A way to stop a horse from cribbing?

Question

My horse cribs constantly if i don't put her cribbing collar on her...is there a way to stop this? i've tried a hot pepper flavoring on her stall but it always gets washed off with the rain...does anyone know of a permanent solution?

my horse is turned out with 3 other horses (that she gets along with) all day everyday...i ride her at least 5 times a week for a few hours and the other days i take her swimming in a river. i don't think she could be bored. i just bought some stuff called Bitterlicks that says it guarenteed to work...has any one else tried this?

Answer 1

I made stalls espeacially for cribbers, Every wood edge they can get a tooth on had metal flashing screwed tightly onto it. They dont like the feel of metal on their teeth.
Horses crib for anumber of reasons boredom being one, Lack of nutrition another, and whole list of other reasons they might start. But a little well placed metal trim usually does the trick in stopping it

Answer 2

@Crystal: Cribbing Collars are not bad. They never restrict a horse's air unless they are trying to crib. If they try to crib, it prevents them from sucking in the air. If they stop trying to crib and breathe normally, they can. 1) Cribbing collar. This is not an option. It is the only sure way to stop them. Try a Miracle Collar. They work better and are more comfortable for the horse (its what we use). 2) Mix vaseline and cayenne pepper (melt it) and paint it all over the surfaces she grabs to crib. It tastes nasty, so they don't want to bite there to crib anymore. 3) Cribbing is caused by boredom. Turn out as much as possible, and fill the stall with toys for when the horse has to be in. Also, do what you can to slow down her eating so she has something to do. Try a nibble net for her hay. It has tiny holes, so it takes them longer to munch. 4) If the cribbing continues, she needs to be checked by the vet. Cribbing can lead to colic, ulcers, etc, and you need to learn how to spot the symptoms and how to prevent as much as possible.

Answer 3

i just bought a horse 2 mos. ago and he is just awesome, the only thing is he is a cribber so i went ahead and bought him anyway figuring i could get him past his cribbing!!! i bought 4 different brands of the stuff to put on the stall rails and none of them worked, the thing is they can also build up a tolerance to the bad flavor!!! the lady i bought him from had a crib collar on him that was too tight and left a sore on his neck, i tried the same kind of collar but in the right size for him, but he literally quivered when i tried to put it on him ( relating it to the one that had been too tight!!) so i bought him a grazing muzzle that i attatched to a nylon headstall and removed the throat latch ( for safety purposes) and i put the fleece on the crown piece and he doesnt mind it at all!!! i take it off for him to eat and then i put it back on when he is done!! the thing is depending on her age she may never break the habit my gelding is 14 and i have come to realize at his age he will probably not stop, they become addicted to the high they get from sucking the air!!! i did a search on cribbing and you would be surprised at some of the methods out there that they suggest to stop a cribber!!! i believe the grazing muzzle is by far the most humaine way to keep them from cribbing, they can still eat with it on, or graze but like i said i take his off to eat!!! good luck and be patient you will find what works for her & you!!! and even though she may not be bored now like i said its become a habit or an addiction so it is real hard for them to stop, even the toys, or stall snacks dont really work they dont give them that rush like the windsucking does!!! i have tried it all!!! and my horse is turned out with my other 6 all day and have constant access to companionship and distractions, toys, playing etc... i work with him daily and take him out on the trail several times a week. it all goes back to the addiction that they have for it and the habit they have accquired for it!!! dont worry about the old saying your other horses will start cuz none of my other 6 have they kind of look at him strange then they walk away!!!

Answer 4

you maybe want to put metal on all the edges of wood she can get at. that will stop her from cribbing and save the wood. always make sure to check there is no metal sticking up from then that could potentially hurt your horse. then she might be a little stressed out now that you cut out this habit of hers so put lots of toys and salt blocks and maybe even a block of molasses, sweet but healthy! your horse will eventually forget about her addiction. lol at least its better than street drugs haha

Answer 5

It's not necessarily boredom, just a habit she got into like biting fingernails or twirling your hair. You need to find ways to distract her from it, have you tried likkits, salt blocks, swedes on strings and stuff like that ?
Does she crib in the field ? I know someone who put electric fencing up to stop a cribber - it worked but only for as long as it was switched on ( they can hear it) but the horse got totally stressed out because it didn't know what to do with itself instead. So i think you need to use a combination of pleasant alternatives and a deterrent.
Never heard of that particular stuff but Cribbox is supposed to be good although I have never used it personally.

Answer 6

Get an anti crib collar

Answer 7

Horse crib, becuase they are bored out of there minds, that is 80% why. Is your horse in a stall all day? Or most of the day, if so, try some horse toys, get a jolly ball and hang it above his/hers head, or something that will keep the horse interested. If you think about it, try putting a teen in his room, without music, tv, or anything to do, they gonna start smashin walls. lol

Answer 8

If you figure out a way, please let ME know.

I had one, (died recently), that cribbed badly for 13 years.
I tried everything available! (She managed to break off a cribbing collar!) She pulled electric wires OFF the corral rails with her teeth, (WITH THE POWER ON), so she could chew on them. She even tried to eat the license plate off a truck, (well, it was green like her hay!) She also chewed on old tires, bushes, etc.
As she had company and plenty to eat, she wasn't undernourished, or bored.
She just liked chewing up things!

Answer 9

Get an oversized dog collar like for a mastuff or anouther really big dog. Then put it on her neck near her face it should stop. Do that because the dog collar will cost like 5- 6 bucks but a cribbing collar goes for more than that! and they always get broken but if the dog collar breaks who cares because its replaceable and its affordable. And also u can decorate it and stuff hope it helps

Answer 10

That's right. They crib out of boredom. You aren't doing enough with the horse. You can get liquid to put on the stall that doesn't wash off and tastes yucky but DON'T use hot pepper. That's just cruel.

If you dont' have time for your horse, allow someone else to ride her or do things with her so she has a life.