Q&A Questions and Answers:
Why do my horses insist on eating the bark off of the trees in their pastures instead of the rye grass that I planted? Is this normal or do they have a vitamin defiency?
Quick answer: because they like the way it tastes. (Remember, even humans like the boiled-down sap that runs inside the bark of certain trees -- we call it maple syrup!)
For the longer answer, take a look at my previous Q & A's about cribbing -- which has some similarities to bark-eating. You'll find those discussions in Q & A #28 and Q & A #40
Happy Riding!
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MINNESOTA. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
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