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 Serious Snap Trapper
Posts: 4275
  
Location: In The Snow, AZ | What to do? My 5 year old has always been mouthy with tack, be it a bridle left out, a halter, tail bag, etc. It NEEDS to be in his mouth. I've learned to keep everything picked up, otherwise it becomes a snack.... But he has learned to untie himself, even if I tie him strategically. He just pulls the rope around until it comes loose. If, somehow, he can't figure it out, he gnaws on them. I have 3 or 4 leads that are nearly chewed clean thru. I can't tie him while trailering either, as I won't have a lead rope when he comes out. Any ideas? Muzzle him? I was hoping to avoid it... |
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 Expert
Posts: 5293
| I just use thick nylon lead ropes for mine that does that. Mine only chews the end so I just tie a big knot and let him do it. I put tail of lead rope down through loop so he can't untie himself. |
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Duct Tape Bikini Girl
Posts: 2554
| Teskey's has a rubber covered trailer tie that will endure the worst chewers. It has a snap on each end. |
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 Good Grief!
Posts: 6343
Location: Cap'n Joan Rotgut.....alberta | I have a few that do but my mare is really bad....she can fit a whole lead rope in her yapper..and it comes out a gummed up ball of yuck......u could try a really light chain....that might help u out.......M |
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 Expert
Posts: 1898
| I have a gelding that is a TERRIBLE chewer. Most of the places we go we have to tie overnight and it scares the crap out of me that he will escape. Before I knew he would chew I once left a rope halter hanging on his fence. I came out the next day and he had eaten the entire thing and lead rope minus the cheek knot, the piece that goes over the poll and the little metal piece on the other end. I think we have gone through 5 or 6 lead ropes in the last 2 years. I haul in a stock trailer and just a few months ago he tried to eat the halter off the horse standing next to him!
I saw on one of the episodes of Racer's Edge, Sherry Cervi has a colt that is the same way. She had leads made that have a chain braided in the middle. I thought it was a good idea but the only thing that is holding me back from making leads with chain is the opportunity for a wreck and what would be required to cut the rope. I think if I go this route, I will have my husband make a bracket to hold some kind of cutter tool on the side of the trailer. |
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 A Somebody to Everybody
Posts: 41354
Location: Under The Big Sky Of Texas | FLITASTIC - 2015-05-07 10:51 AM I just use thick nylon lead ropes for mine that does that. Mine only chews the end so I just tie a big knot and let him do it. I put tail of lead rope down through loop so he can't untie himself.
This ^^^  |
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 Expert
Posts: 2457
| When my filly went through this we covered the lead rope in a mixture of ground up cayenne pepper, cinnamon and some other hot pepper (that I am totally forgetting right now). I mean we soaked that lead rope .... it took her once of trying it out and no more! She doesn't chew anything and will only take a bit if you ask her to open her mouth with your thumb at the corner of her mouth.
I don't use the lead rope now, it sits in my tack room, because ya gotta be careful after you touch it to not rub your own eyes, face, mouth, etc or you could reap the consequences. |
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 Undercover Amish Mafia Member
Posts: 9992
Location: Kansas | hot sauce LOL |
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 Born not Made
Posts: 2937
Location: North Dakota | FLITASTIC - 2015-05-07 10:51 AM I just tie a big knot and let him do it. I put tail of lead rope down through loop so he can't untie himself.
I do exactly this, or both of my horses would untie themselves.
I caught Red doing this one day.
https://youtu.be/b0kSCVOR8SI
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 399
| luckyjo - 2015-05-07 11:00 AM
Teskey's has a rubber covered trailer tie that will endure the worst chewers. It has a snap on each end.
this has helped mine but what I also found to be best was i took a section of rope that was "his" and i hung it next to him and he always chewed on that one rather than the one he was tied with. |
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 Expert
Posts: 3782
Location: Gainesville, TX | My filly doesn't always chew but does sometimes. Hot sauce helps. Cayenne pepper or something similar. |
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 I Chore in Chucks
Posts: 2882
Location: MD | hahaha. let me know when you figure it out.
my youngest gelding is extremely nosey and never means for something bad to come out of it. I've lost cell phones, countless fly spray bottles, hoods, blankets, vet wrap, broken countless groom boxes. when he's in the cross ties he will work all day to get it in his mouth to play with. in the trailer i will keep him tied short enough he can't easily flip it into his mouth and he'll hopefully get bored of trying. I've tried hot sauce, apple bitter, cayenne powder... the cayenne has helped the most but he eventually licks it all off and continues about his day. thankfully he's not mouthy with people he may try to grab your zipper on your coat but that is about it.
I've come to the realization this is just him so I let it go since he's a gentleman otherwise. I will leave chewed apart cross ties he's already gotten to hooked to his stall so he can play with that, or at the trailer I'll leave a big hay bag ready for him to eat, that will usually deter him from chewing himself free. I think he's just a busy bee that needs to keep his mind going and it's easier to comply with him then fight it.
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 305
| I have some that do the same thing. I use a lead rope with a heavy rubber hose over it with a snap on both ends. You can get the clear rubber hose at any farm supply store. |
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Untying or Chewing Lead Ropes