Went to see horse this evening...

[LauraBR]

...the schoolmaster. LOVELY horse, lovely owner. Really liked him and know he would do a great job at getting me out competing again and rebuild my confidence. Was even offered a months trial to see how we got on.

BUT, he cribs and there is NO WAY YO would have a crib biter on the yard because all the other liveries would kick off.

Going to have a chat to YO tomorrow about it and see what she says but I think I know what the answer will be

 

[Hornby]

Hmm, that's a shame as he sounds great from the riding point of view but I wouldn't fancy a wind sucker (colic issues), I would suggest you keep looking (how are they getting on with Fal, any feedback yet?) Good luck.

 

[_daisy_]

he sounded great what youve mentioned about him - probably perfect for you. real shame about the windsucking. Youll have to see what YO says - maybe theyll let you have him because of all the problems youve had with Fal. Anyway who runs the yard the YO or the liveries? (sorry if that sounds harsh - can understand that YO will try and keep the peace)

 

[ruscara]

That is sad, because, aside from potential health problems for the horse concerned, I do not believe that cribbing or wind sucking is 'catching'. Having said that, I wouldn't take on a confirmed cribber myself.

 

[S_N]

COLIGONE!!!!!! See if the yard owner would be open to trial on the understanding that if Coligone didn't work in the month, he'd go back. You of course would have to let the owners know this too. I know that Weezy's horse was cured of cribbing with using Coligone - if he's the right horse, it's worth considering!!

 

[LauraBR]

No news on Fal but no news is good news... he'd have sharp been dropped off home otherwise. Going to call them tomorrow to see how they are getting on.

Did ask about colic when I was there, he has never had it before. I think I'm less worried about taking a cribber on loan than actually buying one. To be honest, having never had a horse with a vice like this I don't know an awful lot about it.

 

[LauraBR]

Interesting....

This horse is 18 years old though, wonder what chance anything would have to improve a vice he has had for so long?

 

[S_N]

there is all sorts of research going on atm relating to cribbing/windsucking and excess acid levels in the stomach - Coligone neutralises these acids, bit like gaviscon for us = no need to crib bite!!! Worth a shot....... Maybe talk to owners about it and together formulate a plan where he goes on it for a trial period, see how he reacts, before you take him on....... Just an idea......

 

[Weezy]

Hey Izt

Deffo talk to the YO about it - indeed Chico windsucks (he doesnt crib - ie hold on to soemthing and suck) and my YM couldnt give a hoot - it is pretty much cured using Coligone although he has just been moved to an internal stable and the stress it seems has kicked him off again so he is having liquid at the mo as well as the powder just to top him up and it has worked well

I have had various suckers and none of them have ever colicked due to it - I would be more concerned with the teeth and jaw issues with a cribber TBH - how much does he do it?

 

[LauraBR]

A good idea, thanks SN.

 

[LauraBR]

From what I can gather he does it quite a bit in the stable. Saw him turned out in the field this evening and it was the first thing he did before going to graze.

Will talk to YO tomorrow. Liveries at my yard seem hypersensitive to any kind of vice and are quick to complain hence the anticipated reaction.

 

[rema]

What a shame.He sounds just what you need to to get going again.I dont know what your thoughts are on a windsucking collar.I know they are not everybodies cup of tea???.

 

[LauraBR]

Owner says they have tried collars and he frets in them

Don't know what kind they have tried though, a friend has a horse who didn't get on with collars until she tried a 'humane' miracle collar which he gets on really well with. I don't know...

 

[Puppy]

I have a cribber. She is wonderful in all other respects and I know it was the only reason I could afford such a great horse when I got her so I can live with it. Shes my horse in a lifetime and I have no regrets taking her on.

Her old owner stabled her almost constantly and owned her from just under 4 till almost 11 years old so I'm quite sure thats why she does it, although I appreciate that is can be down to digestive problems as well as boredom.

However, I wouldn't get another one. It does make them harder to keep condition on and she is prone to slight bouts of colic. Shes not had that many in the 9+ years I've had her, and never serious or regular, but it is a worry. Also she wrecks the fencing and so it involves a lot of extra work to keep one step ahead of her.

When I kept her at a certain livery yard then a neighbouring livery objected and she had a grill. It was not nice for her not to be able to look over the door and I made sure it was as short term as possible.

