How to stop crib biting?

Trifein

Trifein

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Well where to start really, My Welsh B has been allowed to get away with cribbing for most of his life. We have tried collars, crib stops and all of that and I'm honestly stumped as what to do.
I've read about putting Hot Sauce, Mustard and unpleasant things like that on the door/metal around the stable but does that really work? :confused:
If anyone knows of any creams, remedies or products can you please recommend?

I'm moving yards in a few weeks due to bad facilities on the yard we're on and my pony shall be going in a stall and well..Metal bars all around it :rolleyes: I'm dreading it because we've had complaints of his cribbing on 2 previous yards.

Can someone be a hero for me right now?

To add I've had his teeth and back checked and there is nothing wrong there. We've noticed we does it before and after meal times quite often, then in-between. We've tried LickIts and such for boredom but they're gone within an hour! I'm considering buying a treat ball to keep him occupied as he loves his food. Yay or nay?
 
I don't believe it is a matter of "letting them get away with it" - once a vice always a vice in my book - that is unless you can nip it in the bud in the early days by drastic change of routine.
 
You may be better off considering 24/7 turnout - but as mcnaughty says, it's not about letting him get away with it. It's pretty much unbreakable vice.

When he's stabled does he have constant access to hay?
 
I hate the use of cribbing collars.
Does he crib less in the field? If so he would be out 24/7 with rugs if needed.
If he has cribbed for a long time you will not break him out of the habit, but you need to find a way to limit the behaviour......ie turn him out full time.
 
amymay said:
When he's stabled does he have constant access to hay?
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Yes, He has 2 Haynets put in a day (Around 9am then again at 6pm) and they're big slow feeders so they last him all day/night.

He doesn't crib when he's out but he has had Mudfever in the past so I'm not keen on letting him out 24/7. He's also prone to Lami too so it is quite awkward. He is on restricted grazing at the moment and a muzzle but it is one to consider.

I personally think it's down to boredom in the stable. Also when he gets fed apples, carrots and such he will go on a cribbing fest then.
 
I would agree that his management is not going to help.

He needs to be out - even if in a mud paddock. And I wouldn't be feeding anything remotely acidic as applies, or sugar laden as carrots.
 
has your vet ruled out ulcers? Doing it more around feed time suggests it could well be a reaction to stomach acid. You could always trial treating with aloe vera juice as if it were ulcers (cheap and cheerful approach the racehorse rehoming centres use) and see if that helps?
 
amymay said:
I would agree that his management is not going to help.

He needs to be out - even if in a mud paddock. And I wouldn't be feeding anything remotely acidic as applies, or sugar laden as carrots.
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The problem is I prefer for my mare to live in, and around my area there isn't many yards with stabling and which allow living out. Plus my mother wouldn't be too pleased putting him in a field where we have to go and see to him then going to the other yard to see my mare. It's all a bit complicated really. Plus I'm on a budget too and the only yard with Turnout and Stabling plus the facilities I need is £37 a week for a stable and £15 a week for turnout (Local). where I am now it's £15 a week for a stable :(
It's very hard to find a place for horses to live out here because I'm in the urban area of Manchester and a lot of the stables are 15+ miles away.
I'm honestly stumped :confused:
 
I agree, being out is best, you need to reduce his need to crib, i.e. boredom, rather than trying to prevent it. Last winter our fence broke & the ground was too wet to replace it immediately. As a result the horses went from being in for 12hrs at night to very limited turnout. A quick roll & play in the tiny lami paddock whilst mucking out & a few hours at wkend while we took it in turn to guard the fence. During that fortnight daughters pony & another ladies horse took to chewing their wooden doors, despite toys, ad lib hay, & dividing walls low enough to interact over. Neither has done it prior & it stopped immediately they went back out all day.
 
ghostie said:
has your vet ruled out ulcers? Doing it more around feed time suggests it could well be a reaction to stomach acid. You could always trial treating with aloe vera juice as if it were ulcers (cheap and cheerful approach the racehorse rehoming centres use) and see if that helps?
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We've had the vet out to check him and he's all clear :confused:
Is it worth giving the Aloe Vera Juice a try anyway? He was last checked about 8 weeks ago.

He's turned out for approx 8 hours a day, some more and some less.
 
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Deleted. As I see he has daily turnout.

Personally I wouldn't worry. As long as the horse is being turned out, and has plenty of hay when he's in - you'll just have to live with it.
 
Trifein said:
We've had the vet out to check him and he's all clear :confused:
Is it worth giving the Aloe Vera Juice a try anyway? He was last checked about 8 weeks ago.

