Most owners want to stop their horses from cribbing. This is easier said than done. Cribbing has been a challenge for centuries with no known reason for this behavior.
The horse places his upper teeth firmly on a hard object—be it a fence, stall door, water trough, or anything he can reach—pulls back, arches his neck, and gulps air into the upper part of his esophagus with a distinct grunting sound.
Beyond all the stereotypes and historical paradigms, research on this destructive practice now leans toward a coping mechanism and is linked to endorphins and opioid stimulation that results from stress-related situations.
Source: EQUUS, July 3, 2018. Link. Researchers are also still working to understand how cribbing might affect a horse’s health. Horses who crib do seem to be more prone to certain types of colic, although the connection is unclear. But to date, it’s a chicken vs. egg conundrum for researchers
“So far the data we have is limited and does not necessarily point to a true cause and effect,” says Carissa Wickens, PhD. “We don’t really know if cribbing makes horses more prone to colic or if these horses already have some underlying digestive system dysfunction and are prone to colic, and this made them more likely to crib.
Also see: Curbing cribbing in horses, Animal Health Digest, October 31,2015. Link.
INSIGHTS: Equine veterinarians, veterinary nurses, retail associates and sales persons can use this information to discuss with horse owners who have not thought about socialization, stall toys or looked at the relationships between cribbing and gastric issues. At the least, share this article on social media, blog posts and when doing health checks at stables.