I think I have a goat?

[Tots N Dots]

I didnt quite know what to put this under but as it could affect his health I thought here is as good as any, I feel as though I am being a bit dumb, I have a young gelding (3 in April), and he is teething at the moment, it is quite a few years since I had a youngster but I dont remember the last one doing this. Bex is like a goat! he will eat and chew EVERYTHING and ANYTHING, I have to constantly check his field for stuff incase anything blows into the field in the wind, crisp packets, lead ropes, bits of plastic, wood, my coat, my hair, anything he can get at, I am sure he is not cribbing its not that kind of chewing if you know what I mean, I suppose I should count myself lucky he doesn't eat rugs! is this because he is young or teething and he will grow out of it? or are some horses just like this?

[KarinUS]

I think your definition of teething and mine must be different (When I think of 'teething' I think of puppies and babies... which obviously wouldn't be the same mechanism as in horses). Perhaps another cross-atlantic translation problem? When you say teething (related to a horse) what do you mean?

[Tots N Dots]

he is loosing the caps that are his baby teeth and his adult teeth are now growing

[KarinUS]

Cool. I had no idea they were losing their baby teeth. I guess I just envisioned them to have teeth that keep growing rather than two distinguitive sets.
I guess as long as he's not hurting and doesn't have access to anything dangerous he should be fine?
Be warned though my gelding still bites at things, especially around water. We just came home to a broken outdoor faucet and a little swamp because he broke off the top part and water spewed out for who knows how long.
We also can't use a regular trough refill valve because he takes it off and then the water doesn't shut off...
Can't blame that on teething though... he's 10.

Good luck with your little one! :)

[Tots N Dots]

they look like a little school kid when they loose the front two, its very comical, the 1st ones are not teeth as such, but caps that are over/on the adult teeth? (I think) I think may be to protect mare when feeding etc, I forgot about Bex's age as he is soo good I tend not to remember he is just a baby, when he lost the front two I had a major dizzy at the dentist as I thought he had been kicked in the mouth as the new teeth are very uneven to start with, I think that he mainly just "plays" with things, he doesn't go out of his way to find something to chew, but even unwrapping the haylage I had to make sure I got every tiny scrap of wrapping up or he would eat it, I am really hopeing he grows out of it I am worried he may choke on something :D

[redcedar]

bev looks like the lincolnshire naughty young horse club has a new member ..lol

My 5 yo Tb is a night mare with playing with things ...:( and i mean anything ..plastic bags , rugs (on and off horses !!) coats , zips, toggles on ppls clothes !! next doors cat .....you name it he has tried to play with it in some form or another !! lol Thing is he to tends to swallow things sometimes and i have to watch him like a hawk too

I'm hopin he will grow out of it ....but my last horses was 15 and he still played with stuff and mouthed everything in sight !! so im not holding out much hope with Tom !! lol

Good luck with Bex tho !

helen x

[redcedar]

hmmm dont know why i got that post twice ....lol....oh well ..*mutters and kicks pc* bit of impact maintaince will help imsure ...lol........

[Jessey]

I have found some chew and some don't but generally you will find the chewing will increase around 3 yrs old, helps to shed those baby teeth and soothe the gums if they are sore.

We gave some of ours a large raw hide dog chew, securely tied to something so they could chew on it, or happy mouth bits are good (again tied to something solid) and those 'horse balls' are good too (they have the handle bit on for them to chew).

Bo used to love his gums being rubbed when his teeth were changing, he was always the type to fiddle with stuff and still does (not as much as when he was teething though) just this week he decided my pony tail looked like fair game :D and he's now 7.

My filly on the other hand, who is rising 3, hates you to go near her mouth and is very fussy about what she puts in it.

J x

[Tots N Dots]

he has a football in the field but one with a handle on sounds a good idea, he was a tad chubby (I know in the middle of winter and out 24/7) so now that I have got him not so chubby I have put a round bale of hay in the field and he is having some carrots dotted about the field for him to find and chomp on, (if Sky doesn't find them 1st :D ) and he seems a bit better, maybe the hay is a bit tougher than just grass so that may be helping? thanks for all your help so far though

[*Sez*]

My 7 YO TB is incredibly mouthy and hangs on to the hood of my jacket whenever he can. He also plays with my zips, explores my pockets, tugs my sleeve and trousers, and likes to try everyone's dinner (just to make sure there's nothing poisonous in it :rolleyes: ). Some of them just never grow out of it.

[Lora]

I'm hopin he will grow out of it ....but my last horses was 15 and he still played with stuff and mouthed everything in sight !! so im not holding out much hope with Tom !! lol



I'm glad it's not just me. Boogie is horrible for grabbing stuff. I was walking him out of the barn, he picked up a 20 pound wood planter by the plant and was swinging it around over my head. After ducking it twice at level, I was able to grab it from him. The trainer was bent over laughing so hard she couldn't even help..hahahaha

[atillathefun]

My horse is 13 and chews everything bless him and plays with everything with his mouth he likes undoing zips and pockets!
I think some horses are just more chewy than others

[Laura+Phantom]

Argh the other day my 10 year old mare grabbed the farrier's little cardboard box of nails out of his van and tried to eat it! :eek: Luckily I spotted her and saved her insides from being punctured!

She has eaten a cardboard burger box out on a hack before..I thought she was only going to sniff it!

I think some are just orally fixated...hopefully yours will grow out of it!