HORSE AND DONKEY EATING MY TREES

[dzurovec]

Can anyone tell me how to get my horse and donkeys to quit eating at my trees and fence post.

 

[CKC1586]

There is a product you can paint on them to get the critters to stop cribbing. I cant remember the name of it but you should be able to find it at your coop.

 

[Running Arrow Bill]

Don't know about fence posts (all of ours are steel); however, we put 4 corral panel (5' x 10' units) cages around our young trees. Cattle do a number on trees, etc. too.

Between rubbing an "itch" against trees, some will also do it out of boredom, etc. Other than "fence off" the trees, not much one can do to reliably keep animals off of them.

 

[CattleAnnie]

We boarded a mare for a friend a few years back, and she sure was a beaver when it came to gnawing wood. Worse yet, she passed on that habit to a few of our horses that were in the same corral with her.

I treated all the planks in the corral with paint thinner. Cheap to buy and stopped the chewing for a few months. Works but you have to retreat the planks and posts.


Take care.

 

[fellersbarnoneranch]

It is possible that there is something missing in their diet. Do you feed minerals? I think Farnam or someone sells a product to feed them to stop the chewing (unless it's just a terrible habbit)

 

[dzurovec]

It is possible that there is something missing in their diet. Do you feed minerals? I think Farnam or someone sells a product to feed them to stop the chewing (unless it's just a terrible habbit)

I think it is just a bad habit. They are given minerals and vitamins, and fed on a daily basis. I caught our donkey eating away at the well house the other day. Every fence post has been eaten on along with the all the trees.

 

[Scotty]

I have heared that it could be bordom. I have a lot of experience with cribbing horses. Tried the paint, some goop to treat wood, special halter. If their teeth are good their OK.


Scotty

 

[TR]

I think its boredom too, although my gleding will eat the barn if he has to wait for his breakfast for too long and he knows I'm home, so there may be a little frustration thrown in there in his case.

 

[Scotty]

Just keep an eye out on the teeth. Make sure they don't get too short. Keep an eye out on the barn also. The price of wood these days is terrible.


Scotty

 

[Scotty]

I looked and still ahve some. It is called chew stop. Really works good. My wife uses it at her clinic and works good on colts.


Scotty

 

[TR]

I looked and still ahve some. It is called chew stop. Really works good. My wife uses it at her clinic and works good on colts.


Scotty

Yup, have that.....I think it adds a little seasoning to the wood, 'cause it sure didn't stop last year's colt from chewing up the posts.....However, selling him sure did. Found a place the other day where the gelding was having another go at the boards in one of the stalls, so I sprayed with Chew Stop again. So far so good, but it doesn't have nearly the effect that the old Creosote used to. Too bad you can't get that stuff anymore. I'm thinking aobut dousing the wood with used motor oil.....anyone tried this?

 

[CattleAnnie]

Personally I don't care for corrals treated with old motor oil. Cheaper to replace the odd plank than a pair of pants that get ruined when you climb a fence soaked with that stuff.

Take care.

 

[V_Key]

What are you feeding - Pellets?

Wood chewing and boredom can be minimized by feeding some long hay. Damage to stable and fences can be reduced by treating wood with creosote or by covering or replacing wood with metal in vulnerable areas.

We have stopped Chewing by adding some cheep have or straw for animals to chew on between meals

 

[Wilson_Cattle_Company]

PUT USED MOTOR OIL IN PARTS OF TREES AND FENCE WHERE IT IS EAST FOR THEM TO ACCESS THAT WILL STOP THAT IN A HURRY!!!!

HOPE THIS HELPS!