Rug ripping/mane chewing/tail biting hell!!

montanna

montanna

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My youngster is turned out with a lovely herd, but one of them (a 3 year old) is a complete menace. He is absolutely obsessed with my mare and, being a baby, wants to play constantly. She is very tolerant of him (think she likes the attention - tart), but I have had to put up with him tearing nearly all of my rugs! He has now destroyed every single one of my turnout rugs, including 2 Weatherbeeta HW's, a Shires HW, Weatherbeeta MW, Mark Todd LW and finally an Amigo LW today.

I have been really looking forward to her going out naked, and since the weather was lovely yesterday, she was able to. I went down to check on her at lunchtime, and he had chewed half of her mane, which now starts half way up her neck!! He has also chewed her tail, which now looks like a bog brush. I didn't want to bring her in, so I put a (new this year!) full neck LW turnout on her. When I went back after work, the rug was completely destoryed - he had grabbed hold of the surcingle and tugged it backwards, tearing one off and exposing the whole back of the rug so it was dragging around half off. How she didn't get her legs caught I will never know.

So now I am at the end of my tether! Not only do I not have any rugs if the weather turns again, she can't go out naked as she gets scalped! I have mentioned it to the yard owner who has advised spraying cribox in her mane/tail, or on her rugs, however if my memory serves me correctly (I had a cribber years ago) it's brown and really, really sticky? Wondered if anyone had any bright ideas? I have done a search on here and some have recommended Naf No Bite? Is this sticky and brown or clear/watery?

I just want something I can cover her and the rugs in without being sticky and uncomfortable - obviously if I don't come up with something else sharpish then this will have to do but I just wondered if anyone else had any tips?

Thanks for reading :) :)
 
It sounds like a nightmare that's not going to improve unless one of the horses is moved.
 
I can't remember the name of the product, but most tack shops should sell it, it was a spray to stop horses chewing off bandages. It was clear and not sticky, but it did stink.
 
jemima*askin said:
It sounds like a nightmare that's not going to improve unless one of the horses is moved.
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I want to avoid this if possible. She is in a big field, with plenty of shelter and grass so I am happy for her to stay out there 24/7 on her days off. They are a really happy little herd apart from this one issue (and none have any shoes on!)

There are two other fields she could possibly go out in as a last resort. One field has a yearling, a three year old and a five year old in (so I could potentially have the same problem?). This field gets boggy very easily (they are in at the moment as the field is waterlogged from the recent rain), it's probably only 3 acres, and has no grass as these youngsters are out 24/7 so they are provided with hay by the YO. This means they end up standing in the same place all day.

The other field is also huge, and full of grass, however has two big horses in it (17.2hh and 17.3hh Shire x). They are older & just want to eat! They would definitely not take kindly to my 4yo wanting to play - they have shoes on and she only needs to get reprimanded in the wrong place and it's game over.
 
Elvis said:
I can't remember the name of the product, but most tack shops should sell it, it was a spray to stop horses chewing off bandages. It was clear and not sticky, but it did stink.
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This sounds like what I need, I have just phoned Ingatestone (huge saddlery centre near me) but they only stock Cribox.
 
I wud think yo should move the 3yo as he will just move on to other horses cant he be fenced off in the field, dont see why yours should suffer, have you not lost enough already with your rugs. Can the 3yo wear a muzzle, might teach him he cant bite.
 
STRIKER said:
I wud think yo should move the 3yo as he will just move on to other horses cant he be fenced off in the field, dont see why yours should suffer, have you not lost enough already with your rugs. Can the 3yo wear a muzzle, might teach him he cant bite.
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It's a little bit awkward, I get on with his owner and wouldn't want to cause an atmosphere. It's not her fault, and I guess horses will be horses. She also has her two other horses in the same field. There are her 3, my mare and another lady's older horse. The lady with the older horse has just bought a new pony which was turned out with ours the other day. I must say I did cringe when I saw him out there with his brand new Mark Todd turnout... and then a few days later with it hanging off him. So it's not just my mare he is targeting either!!
 
