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> Horse Chewing

“It’s Winter and I’m Bored!”

“Rainy, ugly weather, it’s too cold to ride, my arena’s muddy, the trails are too slick” – we’ve got a whole list of excuses not to ride this time of year. Meanwhile, our horse pals are stuck in a stall or a small paddock with nothing to do, so they chew. Veterinarians tell us that horses chew due to a lack of minerals, a need for roughage, boredom or all three.

If your horse is out in a paddock or field and he’s chewing on trees, boards, etc., he may be seeking minerals. Try using Rogue 12-12 Mineral. It is a balanced mineral package with a variety of minerals that your horse may need. This can be fed free choice or added at the rate of one ounce per day to your horse’s grain.

Veterinarians also tell us that a horse’s need for roughage increases from time to time, so give them something to chew on. Avoid Redwood and treated wood, but sometimes an old 2 x 4 is just the trick.

Stalled horses are a little tougher to manage as they are usually suffering from boredom. A variety of chew-stopping products are available with various results depending on the horse. Cayenne pepper sprays seem to work for almost all horses except the ones with a taste for Mexican food!

When desperate, Ro-Pel from the garden department will keep almost anything from chewing, including your horse.

If your horse is a die-hard chewer, hardware cloth formed and tacked over the edges of the doors and corners where they chew helps a lot.

Remember, minerals and a chew board for your stalled horses. Try to get them out when you can, give them plenty of grass hay and maybe even a stall toy like a Jolly Ball will help. These preventative measures may help keep your horse from acting like a beaver and eating your barn down this winter.