Horse Natural stone Lick stone specially adapted to a roughage diet
In 2008, we collaborated with members of our forum to conduct a comparative study of mineral lick blocks for horses. The study revealed considerable differences in composition, and that these compositions often seemed poorly considered in relation to the typical diet of horses in the Netherlands and surrounding areas. Subsequently, our online feed calculator further highlighted that commonly available mineral lick blocks weren't ideally suited to a natural diet based primarily on forage.
As our ideal mineral lick block didn't exist, and still didn't 3 years after we published our findings, we ultimately decided to have it produced ourselves. Although our production runs are smaller than standard, we've kept the price low for consumers (just €1.19 per kilogram!) by selling direct, without involving distributors.
Composition
- Extra Magnesium
- We've already covered the importance of Magnesium on this website. However, most standard mineral lick blocks contain little or no magnesium. Our lick blocks, by contrast, include a generous amount. Because horses with impaired carbohydrate metabolism benefit from extra magnesium, we even produce a special version for them (the Mg+), containing a hefty 10% absorbable magnesium. The Mg+ lick block is also ideal in conjunction with magnesium chelate.
- Extra Zinc
- The zinc content of grass and hay is generally sufficient to keep horses healthy. However, zinc, along with copper, is one of the first minerals to cause problems if a horse's appetite is poor, or if their forage isn't up to scratch. Furthermore, the common problem of iron overload can hinder zinc absorption. Paard Natuursteen contains a good level of zinc. (Zinc is used in over 100 enzymes and is essential for healthy hoof growth).
- Extra Copper
- The copper content of grass and hay is usually enough to keep horses healthy. However, copper, along with zinc, is one of the first minerals to cause problems if a horse's appetite is poor, or if their forage isn't up to scratch. Furthermore, the common problem of iron overload can hinder copper absorption. Paard Natuursteen contains a good level of copper. (Copper is involved in many bodily functions).
- No Iron
- Dutch and Belgian soils are particularly rich in iron, and both ground and surface water also contain high levels. Consequently, most horses receive more than enough iron. A small amount of iron is needed to produce red blood cells, but too much can be detrimental to the liver, hinder the absorption of copper and zinc, be harmful to hooves, and act as a free radical. It can damage cells, accelerate aging, and contribute to cardiovascular disease and cancer. We therefore consider it undesirable to give horses even more iron via a mineral lick block. Paard Natuursteen is one of the few lick blocks that's completely iron-free.
- No Selenium
- A horse needs between 1 and 3 milligrams of selenium daily. However, experts believe that more than 5 milligrams can cause signs of toxicity. Because a horse's use of a lick block is so individual, it's impossible to ensure that a low-licking horse doesn't develop a deficiency while simultaneously preventing a high-licking horse from getting a dangerous excess. Therefore, it's better to administer selenium separately, at an appropriate dose combined with vitamin E, and only if it's been established that the horse isn't getting enough selenium from its normal diet.
- No Calcium
- There's an ideal ratio between calcium, phosphorus and magnesium. However, it's unfortunately not widely understood that this ratio becomes invalid when you increase the overall quantities of the trio. The body preferentially absorbs calcium, and after it's saturated, flushes away any excess along with any unabsorbed magnesium. If there's too much calcium in the diet, magnesium absorption is reduced or prevented, even if the theoretical ratio is correct. As there's usually plenty of calcium in equine diets, adding extra via a lick block is undesirable. See our article on Magnesium for more information.
- No Flavourings
- A horse will lick a mineral lick block just enough to satisfy its sodium requirement. But as soon as you add flavours, it becomes like a sweet treat, and the horse's natural, finely-tuned sodium intake goes out the window. They won't stop licking when they've had enough sodium; they'll keep going until the whole bag is gone. That's good for the manufacturer, but not for the horse.
- No Carbohydrates
- Molasses is a favourite ingredient – at least for manufacturers. It's cheap, has good binding properties, and horses love it, ensuring owners quickly buy another. However, we now know that molasses and other carbohydrates are very bad for horses – for their teeth, gut flora and carbohydrate metabolism. Moreover, the same objections apply to the addition of molasses as to the use of tasty flavourings.
- No Colourings
- Admittedly, a mineral block has a naturally unexciting grey colour. But we assume you're not buying it as a lawn ornament, and the horse doesn't care about the colour. As we don't advocate unnecessary additives, our lick blocks don't have a pretty red or yellow tint.
