Protecting a wooden stable from a chewer?

[fattylumpkin]

A really great opportunity has come up for me to move my horse just around the corner to a lovely little yard owner by the local saddler It's DIY (which I'm so looking forward to!) and all the horses are stabled at night. It's a different routine from what mine is used to, but having the horse just outside my doorstep is too much to say no to. My horse has been living out for a number of years but was stabled previously and I have heard on the horsey grapevine that when she was stabled she chewed like a beaver. I don't know how much faith I set in those rumours - she's had ample opportunity to chew since I've owned her and not done it. She's maybe taken the odd nibble of something, but certainly hasn't left any chewed patches and showed no interest at all in either of the wooden barns situated in her field. Current YO has cared for my horse for a good few years before I bought her and commented that she has chewed sometimes when no food is available. But since she's not used to being stabled overnight any more she could decide to take lumps out of everything and even though new YO seems understanding I'd prefer to prevent it happening before it becomes a problem.

My gameplan is to make sure she has enough food for the entire night long, hay and chop to keep her interested, and to coat everything in an anti chew spray, and to provide some sort of treat ball.

I'd love recommendations on anti-chew sprays, treat dispensers and any other hints and tips!

 

[Polos Mum]

Cribox is your friend

 

[Dusty85]

Maybe just get her there and see what happens?
If it's the stable door you could cover the top with a metal strip if it's just bare wood.

Things like cribox/ spray for everything else if she grates her teeth over panels etc. make it taste so bad that she won't go near it!!

 

[thatsmygirl]

Personally I would see what happens before using cribbox, if she's got enough fibre she may well be fine and you don't know how she was kept before to warrant all the chewing. Cribbox is very messy and its the last thing I would want put on my stables if there was no need for it along with the mess it will make to rugs etc so play it by ear. The only wood chewer I brought ( well known for it) was lacking in something and he got through a stake a night in the field until I believe anyway that the vit/min supplement took effect and never touched wood again.

 

[fattylumpkin]

TBH my feeling is that as a youngster she chewed both out of sheer boredom and because her diet was so lacking. Twice a day she was given a lump of poor haylege, nothing else, and no doubt spent a greater portion of the day standing around doing zilch, but without having been there to witness it myself I have to rely on what I hear from people who knew her at that time.

I heard that horses will ignore sprays or cribbox if they find a spot they like to chew before the anti-chew stuff is applied, anybody know if there's some truth to that?

 

[Polos Mum]

When I had to use wooden stables mine certainly picked their favourite points, it was these I criboxed - as above it is nasty messy stuff so painting all over would be a mission - sounds like moving her and seeing how she goes would be ideal

 

[Copperpot]

One of mine has started chewing the new post and rail fencing. I covered the top rail in Cribbox. Apparently he likes it!! So now I have bought some extra hot chilli paste to rub on. If be likes that I will need some suggestions!

 

[Dry Rot]

I place my faith in galvanised steel strips bent into an L shape, so you basically have a channel with sides, say, 30mm wide. Any sheet metal work shop should be able to supply these for pennies. Then just screw them onto any edges likely to get chewed.

 

[Pearlsasinger]

One of mine has started chewing the new post and rail fencing. I covered the top rail in Cribbox. Apparently he likes it!! So now I have bought some extra hot chilli paste to rub on. If be likes that I will need some suggestions!

Good heavens! What a nasty thing to do to a horse.

Why not electric fence the p&r off, so that the horse can't chew it?

 

[Tiddlypom]

One of mine has started chewing the new post and rail fencing. I covered the top rail in Cribbox. Apparently he likes it!! So now I have bought some extra hot chilli paste to rub on. If be likes that I will need some suggestions!

Run electric string on off set insulators screwed onto your new post and rail. Looks smart and does the job. Our fencing contractor was so impressed (we retro fitted it) that he has posted pics for potential clients to see.

Our wooden stables have strategically situated metal anti chew strips. Used cribox in the olden days, it's messy stuff, as has been mentioned.

 

[Copperpot]

I already tried that. Bought those screw in black things and ran tape all along the inside of the fence. Still chewed it. Perhaps I could screw them into the top of it and that would do the trick.

People use chilli paste to stop dogs chewing, so thought I would try it. If he does chew it, it won't do him any harm. And if it tastes horrible he won't do it again will he. I'm sure it won't scar him for life.

 

[Sebastian]

Run electric string on off set insulators screwed onto your new post and rail. Looks smart and does the job. Our fencing contractor was so impressed (we retro fitted it) that he has posted pics for potential clients to see.

Our wooden stables have strategically situated metal anti chew strips. Used cribox in the olden days, it's messy stuff, as has been mentioned.

+1 on this. I have done the same on our post and rail and fencing, but I am using galvanised wire now because I didn't like the electric polywire. We have not had any problems since then

Here is a photo from a couple of years ago

 

[Copperpot]

I may give that another try. I need to do both sides and there are 3 gates I need to negotiate too! One is always I left open so they can get into the shelter so may need another energiser.

 

[Sebastian]

I may give that another try. I need to do both sides and there are 3 gates I need to negotiate too! One is always I left open so they can get into the shelter so may need another energiser.

I dug trenches under every gate and put in "undergate cable", like this

http://www.hotline-fencing.co.uk/catalogue/line.aspx?lne_id=0521355a-3073-41af-823b-a308bc75416c

I stuck the wire into tubes

 

[Tiddlypom]

To carry on the electric fence across a gateway, bury lead out cable in blue plastic water pipe under the gateway and reconnect at either side .

Eta Snap!

 

[Sebastian]

To carry on the electric fence across a gateway, bury lead out cable in blue plastic water pipe under the gateway and reconnect at either side .

Eta Snap!

Indeed. They are actually water pipes. I am not sure what I was typing when I said "tubes".

 

[Honey08]

The trouble with leaving it and seeing how it goes is that your yard owner's stable gets wrecked if it chews it.. Most horses chew out of boredom, so perhaps make sure there is always hay and or toys, but definitely have cribbox available. One of my old DIY liveries chewed a huge chunk out of my brand new stables, it couldn't be helped, but it nearly broke my heart as they were only two months old!

 

[Copperpot]

I dug trenches under every gate and put in "undergate cable", like this

http://www.hotline-fencing.co.uk/catalogue/line.aspx?lne_id=0521355a-3073-41af-823b-a308bc75416c

I stuck the wire into tubes

Well that's a good idea! That's OH's day off taken care off!

He's on a good quality balancer, lives out 24/7 with a friend and there are jolly balls in the field. I think he just enjoys it now!

 

[Sebastian]

Is the second paragraph referring to your horse or the OH?

 

[Copperpot]

Lol 😀 I wouldn't waste good money putting the OH on a balancer!! 😝

 

[Pearlsasinger]

People use chilli paste to stop dogs chewing, so thought I would try it. If he does chew it, it won't do him any harm. And if it tastes horrible he won't do it again will he. I'm sure it won't scar him for life.

The trouble with chilli is that it doesn't just taste horrible, it burns. I suggest that you try it yourself before subjecting the horse to it, especially the extra strong stuff.