chewing wood

[barefoot]

My miniature has started chewing wood. I am pretty sure it is out of boredom and not poor diet. She has excellent hay and I feed Purina LS, some Remission and Braggs Apple Cider Vinegar.

It is when she runs out of hay that I have caught her doing it. We have an old tree stump that she is chewing on. It is ruining her teeth. I am so upset and worried. I have called the dentist to come out quick to give her a check up even though she isn't due.

I was thinking of trying a bar muzzle for now? I can't seem to find one small enough though. Has anyone tried this? WHere did you find yours?

Thanks so much. I really appreciate having a place to ask questions and get help.

 

[barefoot]

I just ran a search on the forum. I like the idea of putting a bale of straw out. My hay is super soft. So perhaps she isn't getting enough roughage. I think I will call around see if I can find a round bale for the winter.

edited a spelling mistake

 

[WhiteTailsMinis]

While I haven't had this problem first hand - I have heard of a "stop chew" solution that you put on the wood (fence, stall ledges, etc). Apparently it tastes horrific and they will stop chewing it. LOL

I personally would try to find something I could put on the stump (or any wood she is chewing) before muzzling her. Just my preference.

I bet LB forum members will have great insight to some home remedies as well - this is the best place for info!

 

[barefoot]

I'm worried that if I cover the stump, she might turn to my wood fence or stalls. I could try and cover with a topical, but I have ALOT of wood on my property.

 

[Marty]

Purina LS, some Remission and Braggs Apple Cider Vinegar.

By your feed plan, I assume your horse has foundered or cushings or some problem?

How old is this little one? Perhaps we are teething?

No on the muzzle, no on the straw. That's not getting to the bottom of the problem.

Straw is not meant to be food for mini horses or any horses in my humble opinion. You can choke a horse on straw and sometimes its really high in sugars. You are on the right track with soft hay. You don't want to feed anything coarse. The word roughage doesn't mean "ruff" persay.......a lot of people get that confused and think it means to feed coarse.

Do you know if your hay is really good quality and are you feeding enough of it in the first place? Mine have a lot of hay in front of them to keep them busy. Not quite free choice but I am feeding my hay very generously. If you get a round bale, be sure its fit for minis to chew and has been made for horses, not cows. Be sure you have a salt block out.

Find a bucket or something like that and over turn it on the stump so your horse can't get to it.

I also rub a bar of soap around one of my stalls because I seem to have a beaver-horse too.

Good luck and best wishes?

 

[barefoot]

I just put a bale of straw out. Charlotte is ignoring her hay and chewing the straw. She is a super curious. I usually take her riding with me, and I haven't done that since fall. I have had a feeling that she is bored. I think I will start taking her on my dog walks. Life gets so busy.

Here is an old old photo of her.

 

[barefoot]

didn't know that straw was high in suger. Eekk. so no no on that. thankyou I appreciate that.

No she hasn't foundered , but was getting a little cresty. The Remission was awesome and took her crest right down. I was already feeding that to my mare for the same reason. Good affordable stuff.

 

[MountainMeadows]

Well, I am going to suggest that you get her a miniature horse playmate that is more her age and size - if she is chewing out of boredom there is very little you can do to stop it except keep her busy - and if your time does not allow more interaction with her (and trust me, I know what it is like to not have enough time LOL!) - then I think the best bet is a buddy. There are so many horses out there that need a loving home, surely you could find a playmate for your little one and stop the problem your chewing problem as well as give another horse a great life.

Just my opinion - minis are very smart, very social, and love to interact - in a lot of ways more like dogs than full size horses - many dogs will pine away if not given enough attention, and a lot of minis are much like that - each one is individual, but it sounds like your little one needs more to do or a buddy.

Stac

 

[HGFarm]

Does she have any toys out there? A ball with a handle? I agree a playmate would help, but most horses I have seen just chew wood. We used to paint our wood corral fences on the ranch with the used motor oil after an oil change. They WILL NOT chew it at all, so if the old stump is dead, this could be a solution. I guess they dont like the smell or the flavor. We never had to replace boards from chewing.

I agree no on the straw... I have heard of too many colic cases from horses eating straw.

I keep out two salt blocks, regular white and a red mineral. They choose what they want when they need it, but they seem to use the mineral blocks a bit more.

 

[Reble]

Anyone try this for horse chewing wood? I am going to look into this?

just called about it... 1-800-234-2269 / cannot get it here in ONT. darn it...

Our minis have started chewing a tree stump

http://www.horse.com/Farnam-Quitt-Pellets-BWA11.html

 

[barefoot]

I'm afraid I have my hands full with the two that I have. Time and money money for vet,dentist, etc. I try and give top care. My two do love each other. They groom each other and sleep together. I know I may not have the best set up for her. But I think she has a good life.

When Iam outside she is right there with me. She looovves people and wants to always be doing something. It is just this stinky weather.

I do put out tons of hay. I feed 4 times a day. I am afraid of ulcers. Also want to keep their suger levels even.

