its diet to stop them from eating dirt.
In the wild, a horse will graze for as much as 18 hours a day. So they must have regular access to pasture or forage.
As well as this, you should give your horse a salt or mineral block just to make sure that they are getting enough minerals. And you should make sure that your horse always has access to water.
Reassess Your Horses Living Conditions
Boredom is one of the main reasons why horses develop a bad habit of eating dirt. So it’s a good idea to make sure that your horse's environment is stimulating enough for them. Make their routine more fun or give them boredom breakers in the stable.
If your horse rushes food, try giving them their hay in a slow feeder. This will keep them busy for longer and stop them from getting bored. As well as this, ask yourself if your horse has good company? Maybe they need to be paired with a more active or stimulating friend or herd.
It’s a horses natural instinct to chew all day long. So never leave a horse standing around bored in a sand or dirt paddock.
And finally, never make sudden diet changes. Always change a horse diet gradually, over a week or two. Sudden diet changes can stress your horse and may cause them to eat excessive amounts of dirt.
Conclusion
There’s no straight answer to the question “why do horses eat dirt?”. There are many valid reasons why a horse might nibble on earth every now and then. Overall, when horses eat small amounts of dirt, this is part of their healthy diet.
However, if your horse is eating large amounts of dirt regularly, this could be a sign of a problem with their health or care routine. So always seek veterinary advice if your horse suddenly starts eating lots of dirt.
