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  Discussion on Scratch Factor & Wood Chewing
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Posted on Tuesday, Jul 2, 2002 - 2:51 pm:

Here's the scenario: three horses, all in nice physical shape (well, maybe slightly overweight)on 12 acres of nice pasture 24/7. Teeth checked, wormed, good health. Green grass, regularly mowed. They graze constantly, have access to clean water and salt/mineral block. In the evening, supplement of Millenium Gold and Sea Power Pellets. Still yet, they bite on the wooden top rails and fence posts. My husband's QH gelding is the worst. He bites chunks of the arena top rail when he's tied there. He bites the shed waiting for his dinner. And the two arabs (mare & gelding) have also been caught biting the top rail, chewing up the posts. It is not cribbing, they do not suck air. So here is the question-we were told this weekend by a visitng old timer that the reason they bite wood is because they don't have any DRY food, like hay or straw. We used to feed alfalfa cubes, which I guess are considered dry, but they were biting wood anyway. I read the Article on wood chewing and fiber, took note that a scratch factor was mentioned in connection with forage. So perhaps the old timer was correct. To be honest, I really would like to avoid feeding them hay, don't have much storage space and wonder if it's going to put extra weight on them also. It just is a puzzle why horses that have constant grass to chew on would also bite wood. Would you recommend adding the dry hay? I just have a feeling it's not going to stop them from biting, that they bite the wood just for the fun of it, being antsy while tied up or excited about dinner time.

Posted on Wednesday, Jul 3, 2002 - 3:59 am:

I would run a electric wire around the top of the fence.
DrO

Posted on Wednesday, Jul 3, 2002 - 8:02 pm:

My horses were doing the same thing this year. We have electric around the top, but they were gnawing the cedar posts. Then, they started on their new oak run-in sheds and we were running electric along them-but there was always SOMEplace they could chomp. They didn't crib, they just bit or pulled off pieces and DrOpped them on the ground. They get good pasture, hay, and pellets, salt licks, etc. etc. etc. But we've been unable to ride as much as usual. I think they were bored.

My farrier said, "why stress yourself? If they want to chew, give 'em their own wood". We threw a couple of left over fence posts in their paddock, and they were thrilled. They've left the fences and shed alone ( they DO have Chew Stop on them - but that never stopped them before ), and after the first couple of weeks, they don't even bother that much with the posts we threw in for them. It's almost as though when chewing became legal, the thrill was gone. Go figure.

Posted on Wednesday, Jul 3, 2002 - 11:55 pm:

Yes Elizabeth, we've gotten the same advice. In fact, the breeder we bought the hubby's QH gelding (when he was four) from told us they just gave him a board of his own to chew on. And his mother was also a wood chewer, genetic behaviour? Near some of the favorite chomping posts it looks like Bucky Beaver was there. It stopped (somewhat) when I rubbed Irish Spring soap bars over the wood. But I've been lax about keeping up with that, and so maybe will consider the electric tape to save my top rails, shed & posts. It doesn't seem from Dr. O's response that this is a scratch fiber lacking, mineral and/or vitamin and/or stable vice (they're not stabled). By the way, they also bite on cars and trucks. What's that all about?!

Posted on Friday, Jul 5, 2002 - 1:39 am:

Cars and trucks..........hmmmm......think your husband would mind if you got them their own?

Posted on Friday, Jul 5, 2002 - 9:55 am:

Linda, right I thought the diet seemed fine. My new trucks are never properly christened until some horse rakes his teeth across the hood.
DrO
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