Do Miracle Collars work?

I've never heard a complaint about them! There used to be a cribber at my old riding school who wore it whenever he was in the stable, and I never saw him crib/windsuck once! Though he did get a lot better with cribbing once they gave him a digestive supplement containing prebiotics and stuff, so much so he only wore it at certain points.. so that's something to keep in mind also! :) xx
 
They do, and I did have to resort to one. However as cribbing seems to have a lot of different stages to it, it is well worth trying some other options first - more forage, less sugar in concentrates etc, settlers! I really hated having to use it and I put sheepskin covers all over it because no one has really got the bottom of what causes cribbing and how it can be managed or stopped altogether. I had to use the collar ( and having seen cribbers - twice - end up with surgical colic which the vets directly attributed to cribbing) but was always aware I wasnt actually addressing the cause - just stopping it.
 
Yes, it stops them. As above, its not ideal but if the horse stresses less then can't be all bad.
 
Luci07 said:
They do, and I did have to resort to one. However as cribbing seems to have a lot of different stages to it, it is well worth trying some other options first - more forage, less sugar in concentrates etc, settlers! I really hated having to use it and I put sheepskin covers all over it because no one has really got the bottom of what causes cribbing and how it can be managed or stopped altogether. I had to use the collar ( and having seen cribbers - twice - end up with surgical colic which the vets directly attributed to cribbing) but was always aware I wasnt actually addressing the cause - just stopping it.
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Ditto this. Look at all the possibilities and try to address the problem from the root. :) xx
 
I know my boy cribbing stems back from his previous racing life.

He has the least stressful life on the planet now, is out 24/7 in the summer [tho in for an hour or two a day as he likes to come in for a bit], does a bit of everything ridden wise, has adlib forage but needs hard feed too.
He'll crib occasionally out in the field, but if he does it's only on rare occasions like if someone's fed him a treat over the fence and he'll crib on the fence rail after a few times but then graze again.
Stabled, yes I do make him wear his collar. But, this is for (A) appearances, I can't have my horse be seen cribbing on the yard (B) Condition, he'll stand there cribbing more than he will stand there eating his haylage etc. With the collar on, he'll not even think of cribbing and doesn't stress because of not being able to.
His cribbing is solely down to habit, certainly not stress or environment now, so I just have to accept that with him really.
Winter is obv more obvious with his cribbing, as I will not have him out 24/7 in winter, he is stabled most the time throughout winter as the fields are bog and there's nothing in the grass, so stable life it is then! So he lives in his collar pretty much then, but doesn't stress over not being able to crib.

But yeah...work out why the horse is cribbing first :) If it's in the early stages or the horse has never done it before, relook your horses management and see if anything's changed or anything that could be causing it [any time there's no forage left, etc].
 
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thanks for your help... I wanted to go down the hi forage route but unfortunately there is one owner on the yard I have just moved to who has spoken to YO and is insisting that I go out and buy a collar tomorrow!!! So no time to try out anything else... she is one of those people who doesnt want to learn about anything because she already knows it all!!!
 
Ignorance of cribbing is no excuse to insist you buy a collar. You will just have to insist louder than her.
 
teddyt said:
Ignorance of cribbing is no excuse to insist you buy a collar. You will just have to insist louder than her.
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I have to agree. Please be aware that collars can make some cribber far more stressed, and in the case of my mare, they would make her colic. :( :(
 
bbcrystal said:
thanks for your help... I wanted to go down the hi forage route but unfortunately there is one owner on the yard I have just moved to who has spoken to YO and is insisting that I go out and buy a collar tomorrow!!! So no time to try out anything else... she is one of those people who doesnt want to learn about anything because she already knows it all!!!
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Tell her that she's going to have to put up with it for a while, while you sort it out, because you don't want to give him colic, and want to try and stop it early. It's your pony, not hers! xx
 
I have bought one but I dont want to put it on! She hardly cribs at all but I've only been on this yard for a week so feel a bit pressurised to do what they want. If my pony shows any sign of stress with this thing it will be off within minutes. Thanks for your replies and if necessary I will toughen up my act.
 
Be very careful with using it. Horses crib to eased discomfort and release endorphins. preventing them from doing it has been proven to make the cause and symptoms worse.

I personally would try and educate the moany livery and explain that her theories on cribbing are in the dark ages. In the nicest possible way of course!
 
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