cribbers

Probably.
Mine cribs (tho we only found this out after we bought him) and when we were on livery yards none of the otehr horses ever caught onto it so no-one had a problem with it.
Lots of toys, boredom breakers etc are the way forward.
At one point we tried putting thin electric wire rope round the tops of his stable ledges- 1 night of it being electrified soon put him off trying to crib on any such surface- even tho it was turned off after that. (And yes I am aware that could be contraversial, but he didn't have to touch it if he didn't want to. And he didn't do it again!)
I've also found that since taking mine off more processed foods, onto the Simple System, 9 times out of 10 he doesn't crib after feeding anymore (which was the main time he did it anyway) (and yes he was scoped for ulcers and on antacid type suppplements but he came back clear and they made no difference)
It's not affected his teeth or health in any other (noticeable) way
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I would only be put off if it was a very determined cribber, had worn it's teeth down and it's general health/mental state seemed affected by it.
 
Probably not, unless it was absolutely perfect in every other way and a fantastic price. All the cribbers I have had or known in the past seemed to be stressy types, so I would assume that any prospective purchase that cribbed would also be a stress head. Then theres the ostracising you get from other horse owners - like when I took a cribber to pony club camp and suffered all the mutterings from the other children's parents etc. It gets you down after a while, they are all paranoid that their horses are going to catch it!! I've heard of the same sort of thing on livery yards too. not to mention health issues such as worn teeth. Selling it on is always going to be that bit more difficult too.

I guess if I knew for a fact that the horse only cribbed lightly, and was not stressy about it, then I would buy. But these things are impossible to check when viewing and unknown horse - I certainly wouldn't take a sellers word for it.
 
If it's in the field, I am assuming it's using the fence posts to crib? In which case, make an electric fence all the way around the field, a meter or so in from the main fence, so it cannot get close enough to the posts to fix on them and crib. Unless of course there's miles of fencing or xc fences in there in which case it would be a bit tricky.
And it definitely doesn't do it when stabled? Strange.
Go with your gut instinct and what the rest of the horse is like. And might be worth clearing it with your YO first if you're going to keep him/her on livery- some are funny about it.
But definitely wouldn't put me off unless it was clearly stressed.
 
ps , neither of my cribbers are stressy types , infact both have similar traites , a mare & a gelding of different breeding , but both have been bold confident horses with a good work ethic & even temperaments that have thrived in a routine , but continued to crib but with no health detrement
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Athena is a Cibber and a Wind Sucker and that is the only vice she has and I wouldn't swap her even for all the tea in china!!!
 
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