why does my horse make a noise when crib biting?

Question

my horse crib bites when he is stabled and also on the fence in his field. when he bites, he also makes a sucking noise, is this harmfull to him in any way? and how can i stop it?

ive also noticed the small pony that shares his field and is stabled opposite him, has started to crib bite, but only occasionally and doesnt make the "sucking" sound.

thnx for ur answers so far.
also why is he doing this?

Answer 1

YES! It absolutely is dangerous. Because horses cannot belch or throw up, when they suck in air like that it can cause them to collic. There are cribbing collars that you can purchase to keep them from cribbing. You definitely need to look into getting one soon.

Answer 2

Cribbing is a habit that is formed for many reasons-- nervous energy, boredom, etc. If your horse is already cribbing you probalby can't stop it, behaviorally. Its easier to avoid than stop once started.

1) buy a cribbing collar
2) smaller feedings multiple times a day
3) spread grain out in a shallow pan so it takes longer for him to eat it.


Yes, cribbing can cause colic, and even weightloss. The other horse that appears to be cribbing is not actually cribbing-- just chewing on the wood. Your horse is a true cribber, with the sucking noise.

Answer 3

If you want him to stop, but a crib collar. Roughly $30, but cribbing is dangerous. If they suck in too much air (the sound you are hearing) they can colic and possibly die if they torsin (twisting of the gut). I would HIGHLY recommend buying a crib collar from Dover or off Ebay ASAP. Also, the pony across from him is only chewing wood, while your horse is cribbing. There's a difference.

NOTES: Most horses do this out of habit or boredom. Some are just born cribbers--I don't know why, God just made them that way.

~Good luck getting your horse to stop!

Answer 4

He's sucking in air while he pulls on the wood (Cribbing). The action is believed to release endorphins which make him feel good.

Depending on how bad it is, it can be hard on his teeth and your fencing. It can also change the look of the muscles of his neck if he does it constantly.

Consider getting a cribbing collar.

Also try to address why he's developed this vice. Is he bored or stressed?

I'd also leave him turned out. Stalls are a definite source of boredom and when vices like cribbing, windsucking, weaving, etc really appear.

Answer 5

Cribbing has been found to be a genetic(hereditary) trait. It is more annoying than harmful. The sucking sound is air being sucked down the esophagus. This causes an endorphin release. The only way it can harm your horse is if he would rather crib than eat. This is rare, but it happens. If he is in good flesh (not underweight), Then dont worry so much.
The pony may be imitating this behavior or he may be exhibiting a different behavior altogether. Like, aggression.

Answer 6

you need to get a cribbing collar.in a above post i seen that horses crib when they are un happy that's un true it is a habit and they can pass it on to other horses.a horse's cribbing is very dangerous it can colic them it can damage teeth and what shes cribbing on and it makes them lose weight putting her into a stall or pen that is constructed out of metal will not help they will still do it you need to put crib stop on the wood or panel and put a crib collar on if you have a local tack store sometimes they get used items in and i would check their first that's what i did and a barely used crib collar only cost me 10.00 well good luck

Answer 7

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.

Why do horses crib?

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 cribbing. Many stall cribbers do not crib in the field.

It may be the way an individual horse responds to its surroundings or stress. A barn with thirty horses, all fed the same food and exercised the same amount, may have twenty-nine horses that do not crib, and one that does.

Some people believe that cribbing may be learned from other horses.On the other hand, some people will put their cribbers in with other horses, which may reduce the cribber's stress and help to stop the habit.

To date we know of no proof or studies that indicate a horse learns to crib from being around a cribber, and it is likely that several factors come in to play to cause this disorder.

What is the treatment for a cribber?

Once a horse starts cribbing it is difficult to get them to stop. The best thing is to try to prevent it from occurring in the first place.

To help prevent and reduce cribbing:

Allow your horse as much pasture time, in as big a pasture as possible

Spend time training and handling the horse to help prevent boredom.

Provide your horse with a companion, preferably another horse, but goats also often make good companions for horses.

Allow your horse access to fresh grass, or grass hay at all times.


A cribbing strap, or collar may also be useful. This strap is placed around the horse's neck. A metal plate on the bottom of the strap presses into the throat when the horse arches its neck to crib. This makes it difficult, and uncomfortable for the horse to swallow air.


Another option, usually used as a last resort, is a surgical treatment which includes cutting the muscles which flex the neck. If this is not successful, surgery may be done to cut the muscles which allow the horse to pull his neck up and back.

Answer 8

He's sucking wind,and yeah,it's a bad habit.It's not necessarily harmful,but it's annoying and damages fencing/stall doors.Try a cribbing collar or crib stop on his stall door(or wherever he's cribbing).Crib stop is stuff you paint on the place where he cribs,and it gives him a bad taste so he'll stop.I've met a few horses who actually like it though,so this isn't 100% foolproof.

Answer 9

a lot of horses that crib suck in air at the same time. this is harmful to their lungs and to the fences. it's also a habit that is 'contagious' at times.

this comes from a horse being bored to tears. buy a book or something on ground work excercises. do something to expand his brain. he's basically going crazy with boredom.

Answer 10

They crib bite when not happy, or just plain bored ! you can get the collar but a much easier fix it just to "tack some tin sheets' over the rails he's biting on,works wonders and saves the dang rails!