Chewing Wood

[Willow Flats]

Rocko's prior owner had named him Chuey, pronounced Chewy. Little did I know this was some kind of prophesy! He is still pretty young at 4 and likes to nibble on just about anything so I don't keep things lying around.
He nibbled here and there on the wood of the barn occasionally, but it's gotten worse.
We have been reseeding the pasture so he has gotten less time grazing. So as I'm working all of that out, feeding more frequently etc. and applying metal corners for prevention I can't cover all the wood posts he can get to. My question is this:
What can I treat wood with to deter him and break this habit?

I sprayed No Chew and he licked it off like an ice cream cone. I have used dish soap as a friend suggested and he likes that as well.
Anyone advice about treating wood?

 

[Marsha Cassada]

Rocko's prior owner had named him Chuey, pronounced Chewy. Little did I know this was some kind of prophesy! He is still pretty young at 4 and likes to nibble on just about anything so I don't keep things lying around.
He nibbled here and there on the wood of the barn occasionally, but it's gotten worse.
We have been reseeding the pasture so he has gotten less time grazing. So as I'm working all of that out, feeding more frequently etc. and applying metal corners for prevention I can't cover all the wood posts he can get to. My question is this:
What can I treat wood with to deter him and break this habit?

I sprayed No Chew and he licked it off like an ice cream cone. I have used dish soap as a friend suggested and he likes that as well.
Anyone advice about treating wood?

My vet suggested cayenne pepper on a glove for my nipper. Does No Chew contain that?

 

[Dragon Hill]

Maybe it would help if you provided him with more toys to play with? I'm thinking those balls with a handle, or something you can hang up? Cayenne pepper sounds promising. I'm trying to think of something that smells like medicine...

 

[Taz]

Cayenne pepper mixed with vaseline works well, maybe hot sauce? I have been told painting it with diesel but haven't tried it, it makes me nervous.

 

[Willow Flats]

The No Chew bottle doesn't give any ingredients. Just says Bitter Taste and Natural Ingredients.

He has one of those balls with the handle but isn't interested in it. I also have one of those huge balls in his paddock which he does play with sometimes.

Poor guy tries to initiate play with my other two horses but they are older and rarely engage.

I'll give the Cayenne pepper a try.

 

[Marsha Cassada]

Do you use a slow feed hay bag for him? I put a milk jug in with Midnight. I put a few BOSS in the jug or one treat broken into pieces. I gives her something to do while she is on her diet. I can hear her out there stomping that jug. Also she has a dog squeak toy. At first she was scared of the squeak; I hang it on the fence and when I go out later I see she has stomped on it. So maybe some small toys might help him.

 

[Willow Flats]

He has a slow feed bag. I could try the jug but if there is a treat in it Annie would shove him off for sure. She makes certain nobody is getting something she isn't. I could put him in the round pen with it for part of the day I guess.
Thank you for all of the suggestions!

 

[Marsha Cassada]

He has a slow feed bag. I could try the jug but if there is a treat in it Annie would shove him off for sure. She makes certain nobody is getting something she isn't. I could put him in the round pen with it for part of the day I guess.
Thank you for all of the suggestions!

Dapper Dan is the same as Annie. I put two jugs in when they are together. Midnight can get the one Dapper Dan tires of. He's not really into it, so she usually gets to play the most.

 

[Willow Flats]

After I drove him today I retrieved 3 jugs out of the recycle and cleaned them up and put some treats in them. Annie got the treat out of the jug within a second and then stomped on it. Kriss Kross had zero interest most likely due to fear of objects, but Rocko played with those jugs for a couple of hours! Better than his big ball because he pushes that around with his nose, but this kept his mouth busy.

Annie was roaming around and pushing him off the jugs, but there was always another one for him. Honestly, she is so rude, such a boss mare! My husband is starting to call her his horse and sometimes I look forward to the day he retires and can be her person.

 

[Willow Flats]

Cayenne pepper mixed with vaseline works well, maybe hot sauce? I have been told painting it with diesel but haven't tried it, it makes me nervous.

Last week I heard some gnawing and when I investigated, it was Annie! I have heard they can start doing what they see others doing. In all my time with horses I've never had this happen.
We put metal corners on every wood building structure they can access and then I used the vaseline and cayenne on some of the posts in their paddock where there was chewing. It looks like they have gotten the message! Thanks for the tip!

 

[betwys1]

Rocko's prior owner had named him Chuey, pronounced Chewy. Little did I know this was some kind of prophesy! He is still pretty young at 4 and likes to nibble on just about anything so I don't keep things lying around.
/snip/

My opinion on the topic of gnawing is possibly extreme: here it is:
elephants in zoos rock, and horses in stables gnaw.
Fleet prey animals like to keep an eye on the landscape while they eat for possibly 15 hours a day. Those who anthropomorphize their pets want them to feel secure in boxes with 1,2 or 3 meals a day - just like they do. But I am the one who feels that an open grassy pasture with water and access to a walk in shelter is, to mix metaphors, the Bee's knees.

 

[Willow Flats]

betwys, I would be interested to know more about your miniature horses and how you have managed to keep them on pasture 24/7 over the years. I think that would be the desired way for all of us here on the forum! My horses are not kept in stalls but are on a large dry lot with walk in shelters for part of the day and get turn out time on pasture. One of my minis came to me with laminitis and I am following the recommendations of a vet. Too much time on pasture and mine get huge even though I exercise them regularly. Do you have a fitness program that allows them to be kept on pasture or do you keep your pasture area really sparse? Please share your secret!

I have sectioned pastures for rotating and my husband recently set up a big tripod sprinkler system for me.

The one that had laminitis wears a muzzle so she can spend more time in pasture. Not natural I know, but even with a muzzle she can get huge in a hurry! Please don't freak out over the muzzle! I'm going to do what's best for this horse.