Windsucking / Cribbing
Definition: is a compulsive behaviour or “stable vice” seen in some horses. It involves the horse grabbing a solid object, such as the stall door or fence rail with its incisors, arching its neck, pulling against the object and sucking in air.
Causes
- Boredom
- Research indicates that the cause may be due to acidity build up in the horses stomach, due to feed concentrates.
Stomach Acidity
Horses naturally graze for ~16 hours per day. Constant grazing keeps stomach acidity balanced.
Saliva also helps regulate acidity – but saliva is only produced when chewing.
Solutions
A multifaceted approach should be taken – Cause, and discouraging the behaviour.
- Ensure adequate daily paddock exercise
- Avoid constant stabling or yarding
- Provide unlimited hay – ensure it doesn’t run out. The horse will self-regulate intake after a few days
- Social interaction or stable toys
- Behaviour – Treat stables and fences with CribX
Wood Chewing
Does not involve sucking in air; the horse simply gnaws on wood rails or boards as if they were food
Causes
- Boredom
- Possibly deficient in copper or lime
Solutions
- Ensure constant access to hay
- Addition of copper to their diet – Place a piece of copper pipe in the water trough, or Mineral Salt licks.* Check with your vet first.
- Behaviour – Treat stables or other wood areas with CribX
For further information refer to: Why do horses eat dirt, wood, and other indigestible things?