Try to understand why the horse has started chewing before choosing a solution. You may need to change its diet, routine or environment as well as protect the timber.
To discourage wood chewing:
Horses may chew wood when they have limited forage, turnout or contact with other horses. Boredom and stress can also contribute to the behaviour.
Horses naturally spend much of the day grazing and browsing. If they do not have enough suitable forage or opportunities to move and interact, they may start chewing other materials.
New or excessive wood chewing can also relate to the horse’s health, diet, teeth or environment. Every horse is different, so ask your vet for advice rather than assuming boredom is the cause.
The British Horse Society’s guidance on stereotypical behaviour explains how management, forage, companionship and stress can affect unwanted behaviour.
No. A horse that chews wood bites and removes pieces from the surface. A crib-biting horse grips a fixed object with its front teeth, pulls back, arches its neck and draws in air, often making a distinctive sound.
Identifying the behaviour matters because you will likelyneed to manage it differently. Speak to your vet if you are unsure or if your horse suddenly develops either behaviour.
Regular wood chewing can damage or wear down your horse’s teeth. Splinters can also become stuck in its mouth or gums and cause pain.
Check the timber too. Chewed wood can leave sharp or uneven edges and may eventually weaken doors, fences and stable partitions.
Contact your vet if your horse seems uncomfortable, struggles to eat, drops food, loses weight or has any swelling or bleeding around its mouth.
Ask your vet to check whether dental pain, digestive problems or another health issue are causing the behaviour.
Review the horse’s diet with your vet or a qualified equine nutritionist. Make sure it eats a balanced diet and enough suitable forage for its weight, workload and health.
Do not add supplements unless a vet or qualified nutritionist recommends them.
Give the horse enough suitable hay, grazing or other forage so it can spend more time eating and chewing naturally.
If you need to control its calorie intake, ask your vet or an equine nutritionist about lower-calorie forage or a suitable slow feeder.
Introduce any changes to its diet gradually. The BHS stable-enrichment guide offers more ideas for encouraging natural foraging behaviour.
If it is safe for the horse, provide more turnout and opportunities to move. Time outside and regular exercise allow horses to behave more naturally and can help reduce boredom.
If injury, poor ground or another issue limits turnout, ask your vet what type of movement is suitable.
Horses need contact with other animals. If they cannot mix directly, place the horse where it can safely see or hear other horses.
Pony doors and talk grilles allow horses to interact while remaining in separate boxes.
Our guide to the best horse stable design features explains how talk grilles and other openings can support visibility and interaction.
If your horse spends long periods inside, suitable enrichment can help prevent boredom.
Some horses enjoy a strong ball or forage-based toy. Introduce new items carefully and check that they cannot trap a hoof, break into sharp pieces or catch on stable fittings.
Enrichment can add interest to the stable, but it should not replace forage, turnout or contact with other horses.
Horse-safe anti-chew sprays, pastes and washes can discourage some horses from biting exposed timber. They do not work for every horse and may need regular reapplication.
Use products designed for areas around horses, follow the instructions and keep them away from feed and water.
For longer-lasting protection, fit galvanised anti-chew strips to vulnerable edges, such as the tops and sides of doors and partitions.
Check these areas regularly for loose metalwork, sharp edges or damaged timber.
At Chart Stables, we design and build timber stables around your horses and their needs. We can fit galvanised anti-chew protection to vulnerable areas such as doors and openings, helping your building stay in good condition for longer.
These fittings protect the timber, but you should also address the reason your horse is chewing.
Explore our stable doors and windows and timber stables, or contact our team to discuss your stable design.
Will vinegar stop a horse chewing wood?
Vinegar may discourage some horses, but it is not a reliable long-term solution. Use a product designed for equestrian settings and address the reason for the behaviour.
Can a horse stop chewing wood completely?
Some horses stop when their diet, routine or environment changes, while others continue out of habit. Protect the timber and ask your vet for advice if the behaviour persists.
Should you punish a horse for chewing wood?
No. Punishment does not address the cause and may increase stress. Focus on the horse’s health, forage, turnout, social contact and environment.
Can anti-chew strips be added to existing stables?
They can often be fitted to vulnerable edges on existing stable doors and partitions. Check that the fittings are secure and leave no sharp edges or unsafe gaps.
When should you call a vet about wood chewing?
Contact your vet if the behaviour starts suddenly, becomes excessive or occurs alongside weight loss, difficulty eating, dental damage, mouth injuries or other changes in health or behaviour.
