New horsie cribs - any ideas?

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I'm feeling a bit glum, I have a new horse on trial at the moment who is perfect in every way except one, he crib bites even when turned out. OH was most distressed to find him chewing his way through the brand new post and rail he has spent ages putting up and is not best pleased to say the least.

So I set about researching online how to stop him and noticed someone suggested soaking manure in water and painting it on, sounded great as it was a cheap and easy solution, unfortunately it only stopped him for about 15mins before he returned to his favourite spot and continued regardless.

Now I'm left with three options - creosote has been suggested, electric fencing or sending him back (which I really don't want to do!) Electric fencing our field wouldn't be a problem except we also use our neighbours as we don't have enough room for both horses and I don't think they'd like that option as they have small children (and they won;t let us give them any money (v nice people!) so we don't have any rights). I don't really know anything about creosote but OH says it's tar based and turns the wood dark (which i'm not sure neighbours would like) but having just googled it apparently the wood type creosote isn't tar based - does anyone know anything about this type of creosote, will this stop him cribbing? Is it dangerous to their health? Or do you know of any other solutions? This horse really is fantastic in every other way, it's such a shame. Sorry for long post - well done if you got to the end!
 
Sorry if u mentioned trying it already just skimmed through your post.. have you tried cribox/ crib-stop? I used this with my boy in his stable as he cribbed the first two days i had him, used crib stop and it deterred him from doing it. I also think he settled better after s few days so not sure if it was the crib stop that did the trick entirely. Maybe worth a try though. Don't put your hands anywhere near your mouth after using it though.. tastes vile!
 
Thanks for the suggestion but I'm thinking more for when he is turned out - just googled it and at £8.31 for 450 mls it might be quite expensive to do 6 acres of post!
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I have found a miracle collar stops it dead. They can wear it in the field as it loosens and also when in the stable. The minute you take it off though they will revert and crib.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/CRIBBING-MIRACLE-C...id=p3286.c0.m14

You can buy then second hand on ebay, but they must be fitted properly to work. But fitted properly and it wil stop it or they give money back guarantee. I has never failed to stop any I have had inc hardened racehorses!
 
Having had a cribber for 10 years, I dont believe there are any solutions other than electric fencing. Would it be feasible to keep your cribber on your land and the non cribbers on the neighbours land?? Other than that, you could just electrify the top of the posts, hopefully out of reach of young kids, but still doing the job??

I found that the collars dont really work and cribox will wear off.....if they really want to crib, they will find somewhere!!

Having said that, I had my old boy for 10 years, and apart from some wobbly posts, it never really caused any other concern.....certainly not to his health anyway, although I think maybe i was lucky?

Does his price reflect the fact he cribs btw??? I would only buy one if it was cheap as it is a major factor when selling or trying to find livery etc.....
 
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Having had a cribber for 10 years, I dont believe there are any solutions other than electric fencing.

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oh pooh!
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I guess we could just keep him on our land although it wouldn't be ideal for him to be separated/have restricted grazing at times. Glad to hear you didn't have any health problems as I am a bit worried about that. He is def at a reduced price which is why OH isn't complaining too loudly!
 
Can you not run a single electric strand along the top posts all the way round your field.

Not expensive just some bobbins and some wire. We did this with ours anyway to stop them chewing. stick a bobbin on each post.

And if it was on top post wouldn't it be too high for small children to reach?

You can also get stand off insulators but they are more expensive. and a top wire should do the trick.
 
Argh - OH just came home in foul mood and announced that horsie woke him and dogs up with cribbing this morning. He reckons adding electric fencing would be a lot of effort (with several gates) and extra expense and he thinks that I should just send horsie back from trial and buy one which isn't, in his eyes, 'psycologically damaged'. I feel that the fact he is safe, sane and willing is much more important than the cribbing and having bought a horse before that turned into a nightmare I'm a bit warey of buying anything else. Am I being, as my OH reckons, 'too emotionally involved' with new horsie? Are there really perfect horses out there? Would you buy a horse that you knew cribbed? argh!
 
I wonder whether you have thought of treating the horse, not the cribbing? Maybe there's a reason for him to crib - discomfort? Perhaps try him on something to calm his digestion/relieve ulcers, before trying to stop him cribbing as such.
I admit I haven't investigated this thoroughly, not having a cribber myself, but I do believe there's always a reason for a horse's behaviour, and not just 'habit'.

Interesting discussion here
 
Run electric tape round the top of your fences and accept he cribs!. I have owned two cribbers and nothing stops them. As for waking the OH and dogs up...... errr..... I know the grunting can be annoying but the dogs will get used to it and stop waking the OH up!
 
I agree with ruscara, treat the horse not the habit!!

Could be that he has ulcers, have you tried adjusting his feed, adding some aloe vera juice, or even some pink powder.

Horses crib for a reason, sometimes it's habit, but recently attitudes have changed. I would see if you can solve his discomfort, especially if he is perfect in every other way for you!
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We've just bought a horse that cribs. Like other have suggested I'm looking at ways to minimise/resolve the problem as he's perfect in every other way. If it wasn't for the fact that he cribs he would have been well out of our price range.
 
How long have you had him? My boy cribbed when I got him, we had to move him twice in the first 3 months, he would crib in the stable and field. I crib-oxed everything and it didn't seem to make a difference to him. Now 6 months on it's almost never, I really think it was his way to deal with the stress of new people / horses / home.

Personally I would speak to the vet re Ulcers, if you can eliminate that you'll know if it's physical or psychological. If you've not had him long give him some time
 
Thanks for all of the replies angua2 that is an interesting discussion thank you, I would very much like to find out the reasons why he is cribbing. He has only been here a few days so the frequency could certainly be due to stress, although he seems very calm! With regards to his diet - he was at the same home for 4 years with 24/7 turn out and was fed only on grass/hay in winter. Is it possible he has an ulcer based on that diet - he is an ex race horse so it is more than possible that diet/regime was an original cause for an ulcer but can't seem to find any information about how long they last - i appologise if that is a stupid question!
 
They crib, because after a while they become addicted to the endorphines which are released everytime they have a suck!!

A bit like lighting up a ciggy.
 
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