7 Best Mineral Block Holders For Horses That Prevent Waste

You’ve seen it happen: a brand new mineral block, placed carefully in the corner of the stall or pasture, becomes a trampled, muddy mess within days. Not only is that wasted money, but it means your horses aren’t getting the consistent nutrition they need. The right mineral block holder isn’t just a convenience—it’s a crucial tool for managing your resources and your animals’ health.

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Miller Little Giant: Durable Wall-Mounted Design

This is your classic, no-nonsense solution for in-stall use. The Miller Little Giant holder is a simple, tough polyethylene box that you screw directly to the stall wall. Its primary job is to get the mineral block off the ground, away from bedding, manure, and moisture. This simple act drastically reduces waste and keeps the minerals clean and palatable.

Because it’s mounted, it’s completely secure. A horse can’t knock it over, push it into a corner, or use it as a toy. The smooth, rounded plastic is also easy to clean and incredibly durable; it will stand up to years of rubbing and licking without breaking down.

The main tradeoff here is location. Once you mount it, it’s there to stay. This makes it a perfect choice for horses that spend significant time in a specific stall or shelter, but it’s not a flexible option for rotational grazing systems. Think of it as a permanent fixture for a permanent living space.

Horsemen’s Pride Holder for Stall Enrichment

Sometimes a tool can do two jobs at once. The Horsemen’s Pride lick holders, often shaped like a ball or other toy, are designed as much for mental stimulation as they are for nutrition. By suspending a specially shaped mineral lick inside a toy, you encourage a more natural grazing and foraging behavior, which can be a huge benefit for a stalled horse.

This design is brilliant for preventing boredom and associated stall vices like cribbing or weaving. The horse has to work a bit to get to the minerals, turning a simple lick into an engaging activity. It also keeps the salt or mineral block exceptionally clean, as it never touches the floor or walls.

Be aware of the limitations, though. These holders require specific, often more expensive, round mineral refills. They won’t fit the standard 50-pound square block you get from the feed store. So, while you gain enrichment, you lose some flexibility and potentially increase your long-term cost for the licks themselves.

Tough-1 Holder with Lid Protects from Weather

If your mineral block lives in a run-in shed or on a fence line exposed to the elements, a holder with a lid is a game-changer. The Tough-1 wall-mounted feeder features a simple hinged lid that protects the block from the single biggest source of waste: rain. A heavy downpour can dissolve an unprotected block into a useless, salty puddle overnight.

The lid also keeps the block clean from bird droppings, dust, and other contaminants, making it more appealing to your horses. It’s a simple design, but it directly addresses the main challenges of feeding minerals outdoors. Most horses figure out how to nudge the lid up with their nose pretty quickly.

The construction is typically a durable molded plastic that won’t rust or shatter in the cold. The biggest consideration is the hinge, which can be a weak point over time if you have a particularly rough horse who enjoys slamming it open and shut. Still, for the price, the protection it offers is an excellent value.

High Country Plastics SL-50 for Pasture Use

When you need a mineral feeder that can live out in the pasture full-time, you need something heavy and stable. The High Country Plastics SL-50 is a low-profile, ground-based feeder designed specifically for this. It’s built to hold a standard 50-pound block and is wide and heavy enough that horses can’t easily tip it over or push it around.

This is the ideal solution for rotational grazing. You can pick it up and move it with your herd, ensuring they always have access to their minerals no matter which paddock they’re in. The durable polyethylene construction means it can sit out in the sun, rain, and snow without cracking or degrading.

While it sits on the ground, its design helps keep the block relatively clean. The sides are high enough to prevent most dirt and mud from being kicked in. However, it is open to the sky, so it doesn’t offer rain protection. You’ll want to place it on a high, well-drained spot in the pasture to prevent it from filling with water.

Behlen Country Feeder with Protective Flap

The Behlen Country feeder offers a clever alternative to the hinged lid for weather protection. This feeder, often made of tough, chew-proof galvanized steel, features a heavy rubber flap that covers the mineral block. Horses simply push the flexible flap aside with their nose to access the minerals.

This design is incredibly durable and simple. There are no hinges to break or plastic to crack. The rubber flap effectively sheds rain and snow, keeping the block dry and intact. For horses that are hard on their equipment, the steel construction is a significant advantage over plastic models.

The main tradeoff is that the flap may not provide a perfect seal against driving rain compared to a well-fitted lid. However, its simplicity and ruggedness are major selling points. It strikes a great balance between protection, ease of use for the horse, and long-term durability.

Brower MFSF1 Free-Standing Feeder for Herds

If you’re managing a small herd, you know that competition at the feeder can be a problem. The Brower MFSF1 is a free-standing unit designed to solve this. It’s a heavy-duty, multi-sided feeder that allows several horses to access minerals at the same time, reducing squabbling and ensuring timid horses get their share.

These feeders are built for stability. They are heavy, low to the ground, and often have compartments for both a mineral block and loose minerals, giving you flexibility in your nutrition program. You place it in the middle of a pasture, and it becomes a central resource for the whole herd.

This is definitely not a solution for a single horse in a stall—it’s overkill. But for three or more horses in a pasture setting, it’s a fantastic investment. It streamlines your feeding, cuts down on waste, and helps maintain a calmer herd dynamic by providing ample access for everyone.

Horsemen’s Pride Salt on a Rope for Cleanliness

Sometimes the simplest solution is the best. The "Salt on a Rope" concept isn’t a feeder but a method: hanging a salt block with a hole in it from a rafter or sturdy post. This is the absolute best way to keep a salt block clean. It never touches bedding, manure, or a dirty floor.

This method also provides a small amount of enrichment, as the block will swing and move as the horse licks it. It’s an incredibly efficient, low-cost way to provide free-choice salt in a stall or a covered shelter. There’s virtually zero waste from contamination.

The obvious limitations are that it offers no weather protection whatsoever, making it unsuitable for open pastures. It also only works for salt or mineral blocks that are manufactured with a hole through the center. It’s a specialized tool, but for providing pure salt in a clean environment, it’s unbeatable.

Tarter Equine Feeder for Large Mineral Blocks

For those who want maximum protection for their mineral investment in a pasture, the Tarter Equine Feeder is a top-tier option. This ground feeder is specifically designed to accommodate large 50-pound blocks and often includes a built-in canopy or a full-coverage lid. This structure provides superior protection from both rain and sun.

The benefit of sun protection is often overlooked. Intense sun can degrade certain vitamins in fortified mineral blocks, and the cover on a Tarter feeder helps preserve the nutritional integrity of the product. This, combined with total rain protection, means you get as close to zero waste as possible in an outdoor setting.

These feeders represent a higher upfront cost. They are large, robustly built, and engineered for maximum efficiency. However, if you live in a very wet climate or use expensive, highly fortified mineral blocks, the savings from preventing waste can pay for the feeder over the course of a year or two. It’s a professional-grade solution for the serious hobby farmer.

Ultimately, the best mineral block holder is the one that fits your specific situation—your climate, your number of horses, and whether they live in stalls or pastures. By matching the right tool to the job, you can stop throwing money away on wasted supplements. More importantly, you’ll ensure your horses have constant access to the clean, quality minerals they need to thrive.