Tree chewing

[happy_talk]

My mare (8yr) has in the past 2 days been seen to be chewing/biting bark off a tree (I haven't seen her do it). She's stabled at night and there's no evidence of this in her stable. She's out all day- but the amount of grass available is questionable. She hangs around with another mare (4yr) who last week was seen to be eating the fence and occasionally windsucking. What do I do? Is she lacking in something (nutritionally)? Or is it a lack of grass and then boredom thing? Will it go with more grass? Help! I'm going to try and speak to YO tonight.

 

[zoesophie]

My chap tends to have a nibble on his stable beams

Ive been told it can be both boredom and lacking something. I think with him its boredom coz hes been on box rest since Nov but hes got plenty of hay, balls and lickits to keep him occupied so Im at a loss too. He has topspec balancer which is supposed to have everything they need

so I just put crib ox on the bits he likes most. However, he did have a munch on the gate post this morning too

Ill be watching your replies though incase I can pin point his problem

 

[marieE]

i was recently told that nibbling trees in the wild makes up part the horses diet?! i would fence off the tree though as stripping the bark will kill it. it prob some bordom too cos there not a lot of grass to keep them entertained with at mo, and they just like to chew, dont kno nutrition cont of bark so not sure whats in it re nutritional imbalances?

 

[woolly]

often an indication of lack of copper. Depending on the tree it can be a form of self medication. Salicylic acid, a component of asprin can be found in the bark of some trees. Also teeth problems, boredom and habit are other reasons. Make sure horses have a mineral lick in the field.

 

[pottamus]

My boy has always stripped bark off trees in his field. I let him get on with it as my vet said it is perfectly normal. He has a supplement in his feed and loads of grass and hay to eat so I doubt he is lacking in anything! The tree seems to survive it's stripping and has chance to recover each year when he is on another part of the field!

 

[happy_talk]

not sure if fencing off the tree will be possible (haven't seen tree or damage yet)- but will find out from YO what she wants me to do.
She's got a mineral lick in stable (which she ignores) and gets pink powder at conditioning level in feed, so she should be ok for minerals- shouldn't she? i concerned that she's picked up this behaviour from the other mare.

 

[happy_talk]

Thanks pottamus- i presume that yours hasn't gone on to wood chewing/crib biting?

 

[woolly]

could well be a conditioned thing then....I have not known a horse to go for nibbling trees to cribbing but it can become habit forming. Should be perfectly ok for minerals.