Any suggestions to stop wood chewing?

[novachick]

This just started in the past few weeks, my minis are eating the bark off the 2 trees in their dry lot and now are chewing on the top of their stall walls. What suggestions do you have to stop this?

For some background...I have 3 minis, they get grain 2x per day, hay 3x per day, have access to mineral blocks in the stall and when turned out and have fresh water constantly. In the winter, they are turned out from 7am-5pm in a dry lot with no pasture. They are all nice and plump, actually the youngest just had his third meal of grain cut back because of being a bit TOO plump. Could they still be missing something in their diets?

This seems to be something they are teaching each other also, because I think just one started it and now they are all doing it.

Please help, I want to stop this before the trees are killed or I have a serious medical issue to deal with.

Thanks!

 

[shorthorsemom]

I have not done this personally but I have seen people tack up chicken wire around the bark of the trees, leaving enough room for the tree to grow. Barn wood is tough, I have one little beaver at my place, but the bitter spray helps, but does not completely stop it.

 

[ruffian]

I've had good luck rubbing Irish Spring soap on my stall doors. It helps, but you have to keep applying it until they figure out it's not going to taste good ever again.

 

[shorthorsemom]

I like the irish spring idea! Will try it. thanks

 

[novachick]

I've had good luck rubbing Irish Spring soap on my stall doors. It helps, but you have to keep applying it until they figure out it's not going to taste good ever again.

Thanks, I will definitely try the irish spring in the stalls.

I'm also wondering if it could be something they aren't getting nutritionally that could be causing it? I've heard a little about that possibility, and I'd be interested in hearing if anyone has found a similar cause?

 

[Reignmaker Miniatures]

Horses chew on wood for various reasons. I have had some success offering free choice loose minerals instead of the block, but often it is boredom that starts it. You can try offering a variety of toys for their amusement and/or what we often do is give them large (4' long +-) pieces of birch or poplar (some call it aspen) with the bark on (freshly cut not dry) and let them chew the bark all they like. Most horse owners in this area where our winters are long and snowy offer the wood and I have yet to here of a horse havinga problem with it. They will girdle your trees and kill them tho if you don't prevent it. I believe it tastes good to them and may have certain medicinal properties we are unaware of (for ex. willow bark is a pain reducer).

 

[albahurst]

Too much stomach acid will also cause them to chew on wood. When a couple of my did this, I treated them with Gastro Gard and they stopped eating wood within a couple of days and have not done it since (many months). This advice was given to me from a very experienced horse woman - and it worked great. We had also tried Irish Spring and provided entertainment and exercise, but, in the end, they had too much stomach acid going. Never have had any problems since. You can also try Neigh Lox to prevent too much stomach acid from developing, although it doesn't treat an ulcer.

Best wishes!

Peggy

 

[Sterling]

Too much stomach acid will also cause them to chew on wood. When a couple of my did this, I treated them with Gastro Gard and they stopped eating wood within a couple of days and have not done it since (many months). This advice was given to me from a very experienced horse woman - and it worked great. We had also tried Irish Spring and provided entertainment and exercise, but, in the end, they had too much stomach acid going. Never have had any problems since. You can also try Neigh Lox to prevent too much stomach acid from developing, although it doesn't treat an ulcer.Best wishes!

Peggy

This is interesting and thank you for posting that information.

I have had success with trouble shooting this from adding more hay at different times of the day, to rotating them into different pastures, corrals, and pens to keep their little minds busy. I too have been a long time user of Irish SPring soap which seems to work for us. Repetition on the place they're having at, and reapplying when it rains is the key.

 

[HGFarm]

Go to your local Home Depot or garden place and get something to put on the damaged areas of the bark!!! I did on trees they told me would probably die, and they have survived. Then, I purchased some posts and fencing, and fenced the trees off. I put in the posts and purchased some 'cattle panels' and had them cut in 4' lengths and each tree has a 4' fence square around it now, to keep them OFF of it. They were not very happy, but the trees are smiling!

 

[AJ]

What causes stomach acid?

 

[novachick]

Go to your local Home Depot or garden place and get something to put on the damaged areas of the bark!!! I did on trees they told me would probably die, and they have survived. Then, I purchased some posts and fencing, and fenced the trees off. I put in the posts and purchased some 'cattle panels' and had them cut in 4' lengths and each tree has a 4' fence square around it now, to keep them OFF of it. They were not very happy, but the trees are smiling!

Thanks, I will get the stuff for the bark this afternoon, before it gets too bad! I also talked to my husband about fencing them off...it's now on his to do list, because these trees provide complete shade for the dry lot and we can't lose them!

 

[albahurst]

"What causes stomach acid? "

Stomach acid is naturally occurring and is needed to digest food. Horses are grazing animals and when they have to go for long periods of time without food (say, at night) then the stomach acid can build up and cause stomach pain/ulcers, as it has no food to work on. Also, stress (for whatever reason) can contribute.

One of my show horses was stressing out due to shows (I have since retired her because of this) and she just had too much acid going. She practically ate my entire barn! lol I treated her for ulcers with Gastro Gard and she hasn't touched wood since. That has been 6 months. Another show horse I bought recently came and was doing the same thing- just eating my barn to pieces! The horse was stressed, obviously, from showing and coming to a new home, all in a short period of time. I also treated this horse for ulcers with Gastro Gard and haven't had a problem since. I also now keep both horses on a preventive, Neigh Lox, since they seem prone to stomach ulcers/problems. They are doing great and my barn is still standing! lol And, I might add, it is alot cheaper to use a preventive every day than it is to treat a case of ulcers! So, from now on all show horses here will be on Neigh Lox.

Peggy

 

[Filipowicz Farm]

Were do you get Neigh Lox?

 

[MinisOutWest]

Irish Spring soap here works great. On the stalls and the trees!! and keeps the deer off the trees too. ha ha

 

[albahurst]

I ordered my Neigh Lox from Valley Vet Supply, I think, or else I had my vet order it in.....I do think I just went ahead and ordered it. Anyway, it seems to be readily available. My vet strongly advised us to get it--he recommends it to clients who have show horses, especially, due to the stress the horses are under (no matter the size of the horse).

Peggy