What is cribbing/windsucking? Why do horses do it, with Andrew McLean

[@emily5661]

My family's first horse was a windsucker - his main home was a trekking stable and he was low-priority for them so spend lots of time in a stable. It was quite severe when we first got him on loan for the winter months, but after a few years we became his permanent home . With us he was in a field with other animals 80% of the time and he windsucked less and less. He never stopped completely, but it was less regular and it never affected him being ridden or his health.

[@jupitersecIipse]

Lovely take on cribbing! I have a cribbing mare, too, and for her it was most likely a whole list of things that caused it before we bought her. Stressful weaning process, being kept in a stall, not being able to socialize, wrong (too little) feeding. A year ago we also found out she has ulcers, which can be a reason as well. I was quite embarassed of her cribbing for a long time and we always tried to keep her from cribbing (never used a collar though!). Then I realized that preventing her from cribbing is a huge stress factor and that is not something I willingly want to put her through. She is a highly intelligent horse with a phenomenal personality, and I think it's sad that cribbers are viewed as "less" than other horses.

[@JG-mt3rp]

I have a very devoted cribber who likes to crib after his meals, he's basically having a smoke after dinner, seems rather gentlemanly. When I bought this horse I foolishly stabled him for six weeks in a box stall until we could find the right accommodation and he cribbed non stop. Moved him to a big open paddock with some neighbors and cribbing went way down. I don't mind it at all, and it's great that cribbers tend to go for significantly lower prices.

[@gerrycoleman7290]

Good observation. It is not the horse. It is how the person treats the horse.

[@liezl713]

Windsucking in itself doesn't particularly harm the horse, unless he gets hold of a fence like this one. They can damage their teeth. But my friend's horse windsucks by using his chin and not his teeth. The biggest issue with this habit is that while the other horses are all grazing most of the day, hers is standing and wind sucking. She's struggling to keep weight on him, because unlike the others he chooses to rather windsuck than eat. It's a huge problem.

[@Froby2378]

I have a cribber and he’ll do the same thing everyone else has their head down eating in their paddock and he is cribbing, his top line is horrible, he recently broke his sacrum (flipped over backwards while playing with my other horse). The two weeks after the break is the only time I’ve never seen him crib! Had a chiro check him out and she seems to think cribbers suffer from headaches also. Great video I just thought I’d add my experience, since there really isn’t much research done on cribbing and it’s effects on the whole horse. I believe he’s right about it not being a learned behavior, none of my other 4 horses have started or have any desire to crib. And I have a rescue mare that was corraled next to and opposite from 2 cribbers for 5 years and she doesn’t crib. She will rake her teeth on the bars when she’s being impatient tho!

[@MrMakeDo]

I’ve never heard someone pronounce ‘perseverance’ like that.

[@risuhijirikawa5901]

So i've been saying perseverance wrong? I thought that's how you say that-

[@HighMileageOffroad]

Its per-cer-vere-ance

[@alleeum]

The noun "perseverance" is pronounced per-SEH-ver-ate. The verb "perseverance" is usually pronounced per-seh-VEER-ance. He's just applying the noun pronunciation to the verb; unusual, but certainly understandable.

[@Gmackematix]

He pronounces 'severe' correctly and presumably also persevere, so he just needs to incorporate that into his pronunciation of 'perseverance'. Perhaps he is confusing it with severance which comes from sever and is pronounced 'severənce'.

[@laree82]

It's his accent, guys. You might have noticed, he's not an American.

[@amycatton6769]

I have had a wind sucker, that would just stand in the middle of his field and happily gulp away with never a health problem or concern. Now I have a cribber, and it drives me insane, not only does it damage wooden fences, its horribly hard on her teeth, and she will give up food to do it. I would take a wind sucker over a cribber in a heart beat.... moreso because of the damage that cribbers do to their teeth and their own health.

[@lisasandell3980]

What about what it does to their teeth? I’m all for making my horse happy but I also want to keep him from harm if that makes sense. I worry about his teeth and weight.

[@loredelore7286]

Someone once told me it is more prevalent in thoroughbred and thoroughbred crosses as they are blood horses and thinly bred. I also heard that it is because they are trying to relieve pain from stomach ulcers. I have also heard it said it is because they have vitamin deficiencies in their diet. Stabled horses have been found to develop the habit from stress and boredom and then never give up as it has become a learned habit. I wonder if they were to become feral and away from a domesticated setting they may stop.

