Crib Biting/Wind Sucking when turned out?!

3Beasties

3Beasties

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A horse at work seems to wind suck and crib bite when he is turned out. He has been with us since the start of the summer but only seems to have started doing it during the last couple of months. He is an Ex-racer and came to us straight out of racing.

He is fed twice a day as he is/was quite poor, is turned out during the day (on quite good grass) and is shut in a big barn at night (with other horses and plenty of hay). He won't be in work for the rest of the winter.

Is this just a habit he has got into or could it mean there are other issues? Do you think it's worth using a Anti Cribbing collar?

He has nearly chewed right through one fence rail and has now made a big mess of some of the wooden posts. I'm hoping mine don't start copying him
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Can you not put some electric fencing round the edge of the grazing?
And anti crib collars do work, a horse where I used to ride was a wind sucked, when he didn't have his collar one, you could hear him wind sucking, but when he had his collar on he didn't do it.
I personally wouldn't be too keen on turning out in one though.
 
Hi. Definately put anti cribbing collar on, preferably the miracle collar. This is very common in racehorses and I am afraid they don't grow out of it. They can relax and do this less often but I have never known one to 'give it up'. If they continue they will spend more and more time doing it and will lose alot of condition in doing so. I have however known other horses to 'copy' this vice and it is really important that you try to prevent it. It can also cause colic through swallowing air so go for the collar if I were you.
 
If he has just started doing this then it is likely that he is either unhappy or in some kind of pain. If it were habit I imagine he would have done it from the off.
He should have a high fibre diet and plenty of turnout.
Please do not use a collar...this will just lead to more stress.
If he persists or gets worse then he may need to see a vet as he could have gastric ulcers or pain from somewhere else.

It is highly unlikely that your horse will copy. My cribber shares with 5 others and none of them do it.
 
Cribbing is usually either a pain response or a boredom reliever. You need to address the cause not just stick a collar on.
Cribbers can and do stop the habit if they are managed correctly for them.
Racehorses are kept in a way which encourages this behaviour ie no turnout/high cereal diet. Horeses that appear to 'copy' others are usually kept in a similar fashion.
My cribber hardly bothersnow. He lives out 24/7 and will now just do it after his food. He is in his teens and has obviously done it alot in the past as his front teeth are very, very worn but hardly does it at all now.
 
I wasn't suggesting 'just stick a collar on' but have had alot of experience with race horses and ex racers that have developed this vice through boredom and frustration and if you do not try to slow it down and they are cribbing in a field they will just drop condition very quicklyl, which if the horse is fresh out of a racing yard,it will probably not have much weight to spare. Of course get everything checked to make sure there is nothing underlying going on. As I said in previous post, some do lessen the amount they crib but I have not had the good fortune of knowing one that stopped it totally. This is one of the reasons it is called a vice.
 
your horse is a prime candidate for ulcers, we are treating one now whose attitude changed a couple of months ago, he is a crib biter, but it got worse and his attitude changed for the worse, he was more grumpy difficult to ride and altogether appeared miserable. there are some very good threads on here about ulcers which have helped us a lot. as he is tb he is even more likely case. we have been treating ours and what a diffence it has made. there are lots of products on the market. if you need more help pm me and i will give you the formula we have been using.
 
Hollypots has given brilliant advice.

Please, please do not put a collar on. It's like tying a nailbiters hands behind their back
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My money is on a Gastric Ulcer.
 
No crib collars don't work, just adds stress to an already stress animal. Took me several years to realise that the collar I put round her neck added to her stress levels and bouts of colic. Took it off and she was so much better, but it was food related and other animals have stress in other ways.
 
And cougar, not every horse that cribs is a spoilt rotten racehorse and I pity the ones that proof useless. Some like mine started doing it at weaning when I was in a livery yard.
 
Up the level of chaff you are giving and try using one that is not molassed and also try using a grazing muzzle, they can still eat hay and gras but can't crib on the fencing and as they are eating slower they tend not to windsuck either.
 
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My horse cribs when turned out and I manage it with electric fencing around the perimeter of the park to protect the fence posts.

I wouldn't use a collar as that does not solve the problem- it will do nothing to stop his urge to crib.

I have had my horse for 3years now and none of the horses he has been kept with have ever shown the slightest inclination to copy him, including two youngsters. My horse is a very good doer and I struggle with his weight year round despite him cribbing so not every cribber will lose condition either. It's very much down to the individual.

I firmly believe that where several horses on the same yard do start to windsuck/ crib, it's down to their environment and management.
 
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