Crib Biting - Poll
- Thread starter TheBlackMoth
- Start date
rrose
Well-Known Member
i would not use i a collar as i know many horses who have had them on that have given them cuts. i would use some other method
Weezy
Well-Known Member
Collars are cruelty full stop
sorona
Well-Known Member
I wonder if using a collar at the first signs of cribbing would stop it becoming a habit. It is a bit cruel if they are doing it to alleviate pain from acid in the gut, perhaps use as initial intervention with some form of medication as evenw ehn symptoms are gone, the compulsion to do it still can take over!
Agent XXX999
Well-Known Member
What with the post on sedating and this one I am on a roll 2nite.
We have a cribber on the yard who has to wear a collar as when he didnt have one on he taught the 4 year old horse to crib - and we lost a sale because of it (big money) The baby horse only cribbed when he saw the big horse doing it!
Also...cribbing causes a huge build up of gas in the stomach and gut which can cause all sorts of nasties and be a lot more life threatening for the horsethan wearing a collar.
However...I am a true beleiver that cribbing occurs when the horse is under stimulated....ie its not been ridden, been stood in its box. The aforementioed cribber does not crib if he has been ridden/fed/in field. I do beleive in some (but not al) cases it is a bordeom thing.
We have a cribber on the yard who has to wear a collar as when he didnt have one on he taught the 4 year old horse to crib - and we lost a sale because of it (big money) The baby horse only cribbed when he saw the big horse doing it!
Also...cribbing causes a huge build up of gas in the stomach and gut which can cause all sorts of nasties and be a lot more life threatening for the horsethan wearing a collar.
However...I am a true beleiver that cribbing occurs when the horse is under stimulated....ie its not been ridden, been stood in its box. The aforementioed cribber does not crib if he has been ridden/fed/in field. I do beleive in some (but not al) cases it is a bordeom thing.
TheBlackMoth
Well-Known Member
I put the poll up to get some advice. I have bought my oldest daughter an ex race horse. He does crib and wind suck slightly - more cribbing than windsucking. We are trying him on coligone - but the yard owner wants us to get him to wear a collar as she is worried about other horses copying him. Just wanted to get some opinions about it.
Agent XXX999
Well-Known Member
I would put a collar on him...I wouldnt like it if my horses started to crib just because someone else's did.
My friend grooms for Terry Mills and says that ex RH's tend to settle and stop various habits when they come out of race yards and into a more relaxed environment. You might find he stops....good luck.
I would turn him out as much as possible - that way the collar is not on for too long.
I hope you do well with him!
My friend grooms for Terry Mills and says that ex RH's tend to settle and stop various habits when they come out of race yards and into a more relaxed environment. You might find he stops....good luck.
I would turn him out as much as possible - that way the collar is not on for too long.
I hope you do well with him!
RunToEarth
Well-Known Member
I never really saw the point, a woman had one on hers when she kept it at ours, I think they are quite a cruel device, and I also see them a little pointless. The horse crib bites, do you deem it soo bad?
Anyway, this woman insited on keeping one on hers when it was in the stable. It got stuck on the hinges that attach the top door on one day (the very reason one of our yard rules is no headcollars on stabled horses) and poor horse could have been strangled.
Anyway, this woman insited on keeping one on hers when it was in the stable. It got stuck on the hinges that attach the top door on one day (the very reason one of our yard rules is no headcollars on stabled horses) and poor horse could have been strangled.
sorona
Well-Known Member
A freind bred a foal who cribbed at 4 days old, not due to under stimulation and no other horse on the yard did it but she later found out that the stallion did and many of his offspring did too, although they had no contact with the sire after conception!
Skhosu
Well-Known Member
I believe it is not supposed to be copied, they now believe it seems that way because if one horse on a yard is stressed, it's quite likely another is too!
PapaFrita
Well-Known Member
[ QUOTE ]
We have a cribber on the yard who has to wear a collar as when he didnt have one on he taught the 4 year old horse to crib - and we lost a sale because of it (big money) The baby horse only cribbed when he saw the big horse doing it!