He's turned out for approx 8 hours a day, some more and some less.
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did the vet scope for ulcers though? That's the only way to diagnose them. If not (and you don't want or can't afford to get that done) then an aloe vera juice trial is a good way of ruling them out
 
My friend lives close to Manchester city centre, & tbh its pretty cheap compared to other areas. Plus going a few miles out there's loads of horsey areas.
 
There is a lot of research suggesting that cribbing and I think wind sucking is actually hereditory, which would support those saying its not a case of 'letting him get away with it'

Maybe consider a stable mirror and see if the presence of 'another horse' in the stable has the required effect?
 
amymay said:
But it doesn't suit your other horse, and is (basically) no way for an animal to live. At least turn the horse out during the day for several hours.

I'm afraid it's your management that's the problem - not the horse.
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My mare is turned out for several hours a day, Like I said in the previous post about 8 hours give or take. I try my best to turn them out as early as possible and bring them in as late as possible. We try to keep them out some nights in the summer but since this weather isn't doing us any favours we've had to bring them in.

I only prefer having stabling as that is all I've ever had, really. Along with day turnout. I'm stumped on the turnout scenario despite the fact it would suit him better. This is only due to my lack of experience with owning a horse that lives out 24/7.
 
littlelegs said:
My friend lives close to Manchester city centre, & tbh its pretty cheap compared to other areas. Plus going a few miles out there's loads of horsey areas.
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I'm near the city centre but my mum isn't willing to travel far as the only way to get to places is the M60 (Main motorway) and it gets absolute chocca-bloc, I don't know if it's me or I don't see a lot of horses living out. But that's just maybe where my horses are stabled :confused:
 
ghostie said:
did the vet scope for ulcers though? That's the only way to diagnose them. If not (and you don't want or can't afford to get that done) then an aloe vera juice trial is a good way of ruling them out
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Yep and there was nothing there. I'm just putting down to a case of management now or slight excitement when it's dinner time.
 
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Trifein said:
My mare is turned out for several hours a day, Like I said in the previous post about 8 hours give or take. I try my best to turn them out as early as possible and bring them in as late as possible. We try to keep them out some nights in the summer but since this weather isn't doing us any favours we've had to bring them in.

I only prefer having stabling as that is all I've ever had, really. Along with day turnout. I'm stumped on the turnout scenario despite the fact it would suit him better. This is only due to my lack of experience with owning a horse that lives out 24/7.
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Yes, I deleted the quote you've just made, as I caught up with your other response.

Your management of out in the day, in at night is fine - and what most of us want. And as I said, you will just prob have to put up with the cribbing. I certainly wouldn't try and stop it, but agree to try and manage it. So the more turnout the better (whatever you can manage within the confines of what you have).

Out of interest, does the yard you're moving to not give the option of 24/7 turnout during the summer if you want it? Certainly the yards that I've been on do. But appreciate that not all do.
 
amymay said:
Yes, I deleted the quote you've just made, as I caught up with your other response.

Your management of out in the day, in at night is fine - and what most of us want. And as I said, you will just prob have to put up with the cribbing. I certainly wouldn't try and stop it, but agree to try and manage it. So the more turnout the better (whatever you can manage within the confines of what you have).

Out of interest, does the yard you're moving to not give the option of 24/7 turnout during the summer if you want it? Certainly the yards that I've been on do. But appreciate that not all do.
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When he is turned out he is a happy camper, but some days due to swampy fields and lovely Manchester weather he can't go out and that's when I start to notice it. When he can't be turned out I let him loose in the paddock for a good 2 hours whilst I'm there to burn off some energy.
I'm not too sure about 24/7 summer turnout, I have been on the yard before but I had to move off due to a lot of arguing on the yard and I was getting dragged into it, however all those girls have moved off now and I know a few people on the yard and the YO doesn't tolerate any bickering any more. I'll ask when I ring up again on Sunday.
 
Not sure putting the pony out 24/7 would solve the problem as a horse in our yard does it in the field! He'll do it on the gate or the fence posts.
 
Mine has been a cribber for 15 or so years! Destroys fences and stables! He is out 24/7 at the moment and can't get at anything to do it. When they come in for the winter his stable is like a padded cell! Kickboards to the ceiling and a weave grid on the door, he does however crib on the curve of the grid but it's metal and he can't trash it!

I have tried everything over the years, he likes mustard, chilli powder, cribbox all that sort of thing. He can't be out smarted!
 
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