The Naf NoBite works a treat for chewers :)

My (now 12yo) mare used to be a horrendous mane and tail chewer and sadly passed the trait on to her daughter. I saw the NoBite stuff and decided to give it a go - I used it for a few weeks and have never needed to use it since - it seemed to 'cure' them both pretty much overnight :)

Wear gloves though because if you get it on your hands then eurghh - it really is the most foul taste ever!
 
You have my sympathies . . . my boy has been out with both serial rug trashers AND baby horses and both can be a real pain. My only advice is to try the No Bite and have a word with your YO about having the three-year-old moved. Sadly (and from experience), I think this may well end in tears when one of the other horses gets fed up with the youngster constantly harassing them and (understandably) loses patience and kicks out.

P
 
madlady said:
The Naf NoBite works a treat for chewers :)

My (now 12yo) mare used to be a horrendous mane and tail chewer and sadly passed the trait on to her daughter. I saw the NoBite stuff and decided to give it a go - I used it for a few weeks and have never needed to use it since - it seemed to 'cure' them both pretty much overnight :)

Wear gloves though because if you get it on your hands then eurghh - it really is the most foul taste ever!
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Just ordered through vio vet. Thanks you guys, I will let you know how I get on. Hopefully I don't go to the yard tonight to find a totally bald pony!!!
 
Horses will be horses but it isnt nice when another starts chewing others tails etc and friends or not, no one should have to put up,with it, i wouldnt. Is your friend going to replace all your rugs, as a friend i guess she will, thats nice of her
 
PolarSkye said:
You have my sympathies . . . my boy has been out with both serial rug trashers AND baby horses and both can be a real pain. My only advice is to try the No Bite and have a word with your YO about having the three-year-old moved. Sadly (and from experience), I think this may well end in tears when one of the other horses gets fed up with the youngster constantly harassing them and (understandably) loses patience and kicks out.

P
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It is just so frustrating. And it's as soon as I turn her out! He's straight over to her, all over her, hassling her, chewing her, grabbing the back of her rug, the neck of her rug, surcingles etc. The others (aside from the new pony), have been out with him for about 2 years. Nobody has had a problem with the rug trashing/mane chewing, which is a little frustrating as I think if he was doing it to her other 2 horses she would have to do something about it! My mare only went in with them a few months ago.

I will see how I get on with the no-bite... now off to look online for new rugs... *sigh*.
 
One thing that did help wrt the serial rug bashers was putting a tatty old rainsheet on over the top of whatever other rug they were wearing (won't work with fly rugs, obviously) . . . it meant that my NICE rugs remained (on the whole) intact while the rainsheet took the beating.

P
 
STRIKER said:
Horses will be horses but it isnt nice when another starts chewing others tails etc and friends or not, no one should have to put up,with it, i wouldnt. Is your friend going to replace all your rugs, as a friend i guess she will, thats nice of her
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I haven't asked, and she hasn't offered. I am on a really fab yard, which are REALLY hard to find in my area, and apart from this have no issues. Like I say it's a little awkward as I wouldn't really want to cause tension etc.
 
PolarSkye said:
One thing that did help wrt the serial rug bashers was putting a tatty old rainsheet on over the top of whatever other rug they were wearing (won't work with fly rugs, obviously) . . . it meant that my NICE rugs remained (on the whole) intact while the rainsheet took the beating.

P
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Very good plan in theory... if only I had a tatty old rainsheet! Mine go from 'brand spanking new' to 'destroyed' in about 24 hours!
 
Separate turnout. It's the only way.

No bite didn't work for CS and Fig. CS is a bully with a superiority complex! And whilst a total wimp, Fig can be seriously irritating.

After CS destroyed 3 fly rugs, 2 lw neck covers, 2 field head/masks and 2 headcollars of Figs we separated them. Not to mention Fig coming in covered in welts and scratches, and CS with a split forehead and knee.

No problems these days. They can see each other and get turned out naked every so often to have a good groom together, and seem plenty happy with that. Fig is actually more settled for not being constantly herded and chased round the field too.
 
nikkimariet said:
Not to mention Fig coming in covered in welts and scratches, and CS with a split forehead and knee.
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Well, yes . . . Kal still has scars on his rump from a fieldmate repeatedly taking his teeth to him in the field . . . horses will be horses but there is a limit.