[/ QUOTE ]
There are 32 horses on our yard. PF is the only one who cribs, and she has done since I've known her. Some of the horses at our yard are the most understimulated I've ever seen and yet not one of them has picked up her habit. None of the horses I owned in the UK copied her either. I'm convinced it has more to do with feeding concentrates than boredom (all horses on our yard are fed straight oats)
We have a cribber on the yard who has to wear a collar as when he didnt have one on he taught the 4 year old horse to crib - and we lost a sale because of it (big money) The baby horse only cribbed when he saw the big horse doing it!
[/ QUOTE ]
There are 32 horses on our yard. PF is the only one who cribs, and she has done since I've known her. Some of the horses at our yard are the most understimulated I've ever seen and yet not one of them has picked up her habit. None of the horses I owned in the UK copied her either. I'm convinced it has more to do with feeding concentrates than boredom (all horses on our yard are fed straight oats)
PaddyMonty
Well-Known Member
I had to reply 'sometimes'
My lad cribbed for england when i got him. I spent months sorting out his diet and allowing him to really settle in to the yard without a collar. 9 months after getting him I noticed if I stood in front of his normal cribb place when he ate then he didn't do it or get stressed by the fact that he couldn't. Same thing if I put his head collar on and held him at the end of the lead rope.
He was getting gas collic on a very regular basis from cribbing.
Tried one of the leather collars put on very loosely. No more cribbing. He doesn't do it in the field as nothing to crib on.
So is wearing it better for him? Definitely.
I thought he was one of those horses that just messed his bed up. When he had gas colic it look like a herd of elephants had been through it. Since wearing the collar his bed is not disturbed at all.
Only thing I can put this down to is that without the collar he was gulping so much air he was uncomfortable EVERY night.
He now seems a lot happier and contented.
So for him at this time yes it is a benefit. When I first got him it would have been totally wrong.
Hoepfully I can eventually break the habit. Time will tell.
My lad cribbed for england when i got him. I spent months sorting out his diet and allowing him to really settle in to the yard without a collar. 9 months after getting him I noticed if I stood in front of his normal cribb place when he ate then he didn't do it or get stressed by the fact that he couldn't. Same thing if I put his head collar on and held him at the end of the lead rope.
He was getting gas collic on a very regular basis from cribbing.
Tried one of the leather collars put on very loosely. No more cribbing. He doesn't do it in the field as nothing to crib on.
So is wearing it better for him? Definitely.
I thought he was one of those horses that just messed his bed up. When he had gas colic it look like a herd of elephants had been through it. Since wearing the collar his bed is not disturbed at all.
Only thing I can put this down to is that without the collar he was gulping so much air he was uncomfortable EVERY night.
He now seems a lot happier and contented.
So for him at this time yes it is a benefit. When I first got him it would have been totally wrong.
Hoepfully I can eventually break the habit. Time will tell.
pottamus
Well-Known Member
I am against collars because I feel you are just trying to stop the action and not treating the cause...crib biting is supposed to be caused by incorrect management of the horse and stomach acid issues...if this is the case...it is preventable or at least can be reduced heavily.
MagicMelon
Well-Known Member
Had a cribber. Tried the miracle collar - but had to make it so tight before it worked that the poor horse looked so uncomfortable. Sure it worked, she didnt do it but she absolutley hated it. I took it off very quickly and it is now rotting in my tack room somewhere never to be used again!
Plus, everytime you take them off they'll just do it again. Its not like putting one on for a few weeks will break their habit, the habit is there forever. They NEED to do it, its like smoking I guess and it does seem to make them depressed when they cant. I dont think the cause is stomach acid in all cases, I tried all the usual antacid supplements and was very careful about what I fed her (also made sure she was turned out 24/7 to minimise stress) but nothing seemed to help.
I realise some horses to it so badly they CAN get colic regularily. In this case, well maybe if a collar helped stop this happening then its almost acceptable. But I just couldnt do it. After seeing how miserable my pony was with a collar on, never again! And as for those horrid AWFUL usual ones (the nutcracker ones) - they should be banned!!
Plus, everytime you take them off they'll just do it again. Its not like putting one on for a few weeks will break their habit, the habit is there forever. They NEED to do it, its like smoking I guess and it does seem to make them depressed when they cant. I dont think the cause is stomach acid in all cases, I tried all the usual antacid supplements and was very careful about what I fed her (also made sure she was turned out 24/7 to minimise stress) but nothing seemed to help.
