Horse chewing wood

[illy89]

Any tips on how to stop this? My 4yo has taken to chewing the top of the paddock fencing and is destroying it!! He has plenty of hay out in the field but can't help thinking its a boredom thing as never did it when there was grass about!!

 

[Toby_Zaphod]

Get yourself an energiser & fit a length of electric fencing along the top of the rail. Once he gets a jolt from that I expect that his appetite will wain.

 

[Cedars]

Ugh, I feel your pain, my yearling ate 18, yes, EIGHTEEN whole wooden rails in 4 days!!

Basically, the only way to stop it is to creosote. Which is expensive. But I've had some success with Cribbox in her stable.

My vet also suggested giving her loads of sticks, twigs, logs, LOTS of things they are allowed to chew on, as sometimes they just lack in their diet and will need to eat wood.

You may also wanna try a supplement, something like a haylage balancer, just to supplement.

Electric tape didnt work for mine as she just ate the two poles below!

Good luck, I understand your frustration!

 

[Jackobean]

A youngster I used to have did this. I read somewhere it was due to a lack of roughage in the diet.

He did it all year round - summer time the grass was knee high & winter time they have constant access to big bales. I stopped him by plastering everything in Cribbox. I have recently noticed my lot munching on the bark of a fallen tree too - I don't mind that so much

 

[Daisychain]

Just get ordinary electric fence and put it in front of wooden fence, so she cant reach any rails!

 

[illy89]

Thanks i'll invest in some creosote i think!! I will also look into supplements but do feel he is just doing it because he is bored, he is a bit too clever for his own good and a week off work due to snow has led to him having to entertain himself!!

 

[Cedars]

Ye, my little one started because she was bored, ran out of food in the field (and couldnt come in because of arena being built).

 

[FairyLights]

my vet told me it was probably due to lack of salt. I told her they always have a salt lick and do lick at it. Put some in the feed she said. She turned out to be right. Start with 1 teaspoon,just ordinary cheap table salt, gradually increase to up to 1 tablespoon per day. Wood chewing reduced significantly,however,in spring my mare would start to chew the trees,I reckon it was the sap rising,but thats another issue.