[@Christian_Girl120]

I saw this last night. I could tell he was a little stressed out. The other horses seemed relaxed, especially when dinner arrived! LOL! My friends run a boarding barn. So I got to see them, four barn cats and a dog. A great night for me!

[@sandratrottequestrian]

Love love love this! Love that you guys now are on KZbin!! Brilliant work!!! 💜💜🌟🌟

[@equusbeauty]

Thank you! For once some CORRECT information on windsucking! I have always found that you will have a much happier healthier horse if you just let them do it!

[@jaffaranga]

This has nothing to do with the video

[@gerrycoleman7290]

Such a moronic belief.

[@rebeccalynn3092]

We had a Quarter horse who used to crip a lot. He seemed to colic a bit more easily than the other horses did, so we kept a close eye on him. Come to think of it, he was a more high-strung creature.

[@Froby2378]

My horse growing up used to air colic from cribbing so I believe it is detrimental. We need more owners to communicate about it instead of it being a taboo and everyone trying to avoid these horses. Feels like cribbers speak their own language even to other horses.

[@janedoe4471]

My windsucker has never colicked, he has no front teeth, but no colic, his paddock mate whom has never windsucks has colicked 7 times in 3 years.

[@daniel_moretti]

I love your videos and insight. But I have to say that you are ignoring a lot of the very bad physical consequences of cribbing on the horse. First, the upper teeth can be worn down to the point where they are nubs or nonexistent. I've known two horses like this. It makes it difficult for them to eat hay and impossible for them to graze on a pasture. Second, it can cause muscular imbalances and vertebrae problems in the neck esp. where the neck meets the head.

[@neverfind1]

Thank you SO much for this!! I have found they are GREAT horses ❤

[@triciatodd8519]

my pony cribs and he has two pasture mates but he was a bit messed up in his early life

[@gerrycoleman7290]

'a bit messed up in his early life'...............that does not matter. What matters is what the person does now.

[@HotBazzinga]

You didn't actually explain what windsucking and cribbing is. You didn't answer your own question in the KZbin title.

[@Oshun412]

a distressed horse like a distressed child needs it s missing needs met ..

[@gerrycoleman7290]

A very profound comment. But I think it is going over the heads of most.

[@madhumitaghosh8107]

Thank you for this video is very useful

[@bella-vg9dt]

So I'm reading threw the comments & learned this behavior can have alot of ware on their teeth as most horses it seems do this behavior with their teeth & on a fence & than yes your precious wood fence could get damaged but I'm worried about the horse you'd think they'd stop if it hurt but they might wear done their teeth to much.

[@Cora.T]

This constant repeated behaviour makes dopamine, this is your cuddle hormone. Generally the underlying reason for stereotypic behaviour is chronic stress, which is a constantly elevated level of cortisol, a stess hormone. Cortisol puts a couple of things on a back-burner so to speak. Among these are the immunesystem, painsensitivity, energy synthesis, reproduction etc. So while the behaviour in itself is not that much of a problem, it is an outing of an underlying issue, that can cause a lot of other issues which are very problematic. Oral stereotypes generally find their origin in food related issues or early and stressful weaning, while movement stereotypes ( such as weaving ) are because of a lack of movement

[@suemiddleton7763]

A very good overview but I feel Andrew doesn't acknowledge the genetic influence enough. I have several windsuckers as I don't discriminate against them-a good horse is a good horse regardless of whether it windsucks-but some of these are, and have always been, some of the most stress-less I've known. There are genetic links in many line crossings of horses. I would like to see collars banned or certainly discouraged as wearing these are most likely what causes the stress!

[@EquitationScienceInternational]

We couldn't agree more Sue! Genetics play a big role in the likelihood of a horse trialling wind-sucking.. And with regard to the collars, we never use them either! It can lead to more stress, or it can cause the stress to manifest in other ways. Group housing, plenty of roughage and space is the best way to reduce wind-sucking, but for some, it will never go away and it’s probably better to let them do it.

[@RNS_Aurelius]

I think the strangest thing about this video is the way you say "perseverance"

[@piptonkin8405]

I think wind suckers are more intelligent than your average horse however one of my wind suckers has almost no front teeth. Is this a problem?

[@gerrycoleman7290]

Well duh.

[@inabaran5562]

Wind sucking actually points to the fact that the horse is sensitive inside and takes up on him/ herself too much stress, endures too much duress from humans

[@julierivera450]

Lovely explanation.

