Eating Wood

[StellaArtois]

Any ideas? My mare has started eating the wooden fence posts at the side of her field. She has started nibbling her stable too. Any ideas of why she might be doing it?

 

[jadelovescassie]

I'd also be interested to see the replies to this. My mare seems to do it when she gets a bit impatient/bored but once I tell her off she stops.

 

[VictoriaEDT]

If its uncharacteristic behaviour then its usually because their teeth are sharp or youngsters are trying to dislodge caps (baby teeth).

 

[unbalanced]

I read somewhere (in the problem page of a magazine, can't remember which) that it can be caused by too much stomach acid and it is like the horse is self treating to prevent ulcers. My horse does it when she's on a restricted diet for laminitis, not just in the stable but also if she finds herself standing still next to a fence post or something.
Personally I think once they start they can get a taste for it.

 

[mon]

mine love the poplar trees munch it for fun is there a proplem apart from to the trees which have seen thier time anyway

 

[Samantha008]

My instructor told me that its a nutrient deficiancy. So something like a vit and mineral lick can help? The horse at my yard that eats wood is turned out with a paddock lickit and that seems to have stopped him. Hes also a youngster that hasnt yet had his teeth checked though so could be somethign to do with that? My mare eats branches and stuff all the time when hacking :/ but has never eaten wooden posts or stables so maybe they do just like the taste???

Sorry cant be more help!

 

[mmel001]

It's interesting as there's a number on my yard who are chewing wood and eating the tree's, to the point where one was asked to leave due to that.

Most the horses on the yard have mineral licks in their stables, I don't think any are out in the fields though. They are all on different diets.