why is my horse eating dirt?

[gingerbread]

So I look out the window and spy my Arab mare delicately scraping at the mud in a spot where a tree used to stand --and then licking it! Why???:confused:

[WarHorse]

Possibly there is some mineral in that patch of dirt that her body feels is lacking.

[SmartAlex]

Have her Selenium level tested, as it may be low. Also give her a mineral block if she does not have access to one.

[Melyni]

which leached salt into the ground. Make sure she has access to a salt lick or block or better still loose salt.
Yours
MW

[sk_pacer]

There may also be the basal part of grass starting to green up a bit and she is going after that.

[naturalequus]

It can be a sign of a mineral deficiency, so I second testing her (it shouldn't be difficult or expensive) :D

[piccolittle]

My horse used to do that all the time. We had him on selenium but he would still eat dirt and sand. Eventually we found he had severe acid reflux and ulcers (surprising, in a giant quiet Irish horse). Can't remember if it continued after we put him on Gastrogard, but it might be worth looking into?

[Flipper]

Both of my horses started doing that at the end of last summer - usually at the end of the day when they were waiting to come in. They were licking holes into the gravel/dirt area. very concerning. I treated both with sand-clear & got a new mineral block for outside & 1 each for their stalls, and they stopped licking dirt. Soooo, I'd say it's a mineral deficiency thing. 'Cause it couldn't possibly have tasted too good!

[Foxtrot's]

Somebody on another similar thread recommended the sulphur blocks along with normal salt blocks. (I think they are white).

Someone else said they used Bentonite clay as a feed additive.