Is this windsucking (hope not!)

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moodles

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Other liveries have noticed my new youngster making funny noises in the morning before I arrive. Have tried to catch him doing it but he doesn't when you're watching! He seems to stick his tongue out open mouth and make a slurping noise. Do you think its windsucking? Hes only 5 so hope not. Have had him 3 months but he seems to have settled well and doesn't seem stressed. Has 7-8 hrs turnout a day and ridden about 5 times a week. When I got him he was stabled 24/7 over winter but no sign of any vices. I wondered if it was boredom related so bought him a lickit rope toy today but he is very chewy so expect it will be destroyed in a matter of days. I used to have a cribber and the noise he made was different and he arched his neck which my boy's not doing. Any opinions/solutions would be gratefully received! x
 
My mare windsucks as opposed to crib biting. She doesn't arch her neck or open her mouth to do it.

It sounds more like somebody stifling a burp PMSL!
 
It could well be the start of windsucking. You didnt say what breed of horse he was? crib biting and wind sucking are more common in TB's and TB x. Dont beat yourself up. Its really just is the equine form of biting your nails. but has links with possible stomach ulsers. So if he is insured you could have him scoped, or just buy some antacid from the vet and give it a go and see if that settles it. But wind sucking is greatly misunderstood, and does not cause colic its self. But implicates the horse needs more forage in his diet and less concentrates, then after a while becomes an annoying habit.
 
He's a Trakehner. Doesn't have any concentrates as we are on good grazing, just scoop of HiFi Lite twice a fay with Benevit+carrots. Has about 15lb hay overnight but as he's doing it in the morning could be related to empty tummy. When I bought him he was stabled and on limited forage to reduce fat belly from summer at grass. Could be ulcers therefore so might try him on antacids. Thanks for the suggestion.
 
Antacids are just fighting in the dark!

If he does have ulcers the only way at present to get them sorted is with Gastroguard. At £ 250 a course, it's best to make sure you need it!

If you look around a lot of vets seem to do Ulcer Free Scoping days here and there. You might be able to get on one of those.

In the meantime, give your horse a firm routine, don't allow him to run out of forage at any time and no concentrates if you can help it.

Being on limited forage can definitely cause ulcers and unfortunately the windsucking doesn't go away after, so it could even have happened before you got him.

Also have you seen him doing this behaviour or is it all what you are being told by others?
 
I've only seen him do it a couple of times out of the corner of my eye as he doesn't tend to do it when I'm there, which is why I wondered if it was boredom related. Will probably have a chat with my vet and see what he suggests. Will try and keep him well supplied with forage but he is a good doer and has put on quite a lot of weight since I've had him as we do have good grazing. Have no plans to feed him concentrates as he has plenty of energy from his hay/grass/chaff diet.
 
Do you soak his hay? I do 20 mins just for the dust, but soaking longer removes some nutrients doesn't it. Can't remember how long you have to do it for TBH.

Maybe mix hay and straw 50/50?

I do feel for you, mine is a good doer but has to have adlib since she had the ulcers. Then she had a resp. infection so had to go onto haylage. I must admit though she has lost about 10KG in the week she has been back on ad lib 20 mins hay in as many nets as I need.

Can you muzzle him, or have a patch fenced off while he loses weight? I was only putting mine out for 5 - 6 hours until recently. It's a pain but better than laminitis.

Oh and just to say, now my mare has had the ulcers cleared she is a different horse to the one I bought :) In a very good way!

Good Luck with him.
 
Hi I used to have a 13hh welshx pony that i bought when he was 12, he used to what i can only describe as suck his tongue after eating and after having his favourite treat of polos. He used to stand with his tongue out and suck and sometimes shut his eyes as if he was falling asleep really contented. i used to wonder if he had been handreared when he was a foal or maybe that was just me being sentimental and he was just windsucking. Anyway i loved him and he lived till he was 29-30 years vet said he could of been older as i didnt have papers etc for him.Basically it never did him any harm hope this helps:)
 
Yes soak hay for half an hour to reduce dust but my other horse is a laminitic, often on box rest for unrelated lameness probs, so have practice at balancing calorie intake with sufficient fibre! I'm obviously destined to not have straight forward horses. Might give the muzzle a try as grazing rich (fertilised by non-horsey farmer yard owner) but had probs on other horse with rubbing even after padding with sheepskin.
 
My ex racer windsucks by holding his Tongue and gulping air back, can just hear the gulping noise. He don't hold on to a fixed area such as a door. Could well be windsucking but even if it is I wouldn't worry. Neally all my horses I bought years ago wind sucked and never had no trouble with them and I think people over react to it and it can't be learnt like people think it can. Weaveing can be tought but wind sucking can't. A lot off people think it can be learnt by other horses but it can't.
 
Thanks for that Branmash. It doesn't seem to cause him a problem at the moment so maybe it is just a habit. My friend's youngster kicks the door and has given herself a fat knee so she said she would prefer a horse that slurps his tongue to a door-kicker!
 
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