Cribbing - whats best supplement?

[leonh]

hello!

i have a 5yr old andalusian who cribs. when i imported him last year he was very stressy, and unfortunately i sent him to a ''professional'' training yard where he learnt this behaviour (worth noting 90% of this persons horses cribbed or wore miracle collars but i was told he couldnt 'pick it up') three months later he was cribbing so badly i removed him and brought him home, threw him in a field for 6 months and left him. I dont use my miracle collar (he gets very down and depressed when wearing it) so i chucked it out. i now manage it 'organicaly' he lives out 24/7, ad lib hay, electric fencing ontop of fence, no grains, limestone flour, sugarbeet and alpha for hard feed. however, if he is ever in a stable he will do it, and if he is tied up on the yard he will try on the hitching rail. however he wont do it in his field on the water trough. i have had him scoped and he was clear. i can definatly say the cribbing is linked to him being stressed/anxious.

i have tried settlex (didnt see a huge difference) and just wondered, is there anything else i can try?? there seems to be a huge influx of yeast / bioactive supplements, or should i go down the calmer route? Help!! any advice greatly received!!

 

[Box_Of_Frogs]

Thank god he's got you now as his owner! I'd put money on the fact that the 'professional' yard has so many cribbers because of poor, non horse-friendly management. Anti cribbing collars are cruel. Cribbing (and other so-called stereotypies or vices) release endorphins into the horse's brain which helps him cope with the ghastly management that caused the cribbing in the first place, usually not enough turnout and/or not enough ad-lib forage. Unfortunately, this learned habit is addictive so even when the stress factors are removed, the horse will continue with the habit. Over time, with masses of turnout and thoughtful, natural management, you should find he doesn't do it so much but it may always appear in short bursts at eg feed time. I'd start him immediately on a maintenance dose of Coligone which is like human Gaviscon and settles an acid-y stomach so you can rest assured you've done everything you can to help him. The mint powder is pricey to buy but lasts ages so works out at pennies per day. Good luck x

 

[Herts05]

Leonh, can you PM me the name of the yard please? I've got an Iberian youngster who will be going to a professional yard to be backed and want to make sure that I don't inadvertently send it to the same place yours went.
If you are not happy to do this, could you at least let me know which County the yard is in so I can at least rule some out
Many thanks and good luck with continuing to help your boy