P
 
nikkimariet said:
Separate turnout. It's the only way.

No bite didn't work for CS and Fig. CS is a bully with a superiority complex! And whilst a total wimp, Fig can be seriously irritating.

After CS destroyed 3 fly rugs, 2 lw neck covers, 2 field head/masks and 2 headcollars of Figs we separated them. Not to mention Fig coming in covered in welts and scratches, and CS with a split forehead and knee.

No problems these days. They can see each other and get turned out naked every so often to have a good groom together, and seem plenty happy with that. Fig is actually more settled for not being constantly herded and chased round the field too.
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Oh gosh :( Individual turnout definitely has it's place and works for a lot of people, but wouldn't work for us.

The only way I could have individual turnout would be to put her in our small winter surfaced turnout pens which is totally unfair on her. She wouldn't be able to see any other horses, they are only big enough for a quick buck, leap and plunge about, and obviously no grazing. I wouldn't want to deprive her of a field or company, (nothing better than seeing them have a good groom, scratch and play) so will give the no bite a chance first.

If it doesn't work I guess we are back to the drawing board....! I will have to pay someone to stand in the field and shoo him off! Any takers? At the minute it will be cheaper than constantly replacing my rugs!!!!!!!
 
montanna said:
Oh gosh :( Individual turnout definitely has it's place and works for a lot of people, but wouldn't work for us.

The only way I could have individual turnout would be to put her in our small winter surfaced turnout pens which is totally unfair on her. She wouldn't be able to see any other horses, they are only big enough for a quick buck, leap and plunge about, and obviously no grazing. I wouldn't want to deprive her of a field or company, (nothing better than seeing them have a good groom, scratch and play) so will give the no bite a chance first.

If it doesn't work I guess we are back to the drawing board....! I will have to pay someone to stand in the field and shoo him off! Any takers? At the minute it will be cheaper than constantly replacing my rugs!!!!!!!
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My point was that the trouble maker should be removed.

Can't the 3yo go in with a horse that doesn't wear rugs? Or perhaps an older mare, that will tell him where to go?!
 
nikkimariet said:
My point was that the trouble maker should be removed.

Can't the 3yo go in with a horse that doesn't wear rugs? Or perhaps an older mare, that will tell him where to go?!
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Totally with you, he could only realistically go out with the other youngsters, however they are currently in at the moment as their field is completely waterlogged... when the field has recovered I wil have a word with the YO.
 
My 5 year old mare has chewed her companion's tail (companion is mine too) - picture coloured cob with a beautiful full tail now looking like (as you say) a bog brush! I actually thought she'd been attacked by soemone with scissors when i saw it first and didnt realise until a few days later when i spotted grass stains in the tail! Cue looking at my third mares tail (IDxTB cross so much finer anyway and she's nowhere near as forgiving and compliant) and that also had chewing signs. I plaited both tails and sparyed liberally with our dogs bitter apple spray for a good week or so and she hasnt touched either tail since. People have recommended brushing mustard powder in or any bitter spice. Sadly i suspect it will take well over 12 months for my little cobs tail to look anything like normal!
 
montanna said:
Totally with you, he could only realistically go out with the other youngsters, however they are currently in at the moment as their field is completely waterlogged... when the field has recovered I wil have a word with the YO.
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Can only ask YO and take it from there :) Sympathies, as I was tearing my hair out replacing and repairing Figs stuff, so know how you feel! Lucky for me, ours are at home so can do whatever we want!
 
nikkimariet said:
Can only ask YO and take it from there :) Sympathies, as I was tearing my hair out replacing and repairing Figs stuff, so know how you feel! Lucky for me, ours are at home so can do whatever we want!
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Ahhhh to be so lucky! Yes, much easier all round when you have them at home and can do whatever you need. I have just been down to do a lunchtime check and she seems relatively chew free (for today!). It is so irritating having to replace the rugs gaaaahhhhh, even more so when you buy a new one and then see it trashed half hanging off her!
 
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