I realise some horses to it so badly they CAN get colic regularily. In this case, well maybe if a collar helped stop this happening then its almost acceptable. But I just couldnt do it. After seeing how miserable my pony was with a collar on, never again! And as for those horrid AWFUL usual ones (the nutcracker ones) - they should be banned!!
PaddyMonty
Well-Known Member
If Ed had to have his on tight to stop it then I wouldn't.
I can fit my hand in comfortably underneath it when his head is horizontal or lower. As I said, his is just a habit now having removed all the diet / routine issues he came with.
The instant I make it even a slight effort for him to crib he doesn't bother.
I can fit my hand in comfortably underneath it when his head is horizontal or lower. As I said, his is just a habit now having removed all the diet / routine issues he came with.
The instant I make it even a slight effort for him to crib he doesn't bother.
kayleigh_and_rocky
Well-Known Member
Personally i dont think cribbing is a learned habit in ANY way shape or form. At old yard we had 2ex racehorses both cribbited, no other horse on the yard learnt too. also one of them was kept in the stable (when he was in) with another horse for company and the other horse never learnt to do it.
Baggybreeches
Well-Known Member
My mum's mare cribs a lot she used to wear a collar, but we took it off when she hd a bizarre allergic type of reaction to it? She has worn it since, but does not crib any more or less because of it. We have had her for 7 years on 2 different yards and no others have copied her. I think that a horse will crib because it is bored rather than because a stablemate does it!
PapaFrita
Well-Known Member
PF had a phase of colicking. Vet said her diet was most likely to blame and told me some horses don't tolerate horse/pony nuts well and it causes gas to build up and hence colic. I changed her onto soaked oats and she's been fine ever since. Do you mind me asking what you feed your horse and how you've changed his diet? (purely curiosity!)
nellie33
New User
[ QUOTE ]
Also...cribbing causes a huge build up of gas in the stomach and gut which can cause all sorts of nasties and be a lot more life threatening for the horsethan wearing a collar.
However...I am a true beleiver that cribbing occurs when the horse is under stimulated....ie its not been ridden, been stood in its box. The aforementioed cribber does not crib if he has been ridden/fed/in field. I do beleive in some (but not al) cases it is a bordeom thing.
[/ QUOTE ]
How would you explain my 34yr old Tb cribbing in the field then?
Also...cribbing causes a huge build up of gas in the stomach and gut which can cause all sorts of nasties and be a lot more life threatening for the horsethan wearing a collar.
However...I am a true beleiver that cribbing occurs when the horse is under stimulated....ie its not been ridden, been stood in its box. The aforementioed cribber does not crib if he has been ridden/fed/in field. I do beleive in some (but not al) cases it is a bordeom thing.
[/ QUOTE ]
How would you explain my 34yr old Tb cribbing in the field then?
PaddyMonty
Well-Known Member
[ QUOTE ]
Do you mind me asking what you feed your horse and how you've changed his diet? (purely curiosity!)
[/ QUOTE ]
When he came to me he was on Sugarbeet, Pasturemix (D&H) and Alfa-A. max 4 hours turnout on poor pasture.
Went through all sorts of trials with feeds and he is now on Sugar & Starch Intolerance (A&P), soya oil and linseed oil. Good quality seed hay, as much as he will eat (which is alot
) and minimum 10 hours per day turnout on good, well managed pasture.
I have found that anything high in sugar (including carrots) increases the urge for him to crib. Not sure if he has a sugar intolerance but what his management now seems to be working. He has never look or felt so well so i'm sticking with it.
Do you mind me asking what you feed your horse and how you've changed his diet? (purely curiosity!)
[/ QUOTE ]
When he came to me he was on Sugarbeet, Pasturemix (D&H) and Alfa-A. max 4 hours turnout on poor pasture.
Went through all sorts of trials with feeds and he is now on Sugar & Starch Intolerance (A&P), soya oil and linseed oil. Good quality seed hay, as much as he will eat (which is alot
I have found that anything high in sugar (including carrots) increases the urge for him to crib. Not sure if he has a sugar intolerance but what his management now seems to be working. He has never look or felt so well so i'm sticking with it.