They are eating the barn!

[ILoveMyGelding]

For the last month or so ALL of my horses have decided that they were going to chew on every piece of wood in our barn. It's gotten to the point that they even ate through a gate! The whole bottom 3 rows are completely gone. What is their problem? They are not starving as they are all over weight. We haven't changed their feed or hay ration either. They can't be bored because I rotate their toys every weekend. What is wrong with them? Any ideas? Thanks, Cassie

 

[Frankie]

If they are all doing it, I would continue to look for an actual problem.

If you want them to stop now, take a bar of Irish Spring Soap, rub it all over the wood. I had two who were chewing, took the bar of soap, it's a cheap thing to try,

rubbed all of the wood. Had to do it twice, and have never had a horse do it since. I know others have used other products that have worked as well.

But I still think it may either be something they are missing, or bordem. What kind of feed, how much? Are they stalled? How often?

 

[ILoveMyGelding]

I was concerned that it was their food too. They are getting 3 cups of 12% sweet feed and a half a flake of hay, twice a day, per horse. They aren't skinny and I know they don't have worms because they are up to date on that. The only time they are stalled is at night. They all get locked in the barn at about 8pm and get let out around 9am. Then they have freedom to go out or stay in as they please. We did have fans running all summer plus the radio and lately we've had them turned off. We thought that maybe it was too quiet for them so we turned the radio back on and it seems to have helped but they haven't stopped chewing completely. They better stop soon or we won't have a barn left! Frankie, thanks for the advice. I'll try the bar of soap and see what happens.

 

[AJ]

Could be lacking minerals.

 

[ILoveMyGelding]

Everyone has a salt block in their stall. Some love them but others won't even touch them.

 

[Marty]

It may be because the grass is dying off or has died already and quit growing so do be sure that your hay is good quality. Hay that they really love that is palatable. They'll also chew to keep warm so if it's cold where you are, that could be a possibility.

Sometimes the soap works and also check the online tack shops for a wide variety of "chew stop" stuff. So far I haven't found one that works but there must be one that does.

Be sure that the salt blocks are fresh and try one white and one red trace mineral. Also try free choice minerals. I use Purina 12 12.

 

[Jill]

I'm not sure if this is do-able or not, but can you some how set a mirror for them to see themselves in? One that wouldn't break? I've heard that can reduce vices. The thing is, once they get into the habit of doing something, it's pretty hard to change because it's become something they do out of a habit, not out of any thing else really. And, horses pick up vices from observing other horses.

The horses here at home, so far, have only been stalled if one was sick. They come in and out as they please. What I think is that 13 hours is a long time to be "stuck" in a small room and maybe that is bothering them. But I know there are good and valid reasons to keep horses stalled for a long part of the day / night.

 

[Little Wee Horse Farm]

Hi - As I understand it, chewing wood is a learned behavior, but I did have one mare (born here) who suddenly started doing it. Soon a few others were doing it too. I guess it looked good to them.

Horses particuarly like to chew pine & other softwoods.

I got them to stop by using the hottest hot sauce I could find applied to the wood. A few times of this & they stopped. It's messy, but mess is better than chewed wood. The mess eventually fades anyway. I even asked at the grocery story which was the hottest. That's what I bought & used.

This was ok inside because I had control over it. But outside, this mare was also working on fences. It was old pine split rail. I don't know whoever decided that fencing was for horses -- but that mare sured loved it! Cattle panels now & forever.

Anyway, after I used the sauce inside a few times, they all quit. Don't know if it was a coincidence or what, but it seemed to work for us.

 

[Becky]

Any exposed wood here has the corners covered with dry wall edging. It's a cheap, effective way to keep horses from chewing down a barn! You can find it at all lumber yards and most hardware stores.

 

[Kathy2m]

Is there anyway to space out their hay into 3 to 4 times day? They are by nature grazers. Mine get hay 3 to 4 times in summer up to 6 times in the winter. Not a fake each time of course just break up what you would feed into more feedings, and I dont have a chewer in the lot. Like everyone else said minerals too. Hope this helps, Kathy

 

[Sonya]

I have tried the soap and hot sauce and my horse actually LIKED it - I watched him lick it off before he started chewing. I also tried motor oil - that didn't work either. I bought a bottle of "NO CHEW" from TSC (it's a spray bottle) and that worked but you had to apply it often and it was a little pricey.

He was chewing on the pine frame around the stall door, he wasn't locked in - he was outside chewing on the outside of the barn, it was only the one horse. We ended up taking metal flashing and putting that on the corners of all the pine about 3 ft up...he tried to bite the metal, but soon learned he wasn't getting any pine.

 

[USMCshamusmom]

I find if they have hay/grazing they usually leave the wood alone. If you can't increase the amount of hay they get , then maybe try to make their hay harder to get, and make them work at picking it out one strand at a time, so they use their grazing skills longer and use their brains to get more instead of just standing there scarfiing it down. In my barn I hang the hay in hay nets outside of the stall, but they can reach through the bars to get a little out at a time. it takes way longer for them to eat it, so they have less time to get bored. outside You could do the same by using something strong and stiff like a hog panel which has the bars welded close together, cut smaller using a hacksaw. attach about chest high, using screw-in eye bolts or heavy duty fence staples on the bottom and snap it on the top with double ended snaps to eye bolts on the wall... open the double ended snaps to fill the feeder. the horses will have to pick around the panel wires to get the strands and take longer to eat... works like a manger but hugs the wall so tight that I have never had one get a leg or face in it...and keeps them occupied a lot longer. helps keep those active minds (and mouths) busy!

 

[Relic]

Any where we use a soft wood like pine we also make sure to spray it with WD40 at least 4 feet up. But over the years have found it's mostly due to boredom that they chew and they tend to be copy cats.

 

[shminifancier]

I save the drain oil from my car...Not only stops the chewing of the wood but also preserves it

I do this on all wood surfaces..from the barn to made even wooden rails in the fence line. And if my posts are not treated posts I treat them

 

[virginia]

How about a simple solution....More time outside. They are probably bored being inside. They were meant to be outside animals.

 

[ILoveMyGelding]

Thank you all for your advice, it is much appreciated! They are on a dry lot and good quality hay is hard to come by because of how dry it was this summer. We actually quit buying hay from our landlord about 6 months ago because it had a hint of mold to it. The stuff we are getting is a lot better than that.

Jill- a mirror? Very interesting I'm going to have to try this one. I have a feeling that my gelding will sit and stare at himself all day.

We are afraid to leave them out at night because we aren't there (we rent a barn) and also because of the coyotes. I'm afraid that having them outside more wouldn't solve the problem. It is when they are outside that they go into the barn to chew. Or they will chew on the outside siding, or fence posts, or whatever they can get their mouths on. I'm going to try the hot sauce, or soap, or oil whatever I can do to make them stop. I've also been lunging them a bit to try to get some energy out of them. Any more suggestions? Thanks again, Cassie