Why does horses chew wood

It might sound silly to say that you need to socialize your horse but what I mean is allow your horse to spend time with and around other horses. This lack of nutrients means that some horses will start chewing wood or return to it in an attempt to try and top up their diet. There are two things to consider when using the same bit for multiple horses, the fit of the bit and any health issues the horse has. That said though if one of the horses has a contagious health issue they will pass it on to other horses using the same mouthpiece.

The plastic that most buckets are made from can act as a soother for some horses but more often than not horses chew their buckets in anticipation of food. Wood chewing can put a major dent in fencing and stalls. So why do horses suddenly start chewing on wood? Keep reading for the answer and what to do about it.

A bored horse is not a happy horse. In the wild, horses are free to roam wherever these please, from lush fields to lakes and streams. A horse that is cooped up in a stall the majority of the time may start chewing on the wood in the barn to just find something to do. If you feel that your horse started chewing on wood because they are spending too much time by themselves in a stall, try to incorporate more pasture time for them. Horse toys can help too and the cheapest horse toy is a plastic milk jug and a rope!

Horses spend most of their time foraging for their food. Providing access to small amounts of hay throughout the day allows horses to satisfy their natural instinct to chew on food all day long.

When long-stemmed, chewy hay or grass is not available throughout the day, horses sometimes turn to wood to meet their internal desire to chew. Turnout, especially turnout with ample grazing, alleviates boredom. Injury and lack of land may prohibit regular turnout. When larger paddocks are not available, provide the horse time out of the stall each day and regular exercise to combat boredom and relieve pent-up frustration. Paste and sprays are available and can be applied directly to the surfaces the horse is chewing.

Some horses are not deterred by the flavor and regular rains wash the solutions off. Applying hot chili sauce to the horse's favorite chewing spots deter some horses, but it can actually encourage some horses to chew more frequently. The smell and taste of dry Irish Spring soap rubbed onto the affected surfaces is believed to cure a wood chewing horse, as well as a foul-mouthed child who gets the bar of soap.

When sprays, pastes, and foul-tasting soap does not deter a wood chewer, wrapping trees with plastic mesh, placing metal caps atop fence posts, and stringing a line of electric fence along the area where the horse chews discourages the most devoted wood chewers. Wood chewing can be an indication that a horse is lacking certain nutrients in its diet.

If you suspect a nutritional deficiency, schedule a visit with the veterinarian. A blood test can determine which minerals the horse is lacking in its diet.

If she finds nothing amiss, you can treat wood chewing as a behavioral issue and take some steps to discourage it:. Provide more long-stem forage. This is the easiest and most effective method of stopping wood chewing.

In addition, consider using a slow feeder, which will help reduce the potential for boredom by making hay meals last longer. Eliminate access to the wood source. Of course you can't replace your fences or cut down your trees, but you might be able to cover them with PVC. Stringing an electric "hot" wire just to the inside of the fence line will keep your horse away as well. Make the wood distasteful. Treat the surface of the wood with an unappetizing substance. Many commercial formulas are available; just be sure to follow instructions.

Step up your horse's exercise program. Regular activity, whether part of a training program or casual trail rides, provides an outlet for excess energy that might otherwise go to chewing. Don't miss out! With the free weekly EQUUS newsletter, you'll get the latest horse health information delivered right to your in basket!