Like M_M I was always sceptical as to others picking it up, but have changed my views there - a horse of the right nature will copy. My old horse Will lived with Star for years and hated her cribbing. He was inseperable from her and would follow her everywhere, but would push her off the fence when she cribbed. However, my other horse Billy was a highly strung and "impressionable" TB. Despite being kept on a high fibre diet and only stabled night time in winter (early turn out every day, brought in late, only from nov - mar) the last winter I had him he was stabled opposite Star for the first time and did start to crib. Totally changed my views and I now think certain horses DO copy the habit.

I keep her out (I have stables but hardly ever use them). She is on a very high fibre diet - in winter ab lib haylage and loads of dengie, very little hard feed, summer mostly grass, tiny feed for supplements - But it won't stop her now the habit is established.

What ever you decide about him I wish you the best of luck!

 

[RunToEarth]

What a shame. I dont think cribbing/weaving/windsucking is catching, we had a mare that did all three!
However if YO is set on it then so be. But, how well do you like the yard, more than you like the horse? x

 

[meandmyself]

He sounds fabby!

Can you turn him out most of the time? Good luck!

 

[barkinghorse]

He sounds lovely!!
Please let us know what YO says, If it's a deffo "no" would you consider moving yards?
Jo xx

 

[JAK]

Ooh, talk to YO lzt, he sounds adorable otherwise!

All I can say is, we have possibly the world's worst crib-biter at our place - latches onto anything within reach almost instantly........stable door, fences, metal bar we hang headcollars on......can't even get through her bucket of feed without stopping every few seconds to latch onto the fencing!
She does it constantly - in her stable, tied up on the yard, in the bl**dy field for gawd's sake!

None of the others have picked up the habit even remotely, not even the paranoid, insecure CB! LOL
I know it's considered 'catching' but the only habit I've ever known other horses pick up is door-kicking & the only reason I would not want a cribber on any yard of mine would be due to the damage factor!

 

[Claireg9]

Cribbing is always frowned upon, but i dont think in a lot of cases it has any long term effect on the horse, especially if you use coligone.
see what your yard owner says, but if she is insistant and says no, consider moving as this horse really sounds perfect for you and it would be a shame to miss out especially as its only a loan agreement anyway!
If it doesnt work out you can always cease the contract.
Good luck and i hope you get him x

 

[Kelly1982]

Personally i would walk away, there will be plenty of other horses out there that will be able to give you your confidence back with out the added problems and worry. Is it for a loan or to buy??

Also i missed the post about Fal?? What is the update on him, has he found a nice new home??

 

[_jetset_]

There are yards near us where they will not take horses on with vices. But in my opinion, there are quite a lot of horses with 'minor vices' on our yard, and they do not seem to pass it on to others.

Yes some of the liveries complain when a horse is either banging on his door, or scraping her feet on the floor, etc etc, but at the end of the day horses are bound to pick some things up when they are put in an unnatural situation (ie. stabled).

I would speak to your YO and explain that you are willing to try Coligone which has proven results and that you are taking him on a months trial to see if it is something that can be controlled. I can't see why they would be against that idea, after all, if he is the perfect horse for you I don't think you should dismiss him because of windsucking. Sometimes you have to weigh up the pros and conns and see which comes out the strongest!

Good luck lzt, keep us informed with what decision you make!

 

[nelliefinellie]

There is a story about a certain Yorkshire SJer who sold a schoolmaster for a LOT of money. The next week the new owners rang him up to say that the horse was windsucking.
The SJer asked if they were pleased with the horse otherwise and was he jumping ok? They replied that he was fabulous and had done really well at their 1st show. SJer replied that in that case what the horse did in his own time was his own business

 

[Fiona]

My OH's old horse was really bad. Would stand even in the field and crib on a post. Have to say though that he was a racehorse until the age of 11, and picked up the habit in a racing yard.
In all other respects, he was OH's horse of a lifetime, and he never regretted taking him on.
Now in "modern" times with antacids/high fibre diet etc, would hopethat it shouldn't be a problem.
He was hard to keep condition on, but so are a lot of horses with no vices at all, and he was a neurotic TB, which also didn't help.
Best of luck with whatever you decide.
FIona

 

[LauraBR]

Didn't get round to seeing YO today but spoke to a few liveries and it looks like, as suspected- he won't be allowed on yard.

Don't want to move, the facilities are the best locally and right now I wouldn't want to keep a horse anywhere else.

Going to see another horse (to buy this time) tomorrow...