Cribbing - management and prognosis

[soloequestrian]

I know that cribbing is associated with epiploic foramen entrapment and have known two cribbers who were PTS because of that condition. They were not managed particularly well (lots of time stabled) so cribbed a lot. Are there horses out there who are well managed for cribbing and have lived a long and healthy life? I've always said I'd never buy a cribber but now vaguely considering it....

 

[Flowerofthefen]

I bought a cribber aged 9 at the time. He is now 25. Absolutely no issues with him because of the habit just a few damaged fence rails and posts! Back then if he hadn't of cribbed I never could have afforded him!!

 

[Meowy Catkin]

My TB was a cribber, she died in her 20's due to colic caused by a bleeding stomach ulcer despite being treated for stomach ulcers (there is a link between cribbing and ulcers) and being kept in a very ulcer friendly way. Lovely horse, I don't regret having her but I do wish she was still alive.

 

[L&M]

I had a cribber for several years - he was an ex BSJA horse that had gone ring sour - took him hunting and he found a new lease of life and was awesome on the field! Was 27 before pts and nothing cribbing related. We got him cheap because of the habit.

We had him scoped for ulcers, none, tried a cribbing collar but then felt too guilty for making him suffer, so eventually just left him to it. It is a very irritating habit so be warned.......and you may not be welcome at a livery yard as they can be destructive eg fence posts/stable doors. He would do it anywhere, including the lorry, and occasionally on his own tack or rugs if couldn't find a handy fence post!

But on the whole, if I was short on budget but could get a decent horse with this as a vice, I would consider it again.

 

[Melody Grey]

I had a determined cribber as an eventer in my teens- in hindsight he probably had ulcers and other issues, but was just considered ‘quirky’ at the time! No actual harm came of it and he achieved a ripe old age....having destroyed many fence rails and his teeth on metal door strips! It drove us bonkers on the yard though, but as others have said, we’d probably have never had him if it hadn’t reduced his value.

 

[skint1]

I have a 17yo tb that we bought when she was 3. She had recently been let down from racing and cribbed a lot at the time. She has stopped doing it so much but does still do it. We have had to put collar on her before now when we were on a livery yard with her but now she lives on a farm with a friend and feel much better that she doesn't have to wear one, she is in mostly no work, the odd hack now and then, lives out, ulcer friendly diet- she's never completely stopped but (touch wood) she's so far had no problems with her teeth or digestion.

Wouldn't rule out buying one, but you could have problems on livery yards and collars can sometimes cause them stress

 

[Quigleyandme]

I was given a lovely 11 year old that needed a quieter, less competitive life. I only stabled him on winter nights but he practically destroyed his stable in the eight or nine years I had him but no regrets as he was such a nice horse.

 

[Auslander]

I've got one here who cribs like a demon - his top teeth are worn down to stumps because of it. He's 30 years old and full of beans

 

[poiuytrewq]

Cribbing and serious wind sucking never effected my old horse. I never tried to stop him, we focussed on protecting what we didn’t want damaged and providing areas that were ok “sucking stations” ?
It bothered other people far more than me or him.
That said as is it is lovely having a horse with no stable vices!
If I liked a horse who cribbed in the future it wouldn’t put me off.

 

[Sail_away]

My horse when I got him had cribber’s teeth but I never saw the behaviour for near on two years until he was box rested for a long period of time. Fixed it with more hay, and he’s never done it again. He must’ve cribbed quite badly as a youngster because he’s got a good couple of cm worn off his incisors and he’s not old; I know the owner before me and he didn't crib with her either. So I’d say it would make me wary but not an absolute no - particularly if I was buying the horse from a high stress, mostly boxed life and putting it in a more relaxed environment.

 

[Kat]

My sister lost her horse aged 7 to colic, he was a cribber, not even a particularly prolific one but it was a factor. He had successful surgery but had several further episodes.

He also broke a tooth probably while cribbing which required surgery to remove it.

I'd be really wary of buying a cribber.