MINI CHEWING ON WOOD

[MBhorses]

WE GOT A NEW MINI WHO IS CHEWING ON THE WOOD LAST NIGHT OF THE STALL. DO YOU ALL HAVE ANY IDEALS TO HELP STOP THIS? WE DON'T PUT THE NEW ONES WITH THE OTHERS UNTIL WE MAKE SURE THEY ARE NOT SICK.

THANKS MELISSA

 

[Jill]

Chewing on wood / cribbing is (or can become) a vice. It starts out of boredom, or from seeing other horses do it and then the horse mimics and gets into the vice himself.

They do make products you can spray on the wood to help them stop doing it in the stall.

You might also try putting on the radio, giving toys, a mirror or anything else to help releive the boredom.

 

[wade3504]

Wood chewing and cribbing are not the same. If your mini is just chewing on wood and not sucking air then he is just chewing on wood like you said and not cribbing. Most horses I have learned are lacking in a vitamin or mineral when they chew on wood. In other words they are lacking something in their diet. At most boarding barns when a horse does this and is given free choice minerals the wood chewing stops. You put the loose mineral in a bucket and they use it when they need it. If it is cribbing I don't have much advice on that as even the spray that tastes bad usually won't stop a cribber. I hope this helps.

Amanda

 

[Hosscrazy]

My horses are beavers when it comes to wood - they have plenty of toys to play with and their diet is completely balanced - I do believe the reason they chewed the wood was simply because they could!

I ended up putting metal flashing on top of all the wood corners in their stalls which, of course, stopped the problem.

:

Liz R.

 

[shminifancier]

I use old car drain oil and paint the oil on the wood. Not only does it stop them from chewing on the wood but also protects it at the same time.

I know when I worked at a boarding stable in AZ. I would coat all the wood within reach of the horses and that would stop them form shewing the place apart. I have even spread grease axle grease on the wood when out of drain oil. But that is messy . So I prefer to use just plain drain oil from when I change oil on my vehicles.~! :bgrin

 

[White Socks Miniature]

I know my mini will chew on wood before feeding time if im in the barn... I think just to annoy me so I bring her food faster!, the mineral block and flashing on the wood are good ideas definately worth a try!!!!

 

[Sunrise Valley]

Take a bar of original Irish Spring soap and rub on the wood surfaces. Works for us!

 

[love_casper]

i got this stuff at a local tack shop called Mc.Nasty. works great. stops all wood chewers intheir tracks.

:

but don't spray it while the horse is in the stall because...well... it's very strong stuff! rather potent. :smileypuke:

good luck with that wood-eating pony! :lol:

 

[Triggy&Blue&Daisy Too]

i got this stuff at a local tack shop called Mc.Nasty. works great. stops all wood chewers intheir tracks.

:

but don't spray it while the horse is in the stall because...well... it's very strong stuff! rather potent. :smileypuke:

good luck with that wood-eating pony! :lol:

Whoohoo Amen to that! McNasty couldn't have a better name and is the only thing that works for beavers err minis or hard core wood chewing horses. Rarely is something lacking in the diet, they just love to do it. Everything mini high that's wood I cover with metal flashing or spray with McNasty.

 

[disneyhorse]

Question: Why do horses chew on wood?

Answer: To get the grain out!

I'm infamous at work for telling that joke... had a film crew come through the barn, a horse was chewing on the wood. The film crew had no idea anything about horse behavior and asked why he was chewing on the wood. That was my answer, and my coworkers will never let me live it down....

Andrea