There are many reasons why horses chew wood, like being confined to small spaces for long periods of time which leads to boredom. Wood chewing can become expensive when it comes to replacing ruined boards as well as potential health problems like excessive wear of the upper incisors, splinter damage to oral parts, and colic associated with the ingestion of wood fragments. There are many chemical products out there that can help deter a horse from chewing the wood. When choosing a solution to this bad habit, it is important to do your research and make sure you are getting a product that is safe for your horse.
One solution that does not involve any chemicals and that is safe and cost effective is covering the surface with a material that will not splinter or wear the teeth down. Using rubber or chicken wire on the boards will prevent the horse from chewing the wood directly. The horse will not like the way the chicken wire feels under its teeth and should quit trying to chew the wood. Make sure that the rubber or chicken wire is secured tightly so the horse cannot pull it off the wood you are trying to protect.
Wood chewing could also be a result of an unbalanced or inadequate diet. Increasing the amount of long-stemmed forage (hay or pasture) available, reducing the amount of grain in the diet, offering multiple types of forage (such as adding hay cubes), and feeding more, small meals per day are possible solutions for a horse that chews wood.
If you are having a hard time breaking your horse’s bad habit of wood chewing, try some of these solutions.
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