[@kymharris269]

I’ve just acquired a windsucking mare. Apparently it was starved as a young horse and developed the habit through that. When I got her she went into a large grassy paddock and didn’t seem to windsuck very much. Now that I’ve moved her into my home paddock, of new timber post and rails, she is worse. There is still plenty of grass to eat. A collar hasn’t fixed it, and my gelding, who never even showed signs of chewing, appears to be picking up the habit, and he is the happiest he has ever been. I can’t afford one, let alone two, to destroy my fencing, and my gelding is hard to keep weight on at the best of times. So the mare has to go.

[@blackreazor]

Then why did you get the mare in the first.its horrid the way u jsut dismiss a living creature you acquired on your own volition just for showing signs that it has been mistreated. Sad

[@crimsonking2908]

It's kind of like Stimming with Autism. I have Autism, so I know lol

[@lesliepark3370]

The biggest problem with cribbing and wind sucking is therefore how irritating it is to listen to!!

[@gerrycoleman7290]

Gee, don't think about the horse. Just only about yourself. Classic.

[@lesliepark3370]

Gerry Coleman It apparently does little harm to the horse and where’s your sense of humour?

[@gerrycoleman7290]

@@lesliepark3370 When you realize the true nature of horses you will see.

[@lesliepark3370]

Gerry Coleman Okay Karen. Assume and lecture away😉

[@wandacornellcornell1814]

Horses are also prone to colic from cribbing..

[@lilskeet185]

That horse is twisted out the frame.

[@joacoxis]

What about the teeth 😢

[@inabaran5562]

Wind sucking releases enkephalin. Thats a pain killer and relieves stress. How ignorant not to know this of professionsal horsemen...if horses " show perseverance" they are likely to take on more stress and duress from humans than others i assume. So actually are prone for depression. They need light and and easy life and healing like the Trust Technique...so sad that so many misunderstood and unseen horses suffer since humans had put them into a "slavery"- life...

[@Froby2378]

I agree. My cribber does much better when I stay under his stress threshold. You can see his anxiety. His bottom lip is tight to his chin, his eyes are always above his withers, he looks back and forth and behind him all the time. He was a stabled, ridden dressage classical arena type life until I got him. Our hand walks consist of standing in the frontyard and looking around. Small slow steps with these poor horses works best.

[@inabaran5562]

@@Froby2378 i am very happy you are sensitive and empathic enough to" see" him. Horses are wonderful creatures and souls. i wish more horse owners and handlers would wake up to how much they endure from our largely egoistic and arrogant species. many humans arent actually worthy of a horse i would say....

[@inabaran5562]

PS: what i do with traumatised horses is to take them for walks and go grazing " together" which is like meditation for them. This conveys kindness and friendship and has anyway a bonding effect on both partners. its so easy to be kind and a helper, nevertheless not often done by us....all beings love you if you can give them inner peace. the point is how to preserve it in ourselves. thats where healing or illness in us and others around us starts. its also a question of taking over responsibility by recognizing effects on others by our mindset.

[@Froby2378]

@@inabaran5562 I live in southern Nevada there’s not much to graze on:-(. He loves being groomed and massaged tho so we do A LOT of that. He also recently broke his sacrum when he reared and went over backwards playing with my other horse. :-/

[@inabaran5562]

@@Froby2378 i am veeery sorry to hear that. he was never listened to and seen in his life. Grooming and massage are excellent. try the Tellington Touch technique. he is desperately looking for a peaceful connection to someone. Are you on FB Mr/Ms Hammer? my address is Katharina Baran ( Germany/Lich). i am helping people and their animals. you can send me a photograph of him and i can check what i get from him if you are open for unconventional approaches of healing. that horse connects to you already a lot. Strange at it sounds he wants to help you as well...PS: i wouldnt charge you for it. i love horses and animals in general and want to help..you are put infront of me...so i offer it to you. all the best to you and your companion from grazing land Germany ;)

[@dave-yj9mc]

My ex wife does this, but she sucks out all my money.

[@mamas_quilts3573]

The horse seems to be wanting attention from the narrator... Sad

[@sassysasquatch2722]

Is this guy a kiwi? sounds like a NZ'er

[@djsecAUS]

Sassy Sasquatch no he’s Australian. He sounds nothing like a kiwi IMO!!!

[@bella-vg9dt]

Why are people so stupid when I comes to horses. Why not let them wind suck/crib? What is it doing hes saying it relieves stress, but how? Is there even one reason to stop them from doing it it seems it relaxing them from what I'm hearing & theres no cons is there I mean it dosen't hurt the horse?

