Wood chewing

[John in WI]

Does anybody have some tips on how to get the horse to stop eating their lean-to? I tried the ""No Chew" to no avail. I've heard that mtor oil on the wood may do the trick. Any tips are appreciated!

 

[Bez>]

Boredom is generally the cause - are these animals penned or do they have pasture?

Bez>

 

[msscamp]

How old is the horse? Are you, by chance, feeding sweet feed?

 

[John in WI]

There are two of them, both about 7 years old, on 4 acres of good pasture. At this point in time, they are not getting any hay, grain, or sweet feed. They both get ridden or worked twice a week. One seems to be the chewing instigator and the other one follows his lead. They're having a heydey on some untreated 2x4's I added to the building over the weekend.
I locked them out for now, until I find a good soulution.

 

[flaboy?]

I would try free range salt first.

 

[Penridergirl]

Once horses get into the habit of chewing it is hard to break them of it. Chewing can also lead to cribbing. As stated in one of the posts....this is a trait caused by boredom. Get your horses a toy or ride the heck out of them. That's the best advice.

 

[msscamp]

Try spraying the exposed surfaces with WD-40.

 

[FlaAngus]

get the strongest hot sauce you can find and douse the wood with that. if it doesn't work, get your horse a sombrero

 

[chippie]

I have had best results by painting the wood with cheap lemon dish soap. The Crystal Lemon brand sold at grocery stores works great.

It really does work and stays on the wood for quite a while.

 

[Horse Guy]

Painting with motor oil will not work.
I just eliminated all wood. Example steel loafing barn, steel panels.
I dont think boredom is the cause. I think its more about horses thinking they should have their heads down eating every minute that they are awake. If they cant do this they will go beaver on you if there is wood around.

 

[I luv herfrds]

We poured diesel fuel on it and it worked until it was washed away.

FlaAngus Spontanious Combustion hot sauce? Husband loves that stuff. Maybe Mad Dog hot sauce would work if you can find it, only stuff I know that makes the other half sweat. Sneak it into his food, the husband, and watch. ;-)

 

[Penridergirl]

I haven't tried to feed the horses hot sauce, (mine don't have wood to chew) but my horses LOVE taco shells!!! They'll leave their grain to munch them out of my hands!

 

[ArrowHBrand]

Definitely is caused by boredom. We had a mare that would instigate the chewing and we had to segregate her and finally sold her. I agree to get some toys or work them every day. I haven't tried painting the wood with anything, but I did put branches in her pen and she chewed on them, until they were debarked then went back to chewing on the fence. I've heard of people running a strand of barbed or 12 gauge wire along the top of the board, but haven't heard what results they've gotten.

 

[sjr725]

I think it's a social thing - mine tend to chew in the corners where they all congregate with the horses on the other side - one starts it and they all do it. We use diesel fuel to minimize it, it helps but we're in the process of replacing all the wood corner jacks with pipe - it's just taking a while.