Pony won’t stop eating bedding

[sc22]

My pony won’t stop eating her bedding on a daily basis. She is on chopped rape straw. I can’t imagine it’s doing a lot of harm but it probably isn’t great for her either. I have tried spraying with citronella.. but she still eats it. She never did this before, but now she has started she seems to have developed a taste for it. I don’t really want to switch to shavings.. does anyone have any suggestions?

 

[bubblensqueak]

could be a sign of ulcers/ and uncomfortable stomach, since it sounds like she constantly wants a fully/lined belly? and said lined belly would stop stomach acid splashing, and just generally being irritated. best get the vet out, or perhaps try an ulcer supplement just to see if it helps? let us know!

 

[sc22]

could be a sign of ulcers/ and uncomfortable stomach, since it sounds like she constantly wants a fully/lined belly? and said lined belly would stop stomach acid splashing, and just generally being irritated. best get the vet out, or perhaps try an ulcer supplement just to see if it helps? let us know!

She is prone to laminitis, so in the summer she is on more of a restricted diet as a precaution. However, she is fed plenty of soaked hay (large stuffed full haynet) in her stable. Sometimes she munches on the bedding and then seems too full up to eat the hay. It is strange, however she does seem quite happy and not in any pain/discomfort as far as I can tell (I have owned her for 13 yrs). If it persists I may have to get some advice from the vet.

 

[bubblensqueak]

that is quite odd then. ultimately it shouldn't do any harm. my mum swears by straw, and blames all these new fangled bedding's to be the reason of all the horses with ulcers nowadays, they never used to get them when horses were simply bedded on straw she hates the idea of bedding horses on cardboard, or other strange substances.

 

[sc22]

that is quite odd then. ultimately it shouldn't do any harm. my mum swears by straw, and blames all these new fangled bedding's to be the reason of all the horses with ulcers nowadays, they never used to get them when horses were simply bedded on straw she hates the idea of bedding horses on cardboard, or other strange substances.

I totally agree with that! I just don’t have enough storage space for bales of straw, otherwise I would just switch to that instead. Thanks for your response though

 

[bubblensqueak]

I totally agree with that! I just don’t have enough storage space for bales of straw, otherwise I would just switch to that instead. Thanks for your response though

ahaha, my horse is on shavings, which mum hates, but he really cant cope with the dust in straw. luckily no issues with ulcers yet

 

[cauda equina]

Mine are on chopped rape straw, it looks totally inedible!

If your pony is preferring it to hay I wonder if there's something wrong with the hay - soaked hay can go manky quite quickly in hot weather
I know the whole business of soaking hay is a pain but might it be possible to give her smaller, more frequent nets so it's not hanging around for so long?
Or could you experiment with soaking times ; she might like it less soaked

Otherwise you could try her on wood pellets which don't take up much space