Miracle collar/crib collar

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ironhorse

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Sadly we have decided on vet advice that my horse needs a crib collar - suggests he's very unlikely to have ulcers (has had gastro gard, rite trac and ulser gard with no improvement to cribbing). His coat condtion, droppings, disposition etcmake them unlikely in vet's opinion, and he does not react to the pressure diagnostic test).
Vet is concerned that the air intake may make him more likely to colic and thus needs to be controlled. The yard manager, tho patient and understanding is also a bit fed up with him trashing his drinker.
He gets plenty of work and goes out most days, but will also crib on fence posts when he wants to come in
Can anyone advise on the best type of collar, especially given that he is fine skinned and I'm concerned that it might rub him.
Also can they actually eat with a collar on? - he cribs on his manger during feeds.
I don't want a load of abuse over this so don't bother posting if you want to tell me what a terrible horse owner I am - I just want to do the right thing for a horse who is fabulous in every other way.
 
My lad wears one 24/7. He came to me in one and I have kept it and it really doesn't seem to affect him. However he has been wearing one for years now so he's used to it.

He came in the leather two strap collar, one strap behind the ears and one strap over, but when he built up some topline it started to rub him. I moved him into one of the nut cracker ones and hes been in that ever since without a problem :)

One thing to bear in mind is that it is a lot easier for them to eat in it when they are in their natural grazing position, so when in the stable I feed everything from the ground. Rodneys collar is really loose when his heads down, and only tightens up when he brings his head up.

good luck!
 
My old pony used to wear a miracle collar. It was brilliant for her, she didn't need to wear it when out, but could have if she did, she was a thin skinned type and it didn't rub her but you could always pad in sheepskin if needs be.

The nutcracker one did nothing to stop her.

Agree with the above comment on feeding from the ground, plus if a bucket on the ground he will find it harder to crib whilst eating his dinner as the bucket will move around and not give him something solid and unmoveable to fix onto.
 
Have only had mine in a nutcracker for 5 months or so so cant comment on the freezing side of things

But he hasn't had a problem getting hot so far. I take it off every day and give him a good brush/scratch underneath it and wash any dirt off the metal part so it doesn't rub and he seems comfortable :)
 
I have seen the metal ones leave white hair "scars" which are unsightly. Miracle collars are more easily adjusted so don't have to be so tight but most people I know who use them do find they end up needing to use padding, either sheepskin or neoprene. I'm always a little leery of turning out in them but you have to balance pros and cons.

I know you didn't ask for any advice but it's probably still worth tinkering with your feeding etc if you get any new information, even with the collar. I'm not in any way implying you can "cure" him - confirmed stereotypies are very hard to break - but they are driven behaviours and removing the outlet can have other ramifications. That's not to say don't use one, just to be aware that it's not always a complete fix.
 
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