When we brought Brego home, we were warned that he likes to chew on trees. So we wrapped all the trees on the track with chicken wire to protect them.
The base of this one is also wrapped with deer mesh to protect surface roots. Deer mesh not only keeps out deer, it's also a large black rhinos Percheron deterrent.
Unfortunately, this meant that Brego turned his termite tendencies toward other things, like the wood in the barn. Since we didn't want him chewing down the main support posts or anything, we tried some toys.
He didn't like to play with feed bowls.
Feed bags lost their appeal after he'd licked out all the flavor molecules.
Milk jugs were simply not interesting.
Jolly balls? Those are clearly for dogs.
So Brego gets...
Logs. Very large logs.
One day's efforts. Omnomnom. We put them on our woodpile when he's done with them and burn them in our fireplace.
Yes, I know this isn't good for his teeth. I've talked it over with my vet and she's like, eh, he's going to chew SOMETHING wood, not much you can do to stop him. So he gets a new cedar elm (not toxic to horses) log every week or so, and happily nibbles the bark off of it. He doesn't actually eat anything, he just chews on it. He also likes to throw the logs around, which we can tell because they tend to migrate from place to place.
Does your horse have a toy he likes to play with?
You've got to get some video of Brego playing with his logs! It sounds hilarious.
ReplyDeleteRom has that 'put things in my mouth' streak. Just this week he has broken his tyre feeder, a lead rope (chewed it to shreds) and a water trough float.
He has cones in his paddock to play with- but reaaalllyy gotta get him some toys.
Wood chewing and playing with logs are actually a secret past-time of his. We've never seen him do it, only seen the results.
DeleteWhat a good idea to keep termite/beaver horses from destroying fences and such!
ReplyDeleteDesperation is the mother of invention. Or something... ;)
DeleteWe've tried:
ReplyDeletea jolly ball - bo-ring
a giant jolly ball with beach ball cover - fun as long as it never moves on it's own
likits - ate all the sugar in about two hours, then had mad fits from sugar poisoning
The traffic cone phase lasted a little longer. He would swing, toss and stomp them. But when he got nose bleeds from the shardy ends he'd chewed...
It's always something ;D
Oh good heavens, why is a horse toy so hard to find?
DeleteSecond the request for Brego playing videos!!!!
ReplyDeleteAlas, he does it in secret!
DeleteHaha I mean, ya gotta keep them happy some how! My mare requires no toys - she's much too dignified for *play* lol... Just constant food. That's all she wants
ReplyDeleteOh I'm sure if Brego had constant food, he wouldn't nibble on wood. He'd also be 923482378489 pounds overweight. Le sigh.
DeleteThis is hilarious! How interesting! Estella loves to chew on cones lol. EVERY cone at the barn is topless because of her lol.
ReplyDelete"Topless cones" <- you just made me snort my chai! HAHAHA!
DeleteWhat a guy. Good solution, I guess, lol. Way to think outside the box.
ReplyDeleteAnything to prevent the barn from being chewed down!
DeleteThis reminds me of something off of Ren & Stimpy (dating myself here..) called Log. :) Here's the link to the video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RTrAVpK9blw
ReplyDelete:D (Everyone loves a Log!)
Horseyhabit, you caught me! That's actually exactly what I think of every time I see the logs. Except I got the words mixed up... oops!
DeleteLOL! Now you'll have the tune & the words in your head! (forever & ever & ever!) ;)
Deletemine love wood too...ugh...silly beavers
ReplyDeleteHeh, never heard them called beavers before, only termites. Of course, we don't actually HAVE beavers here, only termites... maybe that's why!
DeleteWhoa that's crazy!! I know a mare who would chew bark off of trees but it was because she wasn't getting enough hay. Horses are meant to be eating almost constantly. Could you get slow feed hay nets or feeders with hay that isn't super rich? I'd be really worried about his teeth. :\
ReplyDeleteAs for toys Chrome loves Jolly balls, tarps, feed bags, tennis ball on a rope dog toys, the three interlocking ring rubber dog toys (those are his favorite but the dang donkey chews through them grr), barrels, feed buckets, etc. I think the only thing he didn't really show interest in was the water jug full of rocks hung on the fence, but the donkey loved it. Who knows, Chrome may have played with it too when I wasn't watching. :) He used to play with hoses too. He's a very playful horse. :D
We actually only feed hay out of slow feed hay nets, and it takes about 6 hours for them to get through their hay. We've tried double-netting it to slow them down more, but then they can't manage to get any at all. Unfortunately, they're all super easy keepers, so we can't give them a round bale or anything like that. They also have free-choice salt, a mineral lick, and get a ration balancer, so he shouldn't be missing out on anything. Apparently this is just a habit his has, and will chew on trees even if he's got grass in front of him. I wish other, more tooth-friendly toys interested him, but they don't. :(
DeleteDang that's a bummer. It sounds like you have all the bases covered short of putting a muzzle on him. I'll keep my fingers crossed that he doesn't do too much damage to his teeth. Have you tried putting a big barrel out with him? Those plastic 50 gallon drums? Chrome likes chewing on those and rolling them around. :)
Delete