A horse that cribs...

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LowenKi

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Would you consider buying it? How bad of a vice is it? What causes it and are there any health problems associated with cribbing? It's not something I've ever come across before when looking at horses so don't know how much it should influence my decision!

Any personal experiences welcomed.
 
second what oberon says, but also ends up a habit.

I can't say that my horses have been of the sickly type since they both cribbed, and the odd times they had a belly, there was always another cause

I always protect the stable door though, mainly because the saliva can corrode the metal chew strip

The way I look at it, is that what they do on their own time is there own business, what they do on the clock is something different..... after all some of us bit our nails or smoke, in my mind what is the difference?
 
My friend (EF on here) just has and despite the fact i wouldn't dream of it, the horse has come good and is doing really very well with proper care!
 
I wouldn't discount one. But treatment for gastric and hind gut ulcers, dental work and body work to counteract the body issues that come with ulcers would be part of my budget.
Cribbers tend to be cheaper anyway though.
 
I've got a cribber. Had him for 12 years. He's a fab horse in every other way. His cribbing is just a habbit from his showjumping days. When I vet nursed I had him scoped, all clear. It's just one of those things with him. Just invest in lots of electric fencing to keep him off the posts!
 
I've just bought a cribber and she's driving me mad!! When I was horse hunting I said that I would accept any vice, other than crib biting and windsucking - I wouldn't say I regret buying her because I love her to pieces, but if I'd known she cribbed then I probably wouldn't have bought her (It's not her only vice either :rolleyes:!)
I loaned a cribber once but she didn't crib badly, she nibbled at wood but when it was fenced off with tape she ignored it. She only did it when she was stressed (only one in the field for example) or when it was time to come in. That kind of cribbing doesn't bother me, it's not ideal but it can be managed and if the horse is great in every other way then it wouldn't be a big deal to me.

However! - It can be extremely costly if you have a bad cribber. My new horse has actually eaten through entire rails of wood, has gnawed through her stable (the dividing bars are wooden not metal), will push through electric tape to eat the fence and cannot be distracted by anything (like haylage)! She can't be put anywhere without the fencing being destroyed, I think she only does it because it's a habit she can't break. She doesn't do it because she's stressed (she falls asleep cribbing), she doesn't do it because she's hungry, there are no medical issues and it's constantly throughout the day ,not just at feed times - and she actually likes the taste of all the anti cribbing products so can't use those or she's worse! Never known a horse like it!


Can be more costly in things like the dentist too because they wear their teeth down quickly. They can crib for various reasons, some crib because they have ulcers (very expensive to treat), some because they've picked it up from others, some to cure boredom (a lot of racehorses crib because they're kept in for long hours at a time) x
 
My gelding cribs and windsucks but only when he can get hold of a rug as he doesn't do it on metal or wood.
Does annoy me but as its usually only when he's tied up near his rugs its not often.
 
Angua2 said:
The way I look at it, is that what they do on their own time is there own business, what they do on the clock is something different..... after all some of us bit our nails or smoke, in my mind what is the difference?
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It used to drive a friend of mine mad, but I take this opinion!

Def don't let it put you off a horse, as most can be managed and it's a small price to pay for getting the 'right' horse in every other aspect. Only thing is I'd double check on insurance as have heard they won't cover for colic if they know it's a windsucker.

My gelding has cribbing/windsucking as an ingrained habit, has done it since a 5yo- we bought him at 15 and is now 17! He is slightly 'goofy teethed' and has worn down one side a bit more than the other, and he is a little tight through his neck with lovely big windsucking muscles (as in, thats the only thing my back lady has ever picked up), but it hasn't hindered him in anyway and is still fab to school.

Just be prepared to find a routine that suits him and work around it. I've never had him scoped for ulcers (tbh unless you have a problem don't really see the point) but just manage him as if he had them, so plenty of fibre, turnout, low cereals etc. :)
 
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