Winter Blues: Cribbing

Photo taken from eXtensionHorses

Cribbing is a vice that involves horses grasping on a surface (often wood) with their teeth and swallowing air.  This behavior can sometimes be confused with wood chewing (where horses gnaw on wooden surfaces either for more fiber or out of boredom), but is much more serious since it can cause horses to lose weight, wear down their top incisors, and become more prone to colic.

Traditionally, cribbing as been considered a stable vice associated with feeding, stabling, and management practices such as:

• Feeding high quantities of concentrate and low amounts of forages.
• Limiting a horse's turnout and grazing/opportunities to socialize with other horses.

While these still could cause cribbing, some studies have shown horses might use cribbing as a coping mechanism for too much stomach acid, ulcers and stress.  The best way to effectively stop your horse from cribbing is to address the cause.

• Reduce Ulcers - If you suspect your horse has ulcers (CLICK HERE for signs and treatments of gastric ulcers), contact your Vet for help making a management plan best suited for your horse.
• Enrich the Stable - Provide toys and multiple slow-feed hay nets to reduce boredom.  You can even try adding a mirror to the stall to stimulate your horse.
• Physical Prevention - Physical prevention is simply eliminating surfaces for horses to crib on.  Add a strand of electric wire along the top of wooden fences, or add a metal edge (most horses do not like to crib on cold metal).  You can also apply a foul tasting topical treatment (such as vinegar in a spray bottle) to wood, but this does eventually wear off so it will have to be re-applied.