Can I put a salt block in with my mare and foal?

[twinoaks]

Can someone tell me if it's safe to put a salt block in with my mare and foal? My foal is 2 months old and I took it out of the pen a while back cause I caught the foal licking the block allot. It is getting hotter and I feel the mare could use it, but not sure how it will affect the foal if she is overly interested in it. If so, which kind do you recommend - regular white salt block, trace mineral block, or selenium added block?

 

[targetsmom]

All our mares & foals have access to a 50 pound mineral block in the pasture area and another one in their stalls. Just be careful where you put one because I know of someone whose foal fell onto a salt block, hit her head, and died. Rare, I know, but I keep the pasture one in a corner. And you might want to offer different kinds to see what they like.

 

[Wings]

I keep two types of salt licks on hand. One I jokingly call 'the lolly' and it is a flavoured salt/mineral lick and is hung in the stable to play with. The other is Himalyan rock salt and not as tasty so less likely to be eaten just for the taste, I sit that one in the large feeders I keep in the stalls so they can access it when they want. I only use the flavoured one to occupy a bored horse or on overnight trips, rest of the time they get the straight salt block.

 

[twinoaks]

Thanks everyone. Very helpful. I am in No. CA and we do have some soils here that are Selenium deficient, that's why I have those on hand. I also have the mineral and regular ones too. I'll put them back in tomorrow and be careful of placement. Thanks.