6 Best Salt Lick Holders for Pasture and Stall Use

You walk out to the pasture and see it: the 50-pound mineral block you put out last week is now a lumpy, brown island in a sea of mud. Half of it has dissolved into the ground, a complete waste of money and a potential health hazard. A good salt lick holder isn’t a luxury; it’s a fundamental tool for smart, efficient herd management.

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Why a Good Salt Lick Holder Matters on the Farm

A salt block sitting directly on the ground is a recipe for waste. Rain dissolves it into the soil, and mud and manure quickly contaminate the surface, making it unpalatable for your animals. A proper holder elevates the block, keeping it clean, dry, and accessible, which means you replace blocks less often and your money isn’t literally washing away. This isn’t just about saving a few dollars; it’s about ensuring your livestock get the consistent mineral access they need.

Beyond waste, a holder improves herd health and safety. It prevents a dominant animal from pushing the block around the pasture, ensuring the entire herd knows where to find it. For stalled animals, a holder keeps the salt out of the bedding where it can be trampled, soiled, or create a wet mess. It transforms a simple block from a potential problem into a reliable resource.

Ultimately, using a holder is about control. You control the placement, you control the cleanliness, and you can better monitor consumption. When you see how quickly a block is disappearing, you gain valuable insight into your herd’s mineral needs, which can inform your feeding program. It’s a small piece of equipment that provides a significant return in efficiency and animal well-being.

Choosing Your Holder: Pasture vs. Stall Use

The right holder depends entirely on its environment. For an open pasture, durability and stability are everything. You need a holder that can withstand rain, sun, and the full force of a curious cow or a rubbing horse. These are typically heavy, low-profile ground feeders made from thick rubber or polyethylene that won’t tip over or get pushed across a field.

Stall use presents a completely different set of challenges. Here, space efficiency and safety are the top priorities. You’re looking for something that mounts securely to a wall or in a corner, keeping it out of the way to prevent an animal from getting caught on it. Materials can be lighter-duty plastic or metal, as the holder is protected from the elements and the force of a whole herd.

Think about the animal’s behavior, too. A horse that paws or a goat that loves to climb requires a different solution than a calm flock of sheep. A ground feeder in a stall might get filled with shavings, while a delicate wall mount in a pasture would be destroyed in a day. Match the holder to the location and the animal, not just the salt block.

Little Giant Block Holder: Classic Stall Mount

This is the quintessential stall-mounted holder for a standard 4-pound salt or mineral block. Made from either durable plastic or galvanized steel, it screws directly to the stall wall, keeping the block clean and off the floor. Its simple, open-faced design makes it easy for animals to access and for you to see when a replacement is needed.

This holder is the perfect solution for individual animals like horses, goats, or show cattle housed in stalls. It’s inexpensive, takes up minimal space, and is incredibly easy to install. The plastic versions won’t rust in humid barn environments, while the steel versions offer a bit more resistance to a particularly destructive chewer.

Don’t mistake this for a pasture solution; it simply isn’t built for that. It’s a single-animal, indoor product. But if you need a reliable, no-frills way to provide salt in a stall without it getting lost in the bedding, the Little Giant holder is the simple, correct answer.

Behlen Pasture Feeder: Durable Field Option

When you need to put a 50-pound block out for the herd, this is the kind of feeder you need. The Behlen feeder is a heavy, low-profile dish made of thick, impact-resistant polyethylene. Its weight and wide base mean it stays exactly where you put it, resisting the urge of cattle to use it as a toy or a rubbing post. The internal ribs or molded center cone help hold the block in place as it gets smaller.

This is built for the realities of pasture life. It’s designed to sit on the ground and endure everything from freezing temperatures to the summer sun without cracking or becoming brittle. It elevates the block just enough to keep it out of the mud and standing water, drastically reducing waste and ensuring your mineral investment feeds your animals, not the soil.

This feeder is not easily portable, and that’s the point. It’s a semi-permanent fixture for your field. If you manage a small herd of cattle, a group of horses, or a large flock of sheep or goats in a pasture setting, this is the workhorse you need for a set-and-forget mineral station.

Tuff Stuff Ground Feeder for Natural Grazing

Sometimes the simplest tool is the best one. A heavy-duty, flexible rubber tub, like those made by Tuff Stuff, makes an outstanding ground feeder for salt blocks. Its low profile encourages a natural, head-down grazing posture, which can be more comfortable for many animals, especially horses. The real advantage is its sheer indestructibility; it can be stepped on, kicked, and run over, and it will just pop back into shape.

This is the ideal choice for anyone prioritizing safety and durability above all else. Because it’s flexible rubber, there are no sharp edges or hard corners for an animal to injure itself on. It’s particularly great for horses who might paw at a feeder, as they are far less likely to hurt themselves on rubber than on hard plastic or metal. It will hold a standard 50-pound block securely.

