Horse chewing fence

M

Mollypops

New Member
Nov 17, 2007
224
0
0
The fence in my paddock are wooden and my horse is chewing it. There wont be much left soon. What can I do about it?

Was thinking of electric fencing it. I cant understand why she's doing it. Could it be a lack of salt in the diet. She is not on a lot of grass as she had started to put a bit of weight on which she doesnt need. Also shes on her own in the field could it be a lack of company thing too as previous owners had her in with other horses.

Mods - not sure where this post goes.
 
Horses can chew fences (or stables doors) commonly known as 'crib biting' out of boredom. It can also be due to stress (most likely as she has no companion)

Leccy fencing is probably the best idea.

Can she not be put out with another horse?
 
Hi Mollypops,

Lots of Horses will chew wood, especially if its a bit damp or Mouldy, don't know why they just all seem to like it, lol. Then you get the Horses that Chew Wood or posts because they are Crib Biting as Moomoo has said.

Then you get Horses who grip the wood and take in air which is Windsucking. Then you get the ones that do Both.

There are all sorts of theories as to WHY Horses Crib or Windsuck but no
'concrete' answers. It could be because your Horse is bored, it could also be because she is doing one of the above, maybe read up about both on the internet and see what you think and decide how you want to deal with it. however I have seen Horses do it in a field full of other Horses tbh. (MINE at the time:p).

As Moomoo says, you are probably best to electric fence away from the fence and make sure she always has some Grass/Hay available. xx
 
We've got elecric fencing attached to our post and rail as OH's old horse was terrible for biting it! They only need to get 1 belt from it and they won't go near it again! :D
 
My foal has started to do this, strange thing is though the field already had wooden fencing which she hasn't touched. The bit she is chewing is a new section and she's loving it. Now her mother is doing it and my 2 geldings in the field next to them are bending their heads over and chewing the damm thing.

My others have never done this...........anyone recommend anything to put on the wood to deter them.
 
We had a mare who ate wooden fences. She had a vitamin/mineral supplement and 24/7 turnout in a herd so it wasn't nutrition or boredom. I think she just liked the taste! In the end we had to run electric tape along the rails because she did actually eat through them. That was the only thing that stopped her.
 
I only have problems with this on 1 post and that post isnt even part of my horses fence. its next to the wall where i tie her up! its a redundant post which was to an old fence and really i should take it out.... but she seems to love scraping her teeth across it. its only when i tie her up to groom/pick feet/etc... so my theory is boredem. as she doesnt chew anything in the field. or stable.
 
My horse licks wood, is that the same as crib biting?!

He was stabled last winter and used to lick his stable door (metal frame with a wooden panel) and the wall outside his stable! I gave him a decohedran ball which he loves, a likit which unless it's apple he's not interested and if it is, it's gone within hours and started him on a general purpose supplement. The he was put in the field for the summer and he started licking the wooden gate. There was a horse in the field that used to windsuck so I was terrified that he was going to start it.

I've just moved yards and he's going to live out 24/7 (fingers crossed - it'll be a first for him and me!), hopefully he'll stop it.... :-S There are only 3 other horses in his field and it has a metal gate this time but I've noticed him licking the metal frame of his stable when he's tied up outside...
 
newrider.com
Top Bottom
Back