pony eating wood - lacking something?!

[jcberry]

we have a wooden tack box outside our stable and recently pepsi has been chewing the edge of it, and now it is almost through to the inside. he isnt bored as he has a salt lick and tbh he just sleeps in his stable haha.
could he be lacking something? or does he just like the taste of that certain wood?! he doesnt do it elsewhere, say in the field.

 

[K27]

Sometimes if they chew they can be lacking in something - you could possibly try a general vitamin/mineral supplement to see if that makes a difference. Also may be check he has enough fibre ie hay/haylage.

 

[jcberry]

ok thanks i will look into supplements

he has pasture mix and hi-fi for tea and a huge slice off the big bales of hay a night so his fibre should be ok.

 

[splash30]

It could be he is looking for something to do and the tack box just takes his attention and stops him being bored, i know ours can chew if bored

 

[Chico Mio]

Mine eat it because they like it! They chew the pine in the stable because they are inside - but don't touch the chestnut as it tastes nasty. They chew branches out in the field, because they are there - Ari throws them about too! They have a mineral lick and seaweed in their feed and ad lib hay. They just do it because they can!

 

[hellybelly6]

Could be lacking in fibre.