The main tradeoff is that it sits low, so you need to place it on high, well-drained ground to prevent it from filling with water or snow. But if you want a bombproof, multi-purpose feeder that will last for decades and provides a safe, natural feeding experience, a simple rubber tub is the most practical and reliable choice you can make.

High Country SL-50: Versatile Corner Mount

Floor space in a stall or run-in shed is prime real estate. The High Country SL-50 corner feeder solves this problem brilliantly by getting your 50-pound block completely out of the way. This triangular, heavy-duty polyethylene feeder is designed to mount securely in any 90-degree corner, keeping it off the ground and away from high-traffic areas.

This is the perfect application for a shared shelter or a larger foaling stall where you need to serve a full-size block but can’t afford to have a ground feeder taking up space. The corner placement protects it on two sides, reducing the wear-and-tear from animals rubbing or kicking. It keeps the block clean and makes it easy for multiple animals to access it without crowding.

You need a solid corner with good structural support to mount it properly, and it’s a more permanent installation than a ground feeder. However, if you’re constantly tripping over a pasture feeder you brought into the barn for winter, this corner-mount design is the smartest and most space-efficient solution available.

Horsemen’s Pride Salt Lick: Stall Enrichment

This product is less of a "holder" and more of an interactive toy. The Horsemen’s Pride Salt Lick features a durable plastic apple or ball that houses a specially shaped lick. The entire unit is designed to be hung from a sturdy overhead beam in a stall, where it can swing and spin as the horse licks it.

This is not your primary mineral source for the herd. This is a targeted tool for combating boredom in a stalled horse. The movement provides mental stimulation and makes the horse work for the treat, turning a simple lick into an engaging activity. It can be a fantastic way to help prevent or reduce stable vices like cribbing or weaving that stem from a lack of engagement.

The refills are proprietary and more expensive than a standard salt block, so this is an investment in your horse’s mental well-being, not just its mineral needs. If you have a horse on stall rest or one that gets anxious when confined, this is an essential piece of equipment for enrichment, not basic nutrition.

Lickit Boredom Breaker for Confined Horses

The Lickit system takes the concept of stall enrichment to the next level. The "Boredom Breaker" is a hanging toy that combines a holder for a large, central Lickit refill with one or two smaller, spinning arms that hold "Little Lickit" treats. This multi-component design creates a more complex and engaging challenge for the horse.

This is the top-tier solution for a high-energy horse that figures out other toys too quickly or is facing extended periods of confinement. The combination of different movements and flavors keeps the horse occupied for longer, providing a significant distraction from the stress and boredom of being stalled. It requires a very secure overhead mounting point, as a determined horse will put it to the test.

Like other enrichment toys, the cost of the holder and its proprietary refills is significant. This is a specific tool for a specific problem. For the vast majority of horses, it’s overkill, but for that one animal that is literally climbing the walls, the Lickit Boredom Breaker is less a toy and more a crucial management tool for their welfare.

Proper Placement for Safety and Lick Longevity

Where you put your salt lick holder is just as important as which one you choose. In a pasture, the ideal location is on high, well-drained ground. Placing it in a low-lying area guarantees it will sit in a puddle after every rain, dissolving your block and creating a muddy mess that discourages use. It’s also wise to place it near a water source to encourage drinking, which is essential for proper salt absorption and hydration.

Inside a stall, the primary rule is to keep the salt holder away from the water bucket. Some animals will dunk their salt in the water or drip salty slobber into their bucket, making the water unpalatable and leading to dehydration. Mount the holder on the opposite wall from the water, preferably in a spot where it won’t be easily contaminated by hay or manure.

For both environments, consider traffic patterns. Don’t place a holder in a narrow gateway or right in front of a stall door where it could obstruct movement or lead to competition and bullying. The goal is to provide easy, stress-free access for every animal in the herd or pen.

Maintaining Your Salt Supply for Herd Health

A salt lick holder is not a "set it and forget it" device. It’s a monitoring station for herd health. Make checking your salt and mineral blocks part of your daily or weekly chores. A quick glance can tell you if the supply is getting low, but more importantly, it can reveal changes in consumption patterns.

If a block is being devoured much faster than usual, it could indicate a dietary deficiency that needs to be addressed. Conversely, if a block goes untouched for weeks, it might be contaminated, or in a worst-case scenario, it could be an early sign of a health issue in your herd. Different seasons and feed types (like lush spring grass versus dry winter hay) will change your animals’ mineral needs, and consumption rates will reflect that.

Don’t let a block run out completely before replacing it. Inconsistent access can cause animals to overcompensate when a new block is introduced, leading to potential health problems. Think of your salt station as a gauge for your herd’s nutritional status—a simple but powerful tool in your management toolbox.

Choosing the right salt lick holder is a small decision that has a surprisingly large impact on your farm’s efficiency and your animals’ health. By keeping your salt and minerals clean, dry, and consistently available, you save money on waste and gain valuable insight into the well-being of your herd. It’s one of the easiest upgrades you can make to your daily operation.