Cowboy Bob's Questions and Answers – page 71 – Why do my horses insist on eating bark off trees?

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Q&A Questions and Answers:

QUESTION:

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?

– P. G.

ANSWER:

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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