While chewing wood in the wild is not uncommon, it can spell trouble for domesticated horses. Horses cannot digest wood, though studies have found that wild horse manure often shows traces of bark. That being said, if your horse has excessive wood in its manure or you catch it regularly chewing on its stall or fences, chances are your horse has developed a bad habit.
Chewing on wood can cause several issues for your horse. First, it will wear down your horse’s front teeth, making chewing harder and hindering digestion - similar to how humans shouldn’t chew on ice! The second and more serious issue is that sharp wood fragments could be swallowed, injuring your horse's sensitive digestive system. Splinters are also an issue, as they can cause cuts and sores in your horse's mouth, which can lead to infection. All in all, chewing wood is a terrible habit!
Note: Cribbing is different from chewing wood. Cribbing involves your horse biting down on a solid object (like wood) and sucking without ingestion. Wood chewing DOES involve ingestion.
Understanding Why Horses Chew on Stalls
Horses chewing on wood have a multitude of reasons. Knowing what they are can help you resolve current wood chewing and prevent your horse from starting this habit. Some of the reasons include:
Boredom. If your horse does not have an outlet for their energy, they will find a way. Wood chewing may start as an occasional boredom-buster before becoming a full-fledged issue.
- Stress. Like boredom, if there is no outlet for stress, horses often turn to destructive habits to calm themselves. Horses that have limited contact with other horses, especially those who spend large amounts of time in stalls or stallions kept separate from other horses, often develop this habit. Chewing on wood can distract them from the stress and become a security blanket.
Nutritional Deficiencies. Horses are built to graze; when they do, they want to seek out fibrous vegetation. Not only is this helpful in digestion, but fiber promotes saliva production, which can prevent issues like gastric ulcers. Horses that do not have adequate access to fibrous foraging will seek out anything they can to get the fiber they need.
Teething in Younger Horses. Like human babies, young horses soothe themselves through teething as they get baby teeth at eight days, eight weeks, and eight months old. They will then lose baby teeth for adult teeth, which can begin the process of teething again. Wood is hard and may feel good to their mouths while teething. Early weaning, between the ages of four and six months, has also been connected to a propensity to chew wood.
Mimicking. Though it is not as much of an issue as the above reasons, studies have shown that horses exposed to wood chewers often adapt the practice themselves.
Strategies to Prevent Your Horse from Chewing
There are many strategies to put in place to prevent your horse from chewing, such as observing for triggers, creating an enriching environment, ensuring their diet is balanced, and making sure they're properly exercised.
Observe for triggers
To prevent wood chewing, keep an eye out for potential triggers. Does your horse have adequate outlets for stress and boredom? How is their diet? Is your horse teething? If so, do you have alternatives to help alleviate the pain of teething? Having a game plan for avoiding these triggers is paramount to stopping wood chewing before it starts.
Create an enriching environment
Boredom and stress lead to many issues for horses, so it is important to ensure they are relaxed. Give your horse as much time outside the stall as possible, and be aware of how much time they stay in the stall. In the winter and rainy months, be sure to have something they can do while standing in the stall. Wood chewing has been shown to happen more often between 10 pm and midnight, so having even a jolly ball, or snack ball, attached to the stall can distract and entertain them.
Stress often has more to do with the lack of socialization than anything. Studies show that horses with access to at least see another horse are much less stressed than those without. If your stall has a window, try to keep it open as much as possible so they can see other horses and the world around them.
Ensure their diet is balanced
Horses need a well-balanced fibrous, low-grain diet, or they will seek fiber elsewhere, including their stall. Feed a hay-based diet and ensure they have access to good, fibrous vegetation in the pasture. Monitor fiber intake, especially in the spring, as lush, green grass has been shown to have higher concentrations of sugar versus fiber, so while they may be grazing, they are not getting the fiber they need.
Make sure their properly exercised
A well-exercised horse is a happy horse! Not only does exercise lower stress and reduce boredom, but it also prevents your horse from spending too much time looking at delicious wood to chew on. Horses need consistent exercise, so access to pastures, riding, lunging, or hand walking your horse is essential. This is especially true in the winter, when your horse may spend a lot of time in a stall due to the weather. Horses need at least 20 minutes of exercise every day to maintain health.
- Easy-Up® Angle Iron Horse Stall Chew Guards
- Easy-Up® Metal Horse Stall Chew Guard Cap Style
- Ultra® Chew Stop
- Schneiders® Slow Feed Hay Ball Feeder
- Schneiders® Easy Open 1.75" Slow Feed Knotless Hay Net
- Jolly Apple Stall Snack
- DARE® Cribbing Control Collar
Protect and prolong the life of wooden boards and posts in your horse's stall and barn with these horse stall chew guards. Made from strong steel, these horse stall chew guards easily mount over posts or boards, preventing bored and curious horses from chewing on or damaging the wood.
These cap-style chew guards keep your horse from chewing on your stall walls. This one-piece metal cap has a U-channel shape to fit over your stall walls, protecting your barn from damage and keeping your horse from chewing.
This chew-stop spray can help discourage horses that love to chew on wood, blankets, or wraps. The hot pepper taste deters horses from chewing, and the non-toxic, non-staining formula is safe for all surfaces. You can even use it on manes and tails.
This hay ball feeder comes with slow-feed holes that make it a little challenging for your horse to access the hay, effectively busting their boredom. With a 15" diameter and 2 1/2" slow-feed holes, this feeder also includes a 4 3/4" screw lid opening for inserting hay into the ball. It's designed to hold one thin flake of hay.
Featuring even smaller feeder holes, this easy-open 1.75" knotless hay net is a great option for horses who scarf their hay too quickly. The top rim of the hay net stays open, so you can easily fill it with hay. To close the net, just push the sides together, and you can hang it in your horse’s stall. The netting is also made of a soft poly that will withstand everyday use yet remain soft against your horse’s teeth as they pull hay out.
The Jolly Apple Stall Snack holder helps horses overcome boredom and relieve stress. It comes apart easily to add new flavors, so your horse will never lack variety! This holder also has a section at the bottom for you to attach toys. Your horse will have fun for hours. This durable plastic apple-shaped holder includes the Standard Likit.
Designed by professional horseman Rusty Dare, this unique cribbing collar has a cribbing block that keeps the collar in place without as much tension as other collars. It comes with removable fleece, and the double buckle allows adjustment from both sides.
Preventing and addressing wood chewing is essential to keeping your horse healthy. Wood chewing is always something to be concerned about, as it can lead to many health issues, including wearing down teeth and digestive issues. Understanding the triggers and monitoring food intake, boredom, and stress are paramount to stopping this bad habit.
