A 550 million year old source of minerals and trace elements for your horse or pony.  Mined from the Khewra Salt Mines at the foot of the Himalayan mountains in Pakistan, and transported by truck and train, these mines give the local mountain people one of their main sources of income. It is said that Alexander the Great discovered the mines when he travelled through South Asia, but in fact it was the horses that first alerted him to this rich mineral source!  When Alexander's army stopped to rest, the horses started licking the stones, one of the soldiers noticed this and tasted the rock stone and realised it was salty, thus leading to the discovery of the mines. Watch the information video here. Hilton Herbs Himalayan Salt Licks for horses and ponies are obviously distinctive by their colour, however, it’s not just this that sets them apart from other licks.  We like to describe them as salt licks with 'nothing added and nothing taken out' and we believe they are one of the purest forms of salt (sodium chloride) available. Hilton Herbs Himalayan Salt Licks have been analysed and have been shown to be predominantly sodium chloride, with other trace elements such as potassium, magnesium (vital for maintaining health) and iron which is responsible for the distinctive rose pink colour. Himalayan Rock Salt Licks are literally 'rock hard', which means that horses and ponies are unable to bite chunks off, a problem that can occur with the softer 'pressed' salt licks. The licks are also much more weather-resistant and can be hung up in the field for horses and ponies to “help themselves”, exactly as nature intended.