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SESK: Stuff Everyone Should Know · sesk.info/horse-colic-sandy-feeding

Why does UMN Extension advise against feeding hay on the ground in sandy areas?

Eating off sandy ground means swallowing sand, a colic risk.

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  1. The horse can swallow sand along with feed ✔
  2. Ground feed loses vitamins quickly
  3. Horses cannot chew food off the ground

Why: Horses eating off sandy ground can swallow enough sand to bother the gut or slow its movement. UMN suggests feed tubs or hay racks, with rubber mats or catch pans underneath.

Huh, didn't know that: Merck notes that a common cause of colic is a large intestine blockage of dried digested food, sometimes mixed with sand.

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References

Answer: The horse can swallow sand along with feed. Horses eating off sandy ground can swallow enough sand to bother the gut or slow its movement. UMN suggests feed tubs or hay racks, with rubber mats or catch pans underneath.

  1. Colic in your horse (UMN Extension) extension.umn.edu/node/1526
    Avoid feeding hay on the ground in sandy areas
    Checked 2026-10-10.
  2. Colic in your horse (UMN Extension) extension.umn.edu/node/1526
    Horses may eat enough sand to bother their gut or affect motility.
    Checked 2026-10-10.
  3. Colic in your horse (UMN Extension) extension.umn.edu/node/1526
    Place rubber mats or catch pans underneath racks so horses can eat scraps without sand
    Checked 2026-10-10.
  4. Colic in Horses (Merck Veterinary Manual) www.merckvetmanual.com/horse-owners/digestive-disorders-of-horses/colic-in-horses
    sometimes mixed with sand
    Checked 2026-10-10.

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