[@abiharding9921]

There are multiple cons to cribbers and windsuckers! Both are more prone to colic, which can be fatal, from gas in the stomach - if you burp a lot you start to feel sick, don't you? Horses cannot be sick - they are not built to be sick. It also causes excess wear to their teeth, which is expensive for owners and can lead to further issues like quitting if the horses's teeth are not kept in good shape by a veterinarian or fully liscenced equine dentist! Windsucking can also cause musculoskeletal problems later on in life when done for long periods of time as well as a change in their condition. They also more prone to ulceration in the stomach. Stereotypical behaviours are much more commonly seen in the domesticated environment, such as on busy yards where they are more likely to become stressed. The best way to minimise stereotypical behaviours are through stimulation, such as increased turnout, treat/hay balls, mirrors in stables and keeping them housed with a companion where possible! It's a coping mechanism developed by the horse - whether it be through stress, distress, boredom or frustration, much like humans drinking, smoking, biting their nails, picking at their skin etc when they become stressed. It CAN be a learned behaviour from another horse, though this tends to be much rarer. Abrupt weanings can also cause development of stereotypical behaviours. :)

[@gerrycoleman7290]

Good God man, are you out of your mind. It is a coping mechanism for the horse due to being improperly cared for. Let him be a horse, you will not see this behavior. It is not the horse. It is the stupid human that is causing the behavior.

[@bridgetmckay921]

When you say improperly cared for, what do you mean? What is the human doing wrong to cause this?

[@gerrycoleman7290]

@@bridgetmckay921 I just posted my reply. Sorry for not putting it in the proper place.

[@Froby2378]

My cribber is with 4 other horses in an acre during the day, he has his own 24x160 foot corral he spends the night in. I free feed grass, hay net at night and I scatter it during the day so they walk around heads down eating. I have every salt and mineral block in the world. He has a ball I put hay cubes in he rolls around. He’s got a Jolly ball, traffic cones, and 3 different rubber buckets in his corral. I am taking care of him for a friend that recently had kids and couldn’t do both. He started cribbing at age 7, coincidently thats when she started dating her spouse!! I believe his outlet was to crib after she stopped coming to the stable consistently.

[@chloewoodward5875]

You do realize that cribbing can lead to a gas colic, right?

[@mrbabianrumpa]

Wrong. If the horse has a problem in its stomach/guts that often causes gas colic it may crib/windsuck to ease the pain. Research and studies show that the cribbing doesn't cause colic, colic cause cribbing

[@DoubleDogDare54]

That horse would drive me snake shit crazy....

[@kirstinetermansen2213]

We're is the grass ??? Said by,,,,, smokers,,,, lack sleeping, food,.

[@gerrycoleman7290]

Look at the speaker's short sleeve shirt. Look at the indicators of the mid day sun. It is warm out. Probably in the 70's degrees F. Now look at the horse. Neck wrap. Blanket. The horse is sweating. I can see the sweat on his neck. Imagine what it is like under the blanket. That is completely irresponsible. The horse is uncomfortable. Head up. Trying to get some comfort from the release of endorphines. If this is an indicator of what the rest of his care is like, I feel very sorry for the horse.

[@debbiehorn8263]

This horse is miserable ! Also the information this guy said is wrong in so many ways . Cribbing can damage a horses teeth so that they can not graze well , which can cause weight lose , which can lead to many other health problems . This guy isn't giving ALL the information .

[@gerrycoleman7290]

@@debbiehorn8263 Yep, this guy is really 'out there' in la-la land. The horse is clearly communicating that he is uncomfortable. The guy is clueless. Poor horse. Thank you for your comment Debbie.

[@LeonKotze70]

70F warm??? LOL That is not even a nice day...

[@gerrycoleman7290]

@@LeonKotze70 Too warm for having a blanket on the horse. Stay focused. This is about what is best for the horse.

[@LeonKotze70]

@@gerrycoleman7290 that is NOT what you said... you said 70 is warm. Learn to write properly in your mother tongue.

[@trinitystableshorseshealin4945]

Wow what bullshit. It causes medical issues . It is absolutely an addictive behaviorr. And other horses will 100% learn it from watching other horses do. My 35 Yeats in the horse industry has proved this to me over and over. Believe him if you want. But put a ribber on your property and see how many new ribber you have in a year or 2. The horse behind him was cribbing also.

[@kirstinetermansen2213]

I smoke,,,,. And food, box, company, rider's demands,. Under, overstimulated

[@billscanlan5639]

Horses suck

[@bobbyt762]

Your horse looks like he wants attention