My horse has just started wood chewing help!

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Uniique

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Hi
I have a 10yr tb x wb who is stabled at night and turned out during the day. He is turned out with his companion, an 11hh pony! He has a big haylage net and a feed at night. He has been on the same diet for at least 6 months and has suddenly started very destructive wood chewing. He is chewing any wood surface put in front of him! He has never done this before. His teeth are done yearly and arent due till oct/nov. It could be bordeom related but it is constant chewing!! I rode him this morning, dimounted by the fence and within seconds he was persistantly taking large chunks from the fence (i had just dismounted, is it really bordom!)? He has wooden post and tension wire fencing in his field, im nto sure whether he is chewing in the field so im going to have alook around tonight. I know that it could be deficency related (but nothing has changed in at least 6 months) also, can anyone recommend a nutrional supplement that could help. I know i could use cribox and such but it does get messy, time consuming and expensive. Any ideas as to why it has started so suddenly.
Thanks Sam

(also in veterinary!)
 
My first thouhts would be a lack of fibre, but seeing he has a haylage net that sounds unlikely overnight. Has the grass cover gone off the field? If so I'd try putting some hay out or giving him a haynet before he goes out. Trying a pro biotic might help if he has a bit of ulcer type pain.

I'd also get his teeth checked again to be on the safe side.
 
Thanks for your post. i would say that the grass cover although not fantastic, has proberly recently improved with the rain and the sun. Will hay in the field and see if it stops the chewing over night. Thanks x
 
some horses seem to like it.
my 4 year old went through a phase of chewing last year but seems to have totally outgrown it now.
i always make sure she has plenty of hay or grass to munch on.
i will stick cribbox on the rails though if she started again...... a little goes a long way!
 
I thought I'd replied to you, must be on another board. lol I'd get the dentist out as I said, mouth pain of some sort would be the first thing to rule out imo. Especially as it's a new and extreme behaviour.
 
Hi, I have a filly who recently started the same, despite plenty of haylage and hard feed, good grass etc!! I tried cribox and other preparations with no success, and although unconventional, I dribbled Tabasco sauce on all upper wood surfaces she has access to, she only did it once more, and we've had no problems since. Hope this helps :)
 
Have had horses come on to theyard that have chewed wood- got them all put on vitamin and mineral supplements( we use Pink Powder and Equivite or Baileys Local are also both good for this) and a mineral salt block in the stable to keep them occupied and they soon stopped it!

Also made sure they had enough fibre -and turnout too which it sounds like yours has plenty!

Sometimes though they just like to get a feel for different textures and surfaces- but it's annoying and makes the stable look awful as well!


Cribox is good, another one to try is called McNasty Spray.

Would you consider bringing forward the teeth?, to check there are no sharp edges ...

Hope you get it sorted.
 
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