 

[MountainMeadows]

SHe just wants more to do - sounds like she is a smart horse and loves interraction. Might want to get a book on clicker training (many on here are very helpful and have a great rapport with their horses thru this method) - I understand the crappy weather - but maybe just bundling up in the rain/cold weather gear and spending 45 minutes a day with her would help a lot - then throw in some toys for her and you might stop the annoying chewing habit

 

[barefoot]

Well my equine dentist called. He said that she may be trying to shed her caps. He said they sometimes try and aid them along. He is coming out next Thursday to check. I will give everyone an update.

Thanks so much all!

 

[Carolyn R]

May I ask what kind of stump she is chewing on?

I ask for two reasons,

first, I would want to make sure it isn't something poisonous (red maple, cherry, walnut, there are a few others I believe) second, if it is a sweet wood like sugar maple, birch, or tulip popler, the reason may be simpler than you'd think, it tastes good to your little one.

 

[barefoot]

It's an old pine tree that we had.

 

[MinisOutWest]

well I hate to say, but I have the ULTIMATE wood/ metal chewing, air sucking miniature on earth. he can wear his cribbing muzzle from http://www.bestfriendequine.com/cribbingmuzzles.htm but he cribs right thru it too. or look at their grazing muzzle, it might help. but the pellets to feed them, the chew stop to spray on does not work on my termite. I just try to have the softest wood in his stall during the night and the biggest smoothest pipe for him out in the pasture. he is ADDICTED to sucking air and when bored, he just chews. but he is out with 4 more good playful, always running around buddies. He will be at a dead run in the pasture, runs over to the fence, stops, sucks and takes off again. unbelievable. Unless someone has something I have never seen before, I am up for suggestions that are not out on the market. hot wire on the stalls, barb wire too, didnt help either.

 

[Bess Kelly]

MAYBE the taste of the pine is appealing

Cover the stump and see if this stops the chewing -- and not starting elsewhere. Simplest.

 

[georgiegirl]

My miniature has started chewing wood. I am pretty sure it is out of boredom and not poor diet. She has excellent hay and I feed Purina LS, some Remission and Braggs Apple Cider Vinegar.
It is when she runs out of hay that I have caught her doing it. We have an old tree stump that she is chewing on. It is ruining her teeth. I am so upset and worried. I have called the dentist to come out quick to give her a check up even though she isn't due.

I was thinking of trying a bar muzzle for now? I can't seem to find one small enough though. Has anyone tried this? WHere did you find yours?

Thanks so much. I really appreciate having a place to ask questions and get help.

Drizzling Tabasco sauce (cheap at grocery) should stop her. Put it on her favorite chew places. Another thing that we have used is dish soap. I have had the best luck with these products. Not expensive either.

 

[rabbitsfizz]

I like the idea of covering the stump...or even hotwiring it off, just to see what she does next.

The other alternative is to go with the flow, as it were, and fix a number of those "boredom breaker" toys to the stump, so it offers more than mere chewing as something to do.

It could just be that she is lacking something in her diet (no, I am not suggesting you feed her pine oil!!) but a few different flavoured mineral licks dotted around would help.

One of those rolley ball pellet dispensers would help both animals, too, they could play with it all day!

Although I would obviously suggest you ask someone locally who knows more about the make up of your straw than I do, I have fed straw as an "additional" for over forty years, and always use good clean barley straw as bedding so they can pick at it.

I have never had a problem with it.

Not all sugar is bad, only too much sugar!

If she only does this when the hay runs out.........don't let the hay run out?

In order to do this, if you think the hay you have at present is too high protein to feed ad lib, you might look around for some lesser grade, still good hay that you could do this with. My gut feeling is that it would not be solved that easy, as she will get bored with eating, eventually, but there are many ways you can make her work for her hay. A small (tiny) holed haynet for a start, maybe four or five of them, dotted around her paddock?

I have a feeling that, if she has already worn her teeth down, it may be a bit deeper seated, and it would be well worth investigating possible ulcers. Horse that crib/chew are often prompted to start, not by boredom, but by pain. Now, if she is eating, then stops, that is when the pain would kick in, and when she would start chewing.

Just a thought.

 

[barefoot]

I try to not let the hay run out. They are eating about a bale a day. I don't put the whole bale out at a time because they make a bed and poop pile out of it. Monkeys!

The dentist came out. I am glad I had him out. Turned out my biggy really needed it too. She was having trouble bending to the left.

He took two caps off of Charlotte. My son is taking them to school tomorrow. The dentist didn't think her fronts were as bad as I thought. He said she has just rounded them a little. They looked ground down to me.

I asked my father in law to cover as much wood with metel as possible. So I am gonna try and get him out to do that. I am glad for all the advice. Especially about the muzzle. Glad I didn't try that. I think it would have frustrated her.

So hopefully these things plus a good daily walk to interesting places will help.

Any toy suggestions? I don't like the sugar lick thingys, but I did see one with a himalyin(sp?) salt thing.

I just have to figure out what to do about that tree stump. It is a huge stump by the way , so a bucket won't work. I will try the fencing around it I think. Maybe chicken wire?

Thanks all, I really appreciate it, Emma and mini Charlotte.