Posted 2005-10-28 11:17 AM (#32460) Subject: chewing horse
Member
Posts: 7
Location: Paris, TX
I have a 5yr old gelding that chews on his lead rope.. I have put chew stop spray on the lead rope and even put red pepper on it...What else can be done or used to get him to stop this habit? I had a friend tell me to get a muzzle but they are so ugly...Any ideas?
Posted 2005-10-28 1:19 PM (#32468 - in reply to #32460) Subject: RE: chewing horse
Regular
Posts: 81
I have a 12-/12 yo gelding that has always chewed on his lead rope, although oddly enough NOT when he's away from home tied to the trailer.
He is a nervous horse and can be a little disrespectful if I don't keep him in check. I am not saying your horse is like this, but only offer it up for profiling.
I have never gotten Rusty to stop chewing the rope, but he did stop this summer and also his nervousness greatly diminished after I got him acupunctured. So I think the nervousness is linked to the rope chewing, much like some of us chew gum incessantly or light one cigarette with another one:)
Rusty was acupunctured for a life-long, on and off, low grade kidney infection that couldn't be detected with blood work. I can't begin to say how calm that horse has consistently become since the acupuncture. He can still get nervous on me, but after living his life a nervous wreck, I'm ecstatic with what little he exhibits now:)
Again, this is what accidently worked for Rusty to make him quit chewing ropes -- he had a medical problem that needed treated. That medical problem caused his nervousness, which in turn, evidently caused the rope chewing:)
Posted 2005-10-29 5:26 PM (#32493 - in reply to #32460) Subject: RE: chewing horse
Expert
Posts: 1989 Location: South Central OK
Two methods come to mind. Don't use rope, use chain or those plastic covered cable types. Or get a shock collar and every time he goes to chew, Zap him!
Posted 2005-11-01 8:49 AM (#32557 - in reply to #32460) Subject: RE: chewing horse
Veteran
Posts: 207 Location: Illinois
I had an awesome Appaloosa that chewed rope, halters, feed pans, trailer wiring (left trailer in pasture for winter), and basically everything that wasn't tied down! I must admit that he rarely did his silly antics in public (trail rides, etc.) He must have been a closet chewer, and kept it at home!
I guess it depends on the level of chewing, or how much it bothers you, but I never cared to stop my horse from his playing. We even kept an old soft halter in the pasture for him to twirl around. I always was entertained when my horse played. He had a personality second to none. He died this year, and I would give anything to look out in my pasture and see a horse twirling anything around! My appy was quite the circus act!!
Maybe you could use a trailer tie when tying him to the trailer, so there isn't any extra rope to tempt him?
Best of luck
Diane
Posted 2005-11-01 5:53 PM (#32574 - in reply to #32460) Subject: RE: chewing horse
New User
Posts: 1
Location: Texas
Hi there,
I'm new to this site. I have a horse that loves to chew the mane off of the other horses. I've tried the no chew products on the market but nothing has worked. Anyone else have this problem or an answer to it?
chewing horse
