CRIBING.



Cribbing

Cribbing

Cribbing is a word which may not mean much to those not familiar with horses. However for the horse owner, cribbing can be one of their biggest nightmares. Cribbing is when a horse starts chewing on pretty much everything in their surroundings, such as the stall door, fence post, bucket or side of stall. A cribbing horse will grip on these objects with its incisors then arch its neck and pull back. In doing so, the horse typically tenses up the muscles in its neck and face, retracts its voice box, and gulps down air into the oesophagus. Some "experts" have put cribbing down to boredom, whereas others have reasoned that it is a form of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder.

Cribbing is when a horse swallows air. Some horses do this by grasping a stationary object, such as a fence board or post, with their upper teeth, then arching their necks and pulling usually making a grunting sound. Other horses crib by resting their incisors on an object without grasping it, still others rest their chin on an object and swallow air. Some horses, however, do not use an object at all, but move their lips, close their mouths, flex and arch their necks, swallow air and grunt without grasping. Cribbing is often confused with wood chewing, another vice. Wood chewing however, is when a horse actually bites and chews wood, destroying fences and barns. Cribbing is also sometimes referred to as wind sucking, or swallowing. Cribbing can lead serious health problems, such as poor digestion, colic, and various dental problems. It is not known for certain what causes a horse to crib. It is thought that stress may contribute. When a horse cribs, it is believed that his body releases endorphins, which stimulate the pleasure center of his brain. This may explain why horses crib when under stress, as well as why it is such an addictive habit, and such a hard one to break.

Every horse handles stress differently, some better than others. It appears that susceptibility to stress in horses is inherited, so genetics may play a part also. Improper diet and feeding is also thought to contribute to cribbing, perhaps because it may cause a horse more stress. Another popular theory is that cribbing is due to boredom, and lack of exercise. Horses kept stalled are more likely to become Cribbers than horses that are allowed to roam in a pasture. Cribbing has not been reported in wild or semi-wild horses. Horses in the wild or in the pasture naturally spend 90 percent of their time grazing, and using their upper teeth. A horse's need to graze and thus use his upper teeth may also cause a horse to crib. Horses that are kept stalled spend less than 30 percent of their time eating. This inability to graze, is thought to cause stress and contribute to cribbing.

This view is supported by the fact that allowing horses more pasture time can reduce ...