- No Organic Substances
- You *could* add vitamins, proteins, seaweeds, algae, fungal treatments, etc, to a lick block. Aside from rather defeating the object (is it still a mineral block, or a complete feed?), organic substances aren't well-suited to how lick blocks are used. Organic materials are vulnerable to repeated exposure to moisture (licking!), sunlight, frost, heat, etc. Not only would the vitamins quickly degrade, but steps would need to be taken to prevent spoilage from bacteria and fungi. These steps usually involve adding all sorts of preservatives. Better to let the lick block be a lick block, and provide anything else separately.
- No Preservatives
- Salts are very stable and don't spoil. As long as a lick block is made only of minerals, there's no need for preservatives. Paard Natuursteen is therefore preservative-free.
- Balanced Composition
- In addition to the minerals mentioned, Paard Natuursteen also contains other important trace elements such as cobalt and iodine. We've deliberately kept the levels low; the aim isn't to correct deficiencies, but to compensate for losses through sweat.
- Optimal Absorbability
- Minerals are always bound to an anion. In Paard Natuursteen, we've always selected the most absorbable form of each mineral.
| Composition Paard Natuursteen (Horse Natural Stone) | |
|---|---|
| Na: 36.5% | (NaCl: 92.8%) |
| Mg: 4% | (MgO: 6.6%) |
| Zn: 2800mg/Kg | (ZnO: 3500mg/Kg) |
| Cu: 560mg/Kg | (CuSo4: 2240mg/Kg) |
| Mn: 270mg/Kg | (MnO: 350mg/Kg) |
| Co: 20mg/Kg | |
| I: 10mg/Kg | (Ca(IO3)2: 16mg/Kg) |
| Composition Paard Natuursteen Mg+ (Horse Natural Stone Mg+) | |
|---|---|
| Na: 32.6% | (NaCl: 82.8%) |
| Mg: 10% | (MgO: 16.6%) |
| Zn: 2800mg/Kg | (ZnO: 3500mg/Kg) |
| Cu: 560mg/Kg | (CuSo4: 2240mg/Kg) |
| Mn: 270mg/Kg | (MnO: 350mg/Kg) |
| Co: 20mg/Kg | |
| I: 10mg/Kg | (Ca(IO3)2: 16mg/Kg) |
Biological / organic
Don't be misled. Minerals are, by definition, not of biological or organic origin. They are the building blocks of our planet. For instance, sand (silicon) is a mineral. What would "pure sand of biological or organic origin" even mean? It's possible to bind a mineral element to a protein, creating a chelate. However, these organic bonds aren't suitable for mineral lick blocks as they're vulnerable to moisture, sunlight, heat, frost, bacteria and fungi. That's why our lick blocks use only a pure mineral form. Just as horses would get it from plants!
Ordering
We stock two mineral lick blocks: the "standard" lick block, and the "Mg+" version with extra magnesium. The standard lick block will be fine in most cases. Choose the "Mg+" version if you have concerns about the magnesium content of your grass or hay, your horse has a magnesium deficiency, and/or if your horse suffers from insulin resistance (sometimes incorrectly called Equine Metabolic Syndrome). The Mg+ version also contains relatively more trace elements. Because the sodium content is slightly lower, the horse will need to lick the block more to get enough sodium, and will therefore get more of the other minerals as well.
The blocks are square with a convenient hole through the middle and weigh 10 kilograms each. They are available individually or in twin-packs. For the best value, choose the twin-pack of two 10 kg blocks. Stored dry, these lick blocks have an indefinite shelf life!
| Er ligt nog niets in je winkelwagen. |
Application
Horses should always have access to a mineral lick block! Even if they're on a so-called "complete" feed, the online feed calculator indicates they're getting enough sodium, and/or they don't normally use a lick block. It's not uncommon for horses that don't usually use a lick block to suddenly start doing so unexpectedly. This can be due to a change in the feed's ingredients or origin, the horse sweating more than usual without you realising, or other physiological changes.
The idea of a mineral lick block is that the horse uses it as needed. It's not meant to be forced on them by crumbling it into their feed or dissolving it in their water! If a horse shows no interest, it doesn't need it at that time.
Mineral lick blocks are designed to dissolve in water, so ideally, place them under cover.
