chewing wood

[Houdini1220]

My mini has recently started chewing down our barn.
A few months ago we had to reduce her feed due to laminitis, she recovered from the episode wonderfully, but now she is eating wood with a passion.
I can’t give her more food…she already gets her hay in a slow feeder hay net.
I tried the wood spray, but it did nothing.
I just ordered a grazing muzzle, but now I’m wondering if she will still be able to chew with that on??? If she can eat she can chew right?
I bought a mineral block hoping she would turn her attention to that. She licks it, but still eats the barn.
We are trying to spread out her feedings more, but that is a super time consuming thing. I work full time.
She is starting to have some colic like symptoms and I worry it is from the wood.

Covering the wood would take forever, the entire floor of the stall has a ledge and all our fencing is wood. But it might be necessary.
I have a 3 year old (human) so I don’t really want to do electric fence.

What else can I try?
A supplement?
Thanks!

[Cynical25]

I’d try a grazing muzzle, but you’d need to discontinue the slow feed hay nets. The muzzle should slow down her eating similar to a net, but the muzzle should prevent her from getting a hold of the wood to chew on it.

Irish Spring soap rubbed all over the wood kick panels in my loafing shed works better than Chew Stop spray for my mare - although she’s annoyed enough by this endless rain that she’s chewing no matter what.

[ryansgirl]

Another vote for Irish Spring soap rubbed along the wood. Works better than all those gimmicky things that are sold to stop wood chewing. My mare gets free choice hay but is NOT a big hay eater at all so when she’s bored she chews. :mad:

[TCA_Arabians]

Pat dish soap along the areas where she’s chewing. You can also dilute chili or cayenne powder with water and spray it on. This also works for blankets. There was a tar paint you could get for that. I believe it was toxic and is no longer sold.

[Simkie]

I’d give her horse safe branches to chew.

Are you using a slow feed net for her hay?

[4LeafCloverFarm]

I had a chewer - he was an 18 month old when I got him and he chewed on everything. Alarmed that he actually seemed to be ingesting some of the wood (stall, tree bark, etc.), even after trying everything to prevent it (sprays, soaps, pepper), I called my vet. Turned out it was a vitamin/mineral deficiency. Now, this is usually more rare, than the “I’m bored” or the anxiety chewer, but still a possibility. Free choice mineral block (I was just using salt blocks) and adding a multivitamin supplement fixed the problem and he longer chewed any wood/trees.

[Houdini1220]

@4LeafCloverFarm

I had a chewer - he was an 18 month old when I got him and he chewed on everything. Alarmed that he actually seemed to be ingesting some of the wood (stall, tree bark, etc.), even after trying everything to prevent it (sprays, soaps, pepper), I called my vet. Turned out it was a vitamin/mineral deficiency. Now, this is usually more rare, than the “I’m bored” or the anxiety chewer, but still a possibility. Free choice mineral block (I was just using salt blocks) and adding a multivitamin supplement fixed the problem and he longer chewed any wood/trees.

the first thing I did was give her a huge mineral block…she has slowed down a bit…I’m wondering is adding a vit supplement would help??

[Simkie]

@Houdini1220

the first thing I did was give her a huge mineral block…she has slowed down a bit…I’m wondering is adding a vit supplement would help??

If you’re not meeting the horse’s nutritional needs in her grain or supplements, then yes, you should really add something that does that. A ration balancer could be a great option. A mineral block is not effective.

[4LeafCloverFarm]

Well, the mineral block may be helping by diverting her attention or it may be that the actual minerals are helping. Adding a multi-vitamin supplement certainly couldn’t hurt. But I’m one of those people who believes in vitamins and mineral supplements for humans (I’ve taken them since college - a long time ago!) even though many studies recently show minimal if any benefits. If you are feeding a “complete” feed at the min daily amount. then she might already be getting her daily recommended amounts of vitamins/minerals. But even with that. it is possible to have a deficiency that affects that horse/pony/mini. They are often just as complex as we are.

The only way in a horse (like a human, where the deficiency isn’t self-evident) is to do a blood test to see if the deficiencies show up. Another way is to test your hay/grass to see if it is deficient in certain minerals/vitamins - then feed that specific vitamin/mineral.

Have you tried to give her a jolly ball? They have them in smaller sizes now - perfect for a mini. I have one that loves them. The other two don’t play with it. My dogs love them. Just google “Jolly Ball” - but get the “real” one by Jolly Pets - the knock offs are not the same thing!

[Showbizz]

I buy this cayenne:

https://www.amazon.com/AniMed-Natural-Attitude-Adjuster-16-Ounce/dp/B00684H9Y2/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1540654052&sr=8-1&keywords=animed+cayenne

And apply it with this:

https://www.amazon.com/Harris-Diatomaceous-Powder-Duster-Extension/dp/B01LRMN9ZM/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1540654172&sr=8-3&keywords=duster+puffer

I only have to do it once a year. Super cheap and super easy.

