How can I stop a tail chewer?

[em1]

Hi - hoping someone here can help....
My young horse (5) has just found out how nice it is to chew his field companion's tail (luckily also my horse). Needless to say my old boy's tail is now a complete mess. I've tried tying it up but that didn't work. I don't want to separate them - they are on livery and YO probably wouldn't want my young one out in a field on his own. So how can I stop him? Has anyone tried things like horse balls or other boredom breakers in the field to stop this kind of thing? He hasn't done it before (I got him in April) so it is probably due to there being less grass and them thinking about coming in earlier. I have found a couple of 'chew stop' products advertised - anyone know if these work? Another internet site suggested a mix of cayenne pepper and vaseline! Or do I just have to wait for him to grow out of it?!

 

[Laafet]

We put Cribox through the mares and weaners tails at the stud to discourage them. My show pony chewed off one of my livery's pony's tail it was mot embarrassing and I was shocked she managed to do it as said pony usually wouldn't let anything near her.

 

[galaxy]

There's a young horse out with my horse that has done this. Only thing I found to help was to put a tail wrap on. www.snuggyhoods.co.uk sells them, but I've seen them in other places too. Cribox didn't work on mine.

 

[fizzer]

put bitterapples on the tail

 

[Hedgewitch13]

I mixed curry powder and vaseline together and slapped it on my mare's tail. That stopped the yearlings munching on it (well what was left of it!).