Ask the Vet - What is cribbing?

This video is taken from the October 2016 episode ( • Ask the Vet - Warts, C... ) of SmartPak's Ask the Vet video series featuring SmartPaker Sarah and Dr. Lydia Gray, SmartPak's Medical Director and Staff Veterinarian.
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[@karmagirl7858]

I don’t think you are supposed to just let them do it. I think the extra air is bad for their gut

[@srv1704]

I taught my horse not to crib, by using it as a 'que' for him to go to work:run,cantor, trot etc.. He learned its easier for him not to crib. He just thought it was acceptable behavior and no one had ever told him no.

[@Jes-Lynne]

I have to disagree with the mimicry as well. I have a gelding in my barn who is a BAD cribber..grips on the metal rail/panel divider of his stall's paddock, and sucks air. All. Day. Long. Through a collar. We had a little mare move in next to him a few weeks ago. She's never cribbed before in her life. EVER. The owners put a collar on her as a preventative measure since she's right next to the bad cribber..and, well..she's starting cribbing right through the collar. Her and the gelding stand across from eachother and take turns gripping on the same rail, on the same panel and sucking air. And she's not just like mocking his movement and going through the motions..she's full on arching her neck and sucking in air..grunting and everything. So yeah..I have to call BS on the "cribbing is not learned" comment. I've seen first hand that it is/can be.

[@pendlera2959]

It definitely could be learned, but it's also possible that in your case both horses are being exposed to the same stressor that's causing the cribbing.

[@etainhatch1585]

My horse cribs, paws, and bobs. When they said that I was like,'' Oh gosh''

[@Shewolfen]

if it is related to stomache issues like ulcers (caused by the Helicobacter Pylori germ in many species including humans) and other digestion problems, so it could be contageous. If multipule horses are doing it I'd first look into that and something I think often overlooked as well is sand colic with horses always kept in sand based turnouts.

[@LincolnwoodPercheron]

I have to disagree about the mimicry. I had a chronic Houdini and would have to tie stall this young mare. She was bored and started chewing wood. Her little sister saw this and started sucking air/chewing wood. Little sister was NOT stalled but would walk into the barn, into a tie stall, and start sucking. Horses are FAR more monkey see and monkey do. I cannot climb through a two wired fence in front of that one mare or within 5 minutes she's high tailing it in the corn field.

[@suzanne9622]

I lost a horse from cribbing and the gas build up in his intestines (had surgery and vet told me that was all he found and had to release the gas). I ended up losing this horse at the hospital. I have another horse who has cribbed all her life since she was on the track. I would tell anyone who owns a cribber, do not let them crib. Cribbing kills. My last vet visit with my current horse who cribs I was told she had a "beach ball " of gas in her from cribbing and I may possibly have to put her down. So please do not ignore any horse who cribs. I have managed my horse now and do not let her crib at all to try and save her. She goes out in electric fencing and at night, in her stall, I rotate from either her cribbing strap to other nights her cribbing muzzle. She has a nutcracker strap that I had to cover the metal with vetrap (to tighten) and use fleece all around it to prevent sores and find the right setting so she doesn't crib. Then I had to really watch her to make sure she could not crib and suck in air at all. I had to punch 4 or 5 5 more holes in before she would stop cribbing. On my last hole I said if this doesn't work I am not going to use it anymore. I would not put it any tighter. Unbelievably, I finally got the right setting. It is tight. But she is a very bad cribber and tries very hard to crib. But this now works. I alternate her nutcracker strap with the cribbing muzzle so she does not get sores from the strap. I have had to tie the front of her muzzle to her halter noseband as she will try to rub it down below her nose and crib. Tying it has fixed that problem. This setup has worked and I have effectively managed to stop her cribbing. And she is what we call "super cribber". She is on a digestive supplement and has always gotten free choice hay with a small grain meal twice a day (half is hay stretcher). I just really get sick hearing anyone say, it is a stressor and just block your ears and let them crib. I hope sharing my heartache and my tragic experience will help another horse and horse owner. If you are determined you can help your horse with this and possibly save his life and prevent a lot of pain from gas colics.

[@janeserovy666]

Our domestic horse taught our BLM mustang how to crib. So it is taught!

[@aydenw4552]

I have a question about my horse last year my horse had fungus how do I prevented this year

[@marievanurk3171]

My horse often licks on polls but only after I give him treats or carrots it's really weird I wonder why he does that

[@boiledpotato]

Ah I have a cribber! Forever skinny boy! He's an ex-racer so that's where it comes from. I tried the collar and it made things so much worse - he began to stress on the inside and got much much thinner. For now I wrap rubber over his door and have him on a gut balancer to prevent wind colic and let him get on with it.

[@ambersissons7269]

Jayne Horswill i have a cribber too, she is also an x-racehorse, she does gain weight but she has zero front teeth 😂😂 though we recently found she has cushings 😬have also tried the collar, it worked but it rubbed her really bad so i had to give up trying 😂

[@etainhatch1585]

1:11 my horses old owner was with him for 16 years and just 2 months ago we started leasing him. I thought he did cribbing because of a bad habit, But no watching this video, he probably misses his family.