Windsucking Help!

[Charmin]

My youngster has just begun windsucking - I think it's because she's had a trickle net and been unable to get the middle strands out of the net. She grabs hold of the net with her teeth and takes a deep breath in. She isn't a stressy pony, but I think she's just gotten frustrated with not being able to reach the hay.

She only does it on her haynet and for about a week or two now. If I put her hay on the floor, do you think she'd stop? Or move onto hard surfaces?

She doesn't do it in the field (I've electric fenced her off all hard surfaces, but hadn't seen her doing it anyway) so am I wrong in being hopeful that when she goes out 24/7 she'll stop? Or is this now a habit she's got for life? Is there any way of stopping her?

Absolutely gutted, never had a horse with a vice before and the trickle net was to try and stop her stuffing her face so quickly. Petrified she's ruined

 

[be positive]

I would give adlib on the floor and turnout 24/7 as soon as you can, it may stop but if she continues consider looking into ulcers as the cause which if treated may stop the cribbing once they are resolved.

 

[Mari]

Stop using trickle net. If you have to use a net try one with large holes. I have a 15 yr old pony, been with me for 9 yrs, & has wind sucked on everything since the day he arrived. He had a very stressful early career as a show pony. He destroys all types of haynets & wind sucks on lead ropes when tied up, other horses tail flaps on their rugs when in field & even your coat. I tried a collar when he first arrived as a rescue pony but it made him even more stressed. he has a very stress free life now & is well settled but still wind sucks when he eats his haylage or is given a treat. I just accept that he needs to & my other 2 horses (age 22 & 5 when he arrived) haven't copied him. I hope you manage to change your young ones habit before it becomes established.
Why do you think a hard surface is significant?

 

[Alexart]

Why are you restricting the amount a youngster eats??!!! - they should be on add lib, if fatties then soak the hell out of it!!! Horses are designed to eat fibre 16hrs+ a day, restricting that will cause stress and ulcers which is highly likely your youngster has.
I've never restricted what mine eat wether old or young fat or thin and would only use 1 small holed haynet for my 2 little goats and that may last them a night, a horse would need at least 4 or 5 haynets a night in order to keep it happy - and yes it is expensive but that's what horses are!!!
How old is the youngster?, and does it have friends - babies need friends in order to feel secure without which will cause even more stress. If it isn't dealt with now it will be something they do for life as they learn it as a coping mechanism, it maybe too late, but at least you can treat the symptoms and let the horse eat normally and it may lessen the amount it does it if it's stomach acid levels are lessened!! I'd also get some pink powder/live youghurt to try and help too.

 

[Meowy Catkin]

First, she's cribbing as she's grabbing something and then gulping in air. It is linked with ulcers as other have stated, so you need to consider the possibility that she has them and treat her accordingly (Vet might need to scope, gastroguard, ad lib forage, lots of turnout etc...). If she is a good doer then you need to feed her soaked hay rather than restrict the quantity too much.

 

[dressedkez]

First, she's cribbing as she's grabbing something and then gulping in air. It is linked with ulcers as other have stated, so you need to consider the possibility that she has them and treat her accordingly (Vet might need to scope, gastroguard, ad lib forage, lots of turnout etc...). If she is a good doer then you need to feed her soaked hay rather than restrict the quantity too much.

It is suggested by many vets, that wind sucking is associated with ulcers (especially in relation to race horses who are fed high protein diets from an early age) That is quite possibly correct - as the desire to sell horse owners V expensive powders to counteract.....If your horse is home bred (and not been subject to a high protein diet) - then suggest that it is very unlikely to be ulcers, and just an irritating habit that they are forming - could be due to stress, if not got plenty of adlib hay, on restricted grazing / or simply bored.
My neighbours horse lost its mother at 3 weeks, and wind sucks (and it seems that is quite common from orphens........