Re: Cribbing Collars
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Posted by PH Cody on August 06, 2002 at 14:03:09:
In Reply to: Cribbing Collars posted by sailin2day on August 04, 2002 at 10:43:45:
:Can anyone provide any information on horse cribbing and how to prevent it?
Sure can :) I have a cribber myself, she's my heart and soul as far as my horses go, but she learned the habit from a stablemate my Freshman year in college, when we had a yucky spell that winter. She was stalled for a couple of weeks instead of being out in the pasture and had plenty of time to practise her new found skill!
Prevention is mainly preventing boredom. Keep hay or pasture available at all times. If you must stall your horse, get them horse toys that they like, and get them out as much as you can, even if its just for a walk.
Once your horse starts cribbing, it gets difficult. When a horse cribs, it releases specific chemicals to the brain of the horse, giving them a natural high. So what you have is the equivalent of a drug addict on your hands. Some get so addicted to that chemical release that they will literally starve themselves to death.
Mild cribbers can usually be distraced by pasture, hay, etc. You can also coat their favorite cribbing areas with different things. There are things on the market for it, and many of us also have used things like liquid dish soap or hand soap. Irish Spring seems to be a general all time favorite, it must taste REALLY bad! My husband completely broke my stud of cribbing before he could really get started by using an interesting concoction that included a very liberal dose of Cayenne Pepper.
But for the more diehard addicts, you will need to bring out the big guns. Its been my experience that most cribbing collars are worthless. The only one I recommend is the Miracle Collar. When used properly, and fitted correctly, it works on most cribbers. Be sure however that you buy one that is the right size. Using one that is too big will cause sores to be rubbed on the horses temples. You can also use muzzles that are made specifically so that the horse can eat and drink through them but not crib. In fact, its a good idea to rotate between the muzzle and the collar so that you don't get pressure sores from either of them. Also, when you are with them, remove the collar/muzzle so that they aren't always wearing them. Another caution - NEVER lead a horse by the Miracle Collar. It puts pressure on their forehead and you pulling on it can exert a lot of pressure there - and that makes it painful. It's not made to be like a dog collar that you can lead them by. It's sole purpose is to prevent cribbing.
Hope this has helped you a bit :) Its an annoying habit they can get, and not real good for their teeth or digestion, but it is usually controlable, especially if caught early on!
PH Cody
HorseHobbyist Community Director
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