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May 7, 2008 - Ask Monty Question

Question:
I have a 2 year old filly, which from birth has chewed manes & tails (her mother, other brood mares, other foals, etc.) I have tried all the old taste deterrent remedies - nothing works.
As a last resort, I put her with my old brood mares (who stand no nonsense!), but she even found one of them gentle enough to allow her to eat her lovely tail up to the dock.
I have tried homeopathy. I am contemplating "remote" healing. She is the sweetest little pony, with no other vices. I am tearing my hair out! Now I have had to separate her, which is arguably the worst thing to do, but she is eating her way through my herd, and could cause herself internal damage. Any constructive comments would be most welcome.
Kindest regards,
Mrs.J.Windle-Taylor

Monty's Answer:
Obviously this is a major problem on most breeding operations. Over the years we have had problems with tail eating. I think it was about 10 years ago that one of my grooms from Mexico created a preparation that was very successful.

He used the hottest chilies that they grow in Mexico. He mixed them with cooking oil. After that, he put this in a blender and chopped it very fine. They put it on with a glove and rubbed it on the tails every day. We never had tail eating since that time.

If your pony can eat this mixture, than you have to take him to Mexico where everybody eats such hot food! If you don't have Mexican chilies you could use Cayenne Pepper. It is just as effective but it makes a bit more mess. But chilies are nice and clean.

At Flag Is Up Farms, we put out salt blocks and feed a mix that contains minerals necessary for healthy horses. I encourage horse owners to ask their vets about the best mix for their horses in their locale. Many people believe that chewing tails may indicate physiological needs rather than behavioral challenges such as boredom from being confined in small enclosures and unable to exercise freely. There is no reason for this being a dietary problem if your horse’s diet is balanced.

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