Horses that haven't had access to a mineral lick block for a while might initially use it enthusiastically. Their licking behaviour usually normalises within a few days. Don't remove the lick block too soon; give the horse time to make up for any deficiencies. If in doubt, consult your vet and show them the list of ingredients.
Comparing Mineral Lick Blocks
About Sodium
When we talk about sodium, we don't actually mean pure sodium. Pure sodium is, to say the least, unsuitable for consumption: it ignites spontaneously in oxygen, and explodes in contact with saliva.
Sodium is usually consumed combined with chlorine. Chlorine's not exactly benign either; it was used as poison gas in World War I. But the amazing thing is that the combination of sodium and chlorine creates sodium chloride, which is very stable. Sodium chloride is the chemical name for... table salt!
The atomic weight of sodium is 11, chlorine is 17. If you convert this to percentages, sodium accounts for 39% of the weight of table salt. The proportion of sodium in a mineral lick block can therefore never exceed 39%. In most lick blocks, it's around 38%. The rest is chlorine, leaving around one percent for trace minerals and any additives.
Comparing mineral lick blocks can be tricky, for several reasons:
- Differences in Notation
- Not all manufacturers use the same way of listing ingredients. Take salt, for example, the main ingredient in most lick blocks. It can be listed as "Salt", "NaCl", or "Sodium Chloride".
However, it can also be shown just as "Na" or "Sodium", giving a much lower percentage. Or it might be given in (milli)grams instead of a percentage. Also, some use the term 'Sodium', some use 'Salt'.
Furthermore, minerals can be paired with different anions. For example, magnesium (Mg) can be combined with oxygen (O) or chlorine (Cl), giving MgO or MgCl, respectively. In the first case, the proportion of magnesium by weight is much higher.
In our online feed calculator we've converted all the mineral block compositions to a standard format, making it easier to compare their composition and effects on a horse's diet. - Marketing Blather
- Some manufacturers are keen on using terms like "biological" and "organic", and/or boasting that their salt is millions of years old. In reality, there are no biological or organic minerals, just as there's no biological or organic sand or water. Minerals are simply minerals, the smallest chemical structures where variation is simply impossible. There's nothing special about salt that comes from geological strata that were formed millions of years ago from dried-up seas; our own table salt is also extracted from ancient underground deposits formed in exactly the same way. Sometimes they make fanciful claims about the composition. Salt from those ancient dried-up seas actually contains few, if any, trace elements. The reason is simple: As a sea evaporates, the different minerals precipitate out of the solution at different times, creating different layers. The large salt crystals that form are evidence of the lack of trace elements, which would otherwise disrupt the crystal structure. It's all evident in the ingredients list – if anyone bothers to read it.
Use our online feed calculator to compare different mineral lick blocks and assess their effects on your horse's diet!
Frequently Asked Questions
Are these mineral lick blocks also suitable if I feed beet pulp, alfalfa and/or bran?
Yes. In fact, the benefits of this lick block are even more relevant: alfalfa and beet pulp are high in iron and very low in copper and zinc.
Why do you use a pressed block rather than a pretty crystal?
Large salt crystals can only form if the salt mixture is homogenous, meaning that there are few trace elements to disrupt the crystal structure. Every salt consists of crystals. Our mineral lick blocks also consist of natural crystals, but much smaller ones. The advantage of small crystals is that it's easier to add trace elements, and horses don't need to lick for so long to get what they need. Our aim wasn't to make a pasture ornament, but an effective mineral lick block, where appearance is secondary.
What are your lick blocks stuck together with?
Our lick blocks aren't stuck together – they're pressed. No additives are used in the manufacturing process. The lick blocks consist only of natural crystals compressed together under high pressure.
Why a mineral lick block?
Horses have a strong natural need for sodium (salt). They also lose a lot of sodium through sweat. The sodium concentration in the forages that horses eat is often too low to fully meet their needs. The solution is to provide a salt/mineral block for them to lick as required: a "mineral lick block".
As well as sodium, horses also lose other minerals in their sweat. That's why it's helpful for a mineral block to contain these other minerals as well. Along with sodium, the horse can then replenish these lost minerals.
What's the shelf life of the block?
The lick blocks contain only minerals, which don't spoil. These minerals have been around for millions of years, and a few more won't hurt them.
Are your lick blocks weather-resistant?
Fortunately not! A weather-resistant lick block would inevitably be lick-resistant too. We want the lick block to dissolve well in saliva, which means it will also dissolve in rain. Ideally, hang the lick block under cover (e.g. in a field shelter).