[Sansena]

So horse is exhibiting colic symptoms AND wood chewing?

Omeprazole for 28 days.

[Houdini1220]

@Sansena

So horse is exhibiting colic symptoms AND wood chewing?

Omeprazole for 28 days.

I was also thinking it could be this…she did seem uncomfortable for a few days.

[Houdini1220]

@Showbizz

I buy this cayenne:

https://www.amazon.com/AniMed-Natural-Attitude-Adjuster-16-Ounce/dp/B00684H9Y2/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1540654052&sr=8-1&keywords=animed+cayenne

And apply it with this:

https://www.amazon.com/Harris-Diatomaceous-Powder-Duster-Extension/dp/B01LRMN9ZM/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1540654172&sr=8-3&keywords=duster+puffer

I only have to do it once a year. Super cheap and super easy.

Thank you!

[Houdini1220]

@4LeafCloverFarm

Well, the mineral block may be helping by diverting her attention or it may be that the actual minerals are helping. Adding a multi-vitamin supplement certainly couldn’t hurt. But I’m one of those people who believes in vitamins and mineral supplements for humans (I’ve taken them since college - a long time ago!) even though many studies recently show minimal if any benefits. If you are feeding a “complete” feed at the min daily amount. then she might already be getting her daily recommended amounts of vitamins/minerals. But even with that. it is possible to have a deficiency that affects that horse/pony/mini. They are often just as complex as we are.

The only way in a horse (like a human, where the deficiency isn’t self-evident) is to do a blood test to see if the deficiencies show up. Another way is to test your hay/grass to see if it is deficient in certain minerals/vitamins - then feed that specific vitamin/mineral.

Have you tried to give her a jolly ball? They have them in smaller sizes now - perfect for a mini. I have one that loves them. The other two don’t play with it. My dogs love them. Just google “Jolly Ball” - but get the “real” one by Jolly Pets - the knock offs are not the same thing!

Did try the jolly ball. She doesn’t seem too interested in it. I have tripped over it a few times though. That may have entertained her a bit lol

[4LeafCloverFarm]

@Houdini1220

Did try the jolly ball. She doesn’t seem too interested in it. I have tripped over it a few times though. That may have entertained her a bit lol

LOL Be careful! One of our dogs brings her jolly ball inside, and I’ve gone flying a few times. Not fun!

Try putting a little molasses on the handle or something that smells good. Sometimes they have to figure out they can put it in their mouths to actually play with it. Some just like to kick it around with their feet, and never put it in their mouths. And some may just always ignore it. Just give it some time.

[Tattooed_Dressage]

@4LeafCloverFarm

I had a chewer - he was an 18 month old when I got him and he chewed on everything. Alarmed that he actually seemed to be ingesting some of the wood (stall, tree bark, etc.), even after trying everything to prevent it (sprays, soaps, pepper), I called my vet. Turned out it was a vitamin/mineral deficiency. Now, this is usually more rare, than the “I’m bored” or the anxiety chewer, but still a possibility. Free choice mineral block (I was just using salt blocks) and adding a multivitamin supplement fixed the problem and he longer chewed any wood/trees.

This! I too had a beaver! He was chewing anything wood, painted or not. I had him initially on a mineral lick at the time as well. Had a blood test done and he was deficient in vitamins/minerals. The vet recommended Hoffman’s Performance Horse Mineral pellets and since I’ve had him on it he has almost stopped entirely.

[4LeafCloverFarm]

@Tattooed_Dressage

This! I too had a beaver!

:lol: Beaver… I love it. So accurate too. I have several trees that never recovered from my “beaver”!

[Tattooed_Dressage]

@4LeafCloverFarm

:lol: Beaver… I love it. So accurate too. I have several trees that never recovered from my “beaver”!

I’m pretty sure my local lumber store knew my order by heart for awhile lol 2x6x12’s to replace fence boards the beaver had turned into shavings for me!
I also have a few trees that have been turned into ‘beaver art sculptures’ :lol:

[Bluey]

We had a wood chewer.
Once we had built an overhang to an old barn, ran out of light before we could coat the wood with creosote.
Next morning as we went to feed, horses came in from the pasture for breakfast and were waiting, he had eaten wood clear thru the corner post in that little time.

We were talking with our vet and he said to try adding apple cider vinegar to his grain, as some horses are low on potassium and that is why they chewed wood.

Right or wrong, we did just that and he quit chewing so much.
After some months, we quit adding that and he only would chew if tied too long on a wood fence, so we tied him to pipe gates and he never again did chew anything.

[Synthesis]

There’s an old girl here that we affectionately nicknamed “Woodchipper” and “Woodchuck” She’s mostly fine outside but definitely chews exposed wood edge if inside for long. We’re just going to have to cover the bare wood edges, its too muddy outside right now and she’s also sick of that too.