Gum Wood

Wood Chewing By Horses

Wood chewing not only damages stables and fencing, it can also be bad for the horse’s health. Wood splinters can get stuck in the gums or teeth. If swallowed, the splinters can damage the stomach or intestines, or cause impaction colic. Fortunately, the habit of wood chewing is usually not difficult to correct and the short-term health risks are low in most cases.

The first step is to confirm that the problem is really wood chewing and not the more serious issue of cribbing. In wood chewing, the horse is nibbling on the wood. Cribbing is completely different; the horse does not eat the wood but instead grabs the wood with its front teeth, arches its neck and then sucks in air. As the two activities are very different, observation can confirm which problem your horse has. Alternatively, examination of the wood should show if it has been damaged by nibbling or damaged simply by a firm bite.

The most common cause of wood chewing is boredom. Horses which are left in their boxes most of the day with nothing to do simply do not have enough mental stimulation, so they start chewing on wood to occupy themselves. Another cause is stress or nervousness; just as some people chew their fingernails or pencils when they are stressed, a nervous horse confined to its box with nowhere to direct its nervous energy may start chewing on wood to distract itself. The third possible cause of wood chewing in nutritional deficiencies; if the horse’s food does not contain all the minerals they need they will start to chew on other items (such as wood or earth) in an attempt to obtain the missing minerals.

The first step in fixing the problem is to address the underlying cause. Since it is not always possible to know which of the three possible causes is the problem, the easiest solution is to address all three. Provide the horse with as much pasture time as possible, as this provides mental stimulation and also an outlet for nervous energy. Give it chewy food such as grass and hay, which will occupy it and meet its natural desire to chew better than fast foods such as grain or musli. Companion horses, exercise and an interesting environment all help. In case the problem is nutritional, ensure that it has good access to a salt lick and a mineral stone. Try to identify anything which may be causing the horse stress (e.g. bullying by another horse) and address the issue.

With the above steps, one should quickly see a reduction in wood chewing activity. Unfortunately, once a horse has been chewing wood for some time, it becomes a habit and continues even after the original cause is removed. Consequently, in addition to fixing the habit, one also needs to take steps to break the habit.

One stops the habit by making it unpleasant or impossible for the horse to chew wood. There are a number of products which are designed to taste terrible which one can paint onto wood surfaces, so the horse does not want to chew on them. For fencing, adding an electric fence wire (under current) to the top of the rails will keep the horse from chewing them. Within the stall, one can place metal strips onto the top of wood (e.g. on top of wooden stall doors).

It is important to do both these steps: address the cause and discourage the activity. If one treats the cause (e.g. boredom) but not the behavior (e.g. with unpleasant tasting paint) the habit may diminish but is unlikely to stop. Alternatively, treating the behavior (with unpleasant paint) but not the cause may stop the horse from chewing wood but the horse may then develop a different behavioral problem in response to the continuing underlying problem.

About the Author

Doug Stewart is the author of
Horses Wood Chewing
, which is part of his
Horse Care
series of articles.

John Wood – save our Red Gums

Wilton 1907-1107 Set of 10 Gum-Paste Modeling Tools with Storage Case $12.98 Gum Paste and Fondant Tool Set. This tool collection enables decorators to create life-like gum paste and fondant flowers and decorative details. This package contains 1 veining tool with large tip and small tip, 1 dogbone tool with large tip and small tip, 1 shell tool with knife on opposite end, 1 wheel tool with quilting wheel tip and cutting wheel tip, 1 umbrella tool with 6-division side and …

Roma Wooden Pasta Drying Rack $9.95 This traditional wooden Pasta Drying Rack is perfect for drying your fresh homemade pastas before cooking or storing. Features: Stands 17-in. tall and 14-in. wide Includes 4 cross bars to create 8 hanging arms Easy to assemble Disassembles for easy storage Made of high grade beech wood Meat and game processing. Pasta, wine and sauce making. Fresh, homemade foods just got simpler. Weston has what y…

Hamilton Beach Half Pint Soft Serve Ice Cream Maker This is a half pint soft ice cream maker. Great for kids and adults. Two freezer bowls are included. You can have fresh, homemade ice cream in minutes….

Quakehold! 88111 Museum Putty Neutral $0.49 Secures antiques & collectibles Reusable…

Gardex LS-1000 Poly Leaf Scoops $5.08 Designed for all season yard clean up these scoops fit either hand and are ideal for spreading mulch and peat moss, picking up leaves, pine needles, thorny or poisonous plant trimmings, sweet gum balls, and weeds. Constructed of lightweight, durable polycarbonate with rake teeth. 14.5” W. Holes in top for hanging. Solid in pairs. Color: Yellow….

Scotch Removable Poster Tape $3.11 Sticky on both sides mounts posters and other lightweight objects. Removes easily with no mess or damage to surface. 3/4″ x 150″…

Family Guy, Vol. 7 $15.77 The final four episodes from the sixth season and nine episodes from the seventh season–including “Back in the Woods,” “Long John Peter,” “I Dream of Jesus,” “Baby Not on Board,” “The Man with Two Brians,” and “The Juice Is Loose!”–are featured in this three-disc set. 5 hrs. total. Standard; Soundtrack: English Dolby Digital 5.1; Subtitles: English, French, Spanish; audio commentary; deleted sce…

Glide Comfort Plus Dental Floss, Mint, 43.7-Yard Dispenser (Pack of 6) $15.55 With unique technology, Glide Pro Health multi-protection floss delivers deep cleaning power with the extra comfort you’d expect from Glide. Glidestripe for invigorating flavor. Protects against gingivitis, cavities, bad breath, surface stains between teeth and plaque as part of a complete dental plan. Mint Flavor. 6 Pack….

Homax 8 Oz Goo Gone GG12 $3.63 A plastic bottle of liquid adhesive that removes grease, gum, stickers, crayon and tape. Contains 8 fluid ounces. Has a citrus power smell. Danger: Combustible. Harmful or fatal if swallowed. Keep out of reach of children….

Preserve Toothbrushes, Ultra Soft Bristles, 6-Count Package $24.93 The Preserve Toothbrush was developed by dentists and engineers to be a high performance brush – and from the start, it and its packaging are designed to have minimal impact on our Earth’s resources. Through our innovative recycling partnership with Stonyfield Farm«, we source at least 25% of our handle plastic from recycled yogurt cups. The Preserve’s packaging is not only a reusable carrying ca…