Why do some horses eat sand or dirt

4) Health problems, specifically gastric ulcers, can make horses have the urge to chew all the time, and they could go to eating dirt to try and relieve some of the symptoms of abd pain.

I would worry if my horses were eating sand. Have you tried taking their manure and flushing it in water and seeing if you end up with sand at the bottom? If you can find sand, then it's in your horse's guts, which can cause colic or entrolothes. Some people claim to have success by giving them horse suppliments that are similiar to Metamucil for people - it is supposed to find to the sand and help them excrete sand in their feeces so they don't get sand colic. I have read satistics that say these products don't help, and I've read satistics that say they do, so it probably would be worth trying.

I would also to to eliminate sand in my horse's paddock. I would provide a mineral block or loose mineral daily. I would make sure they aren't eating directly off the ground, if possible. If there is one specific place that they always dig to eat the ground, I probably would try to keep them out of that area. A few years ago early in the spring my whole herd was in a sloughy area, digging and eating grass roots and tons of dirt. I don't know if would have harmed them, but I didn't want to take a chance and removed them from the area until it dried up and wasn't so appearling to them! Otherwise I would give them as much pasture time/grazing time as possible. I would try stall toys or something to occupy them.