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Why do horses crib2007-11-24 21:23:18

To tell you just how bad cribbing is heres a short story.

I heard of a horse cribbing on a post during a storm and he was hit by lighting. It did not kill him but it did do some major damage were it came out. You would think that would stop the horse from cribbing right. Nope as soon as his mouth healed up some he went right back to cribbing on any thing that he could get his teeth into.

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Its ussually because a horse becomes bored, if there isnt anything to snack on or play with in their stall most of the time they develop this. I know a few horses who do this and now in the winter and summer they lick the metal tie ups we have. We always get scared there tounges will get stuck in the winter time.

Think about it if your bored or doing work and start chewing on a pen cap. It becomes a habit. Sometimes in horses when they do this Licking, pawing, head bobbing and other actions there is a OCD in horses. These are often referred to as stable vices, but are actually

different. Vices are unwanted and undesirable reactions that can

be corrected through proper handling and training.

Obsessive-compulsive behaviors are abnormal expression of normal

behavior.

Cribbing is an obsessive-compulsive behavior. The cribber uses

its upper teeth to grab a stationary object, such as a fence

board, then arches its neck, pulls backwards while swallowing air

and grunting. (A wood chewer, on the other hand, actually chews