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Cribbing is a compulsive vice seen in horses which
can be incredibly difficult, if not impossible, to
break. Cribbing, often referred to as windsucking, is
when the horse will grab a solid object like a stable
door, fence or feeder with their teeth, then arch
their neck pulling back on the object and suck or
gulp in air.
Signs that your horse may be cribbing include
damage or bite marks to stable doors, fences or
feeders, worn, chipped or broken front teeth, or
hearing a grunting sound as the horse gulps in air.
Traditionally cribbing has been believed to be a
bad habit of bored horses, particularly stabled
horses. However, recent studies have indicated
that cribbing may be a way that horses respond to
digestive upset. When a horse cribs and gulps air
excess saliva is produced which assists in soothing
and relieving digestive discomfort. Digestive
discomfort may be caused by gastric ulcers, mineral
deficiencies, stress or feed that is hard to digest.
During the process of cribbing and gulping air
endorphins are released. This is one of the reasons
it becomes a compulsive behaviour and hard to
break because the endorphins make the horse
feel good and calm.
It is important to know that cribbing is not a learned
behaviour. Just because one horse in a stable or
paddock cribs, it does not mean that they will teach
other horses how to do it. If there are a number of
horses in a stable or living together that are cribbing,
than it may be necessary to look at management
practices and try to determine what might be
causing a number of horses to be stressed and/or
suffering from digestive upset.
Breaking the habit and/or the need to crib
means evaluating all factors including health and
environment. A veterinarian can assist in diagnosing
medical reasons, such as gastric ulcers or digestive
issues that could be influencing the cribbing.
Environmental modification such as changing
the horse from a stable to a paddock may help,
as well as reducing stress or removing the horse
from stressful situations (ie. changing their exercise
program, their location or what other horses they
are around). The horse's diet may also need to be
looked at and possibly adjusted to help reduce any
digestive discomfort.
There are also a number of products available to
deter horses from chewing or gnawing on surfaces
which then in turn stops them from cribbing on that
surface. Joseph Lyddy Crib Stop Paste & Red HOT
Spray are examples of products that you paste or
spray onto surfaces and their taste stops the horses
destructive biting and chewing.
Cribbing