Do you sell lick block holders?
Not yet, but if there's enough demand, we'll consider it (add your request as a comment on your order). Our lick blocks have a hole through the middle and fit standard lick block holders.
Is the Mg+ block a replacement for a magnesium supplement?
Usually not. The lick block is a good support for horses with a higher magnesium requirement, but the amount they'll get from it is less than from a dedicated magnesium supplement. The main benefits of the lick block's magnesium are the gradual release and the "automatic" administration. In marginal cases, the Mg+ lick block can provide just the little extra magnesium the horse needs.
Why do you use magnesium oxide (MgO) in the lick block?
Magnesium oxide is absorbed well, but is less suitable as a direct supplement because you can only administer a limited amount before it upsets the gut. This isn't a problem with a lick block, as absorption is spread out and even, and the amount of MgO is lower than in a targeted magnesium oxide supplement. The more readily-absorbed magnesium chelate isn't well suited for use in a lick block.
Why haven't you used chelates for the minerals?
Chelates are very expensive, fragile and often unnecessary. Some mineral chelates are absorbed less well by horses than standard minerals. Also, chelates are vulnerable to UV light, moisture and freezing, and wouldn't last long in a lick block. Chelates are mainly useful when you want to administer a large amount of a mineral, which isn't the case for trace elements.
The Life Cycle of Minerals
How long can you store minerals? How quickly are they used up?
It might surprise you to know that minerals can't disappear. If a bale of hay rots completely, a powder will remain on the ground containing all the minerals that were once in the hay. Minerals were around before life on Earth. The salt in the sea is billions of years old. There's no way to destroy minerals, except with nuclear fusion or fission, which isn't really for beginners. All the minerals your horse eats are returned to the environment in its manure and urine. If you collected it all, plus everything that's left in its body when it dies, you'd have the same minerals you started with, that it ate during its life. All the minerals in your own body have at some point been part of countless other animals.
So minerals have an indefinite shelf life. And they're not really consumed, just borrowed for a while...
Do you sell smaller lick blocks than the 10 kg ones?
No. The packaging and transport costs would form a larger part of the overall cost, making the lick blocks more expensive per kilogram. Also, the last bit of a lick block is hard to lick, so with a smaller lick block, proportionally more is wasted. As lick blocks don't spoil, there's really no benefit to a smaller one. By offering only one size, we've kept the cost down.
Are your lick blocks sold under another brand, or stocked in any shops?
No. These lick blocks are produced specifically for us, to our specifications, and aren't available anywhere else.
Where are your lick blocks produced?
These lick blocks are produced in Southern Europe. As well as being cost-effective, this is also environmentally friendly: solar energy is used to dry the minerals. In the Netherlands, natural gas is used for this. The lick blocks are transported to the Netherlands by container ship, which uses far less energy than road transport.
Why are the lick blocks cheaper when I order two at the same time?
Because the manufacturer packs them in pairs for us. If we have to send a single lick block, it requires more (unpacking) work, and our contribution to the shipping costs is doubled. We prefer you to order two at once, so we reward that with a lower price.
Are your lick blocks inferior to more expensive brands?
No. Despite the smaller production runs, our lick blocks offer great value for money because we don't use a distribution and retail network. You're essentially buying our lick blocks direct from the importer, which cuts costs.
Why did you call your lick block "Natuursteen" (Natural Stone)?
We wanted to emphasise that these lick blocks are perfectly suited to a natural diet. We also liked the association with our name "Paard Natuurlijk" (Horse Naturally)!
Ordering
We stock two mineral lick blocks: the "standard" lick block, and the "Mg+" version with extra magnesium. The standard lick block will be fine in most cases. Choose the "Mg+" version if you have concerns about the magnesium content of your grass or hay, your horse has a magnesium deficiency, and/or if your horse suffers from insulin resistance (sometimes incorrectly called Equine Metabolic Syndrome). The Mg+ version also contains relatively more trace elements. Because the sodium content is slightly lower, the horse will need to lick the block more to get enough sodium, and will therefore get more of the other minerals as well.
The blocks are square with a convenient hole through the middle and weigh 10 kilograms each. They are available individually or in twin-packs. For the best value, choose the twin-pack of two 10 kg blocks. Stored dry, these lick blocks have an indefinite shelf life!
| Er ligt nog niets in je winkelwagen. |