CRIBBERS...

Thunder · Postby **Thunder** » Sat Jan 08, 2005 2:48 pm

Do you know of any famous (Winners) who were cribbers? I have known one cribber out of many horses I have owned. Did Halo Crib? I believe it is herditary.

ZiaLand · Postby **ZiaLand** » Sat Jan 08, 2005 2:55 pm

Thunder, I own a nice daughter of Southern Halo. Yup, she's a cribber. She's not famous, but she was a race winner.

Have you had this experience with other Halo line mares? Im curious if it's hereditary, too.

Has anyone had any success with supplements like XGard for curbing the cribbing instinct? I use a cribbing strap and even that doesn't seem to work.

Laurie

Thunder · Postby **Thunder** » Sat Jan 08, 2005 3:01 pm

Yes! It was just a shot in the dark on my curiosity on the Halo line. If it is heriditary, then I sure hope he has his speed too. Though, his temperament is alot tolerant. DOMINANT, recessive, DOMINANT, recessive goes the breeding game.

Thunder · Postby **Thunder** » Sat Jan 08, 2005 3:38 pm

Is this a marketing no-no for breeders? As a consumer, I would think so. AND as a consumer, I would request any liabilities, behavior deficit(s), etc. I have never experienced this before and it was totally unexpected. Live and Learn...

sulphurfire · Postby **sulphurfire** » Sat Jan 08, 2005 4:09 pm

Cribbing is a learned behavior, some horses pick it up also out of boredom. When a horse cribs it is thought to cause the body to produce endorphins which gives the a "high" of sorts. Not all crbbers will crib if turned out, but it is considered an unsoundness.

Ramona · Postby **Ramona** » Sat Jan 08, 2005 4:19 pm

Try the Miracle Halter, it works. Had a bad cribber out of the Halo line. She did everything, including laying down to try to scuff the halter off. She was furious! But, after a while she gave up on trying to shed it and succumbed to the fact she couldn't crib anymore. Even took the collar off to see if she would crib and she didn't, but I don't think it would be a permanent thing.

Ryeno · Postby **Ryeno** » Sat Jan 08, 2005 4:25 pm

Hey Ramona,

I had a horse defeat the miracle collar.The tack shop i bought it off of couldnt believe it so i took the person over to my barn put it on my horses and within 2 minutes after getting a couple of mints was cribbing of his foot!Miracle collar has worked for most that have used it,but didnt work on mine.It was actually funny the more i tried stopping my horse from cribbing the more he would crib.After just taking it off he would only crib a little when he eat or got treats.

Ryeno

FOS · Postby **FOS** » Sat Jan 08, 2005 5:03 pm

hi guys

YES Halo was a cribber...

...actually it caused an uproar after he was sold as a stallion prospect.

The buyer's wanted out because the "habit" was unacceptable to them...and was apparently not exposed to them until after the fact.

Respectfully

valerie · Postby **valerie** » Sat Jan 08, 2005 5:28 pm

There was an article about cribbers not long ago, the thinking now is that some horses crib due to ulcers and that the pain is made worse because of feeding grains. The cribber that we have is much worse after feeding grain. He has improved remarkably since we cut his grain way back and added calcium added/stablized rice bran as a bigger part of his feed. He is finally starting to gain weight and do a little better also. I personally hate a cribber and this wonderful thing was not told to us either and we did not notice it until we had him at home for about 2 days or so. The sale we bought him from plainly states that cribbers must be announced but I guess they do not really check on this. If we had caught him cribbing before he left the grounds he would have stayed at that sale and the management could have dealt with him. As it turns out, he is a sweetheart but just a cribber. :cry:

wilf · Postby **wilf** » Sat Jan 08, 2005 6:41 pm

God I love cribbers!!!!!! Never had one that could not run ,the air trapped inside must make them light on their feet. Funny thing , there was no Halo but ALL had the Dancer close up. They drove me nuts and the specter of gas colic was always a problem. Fed them all on the ground and only gave them treats if they were off to walk or train. I swear that the only collar worth a damn in my experience is a very broad plain strap made of stiff nylon weave which I covered with a sheepskin sleeve to make it easy on their skin.Bring them on.

FOS · Postby **FOS** » Sun Jan 09, 2005 9:50 am

hi wilf...hi valerie

A simple bran mash (with some corn oil) on a regular basis can do wonders...and should lessen (dramatically) the "gas" concerns.

Valerie...it sounds like you get the good results from rice bran...is corn oil part of the regimen?

Respectfully

camohn · Postby **camohn** » Sun Jan 09, 2005 11:29 am

I read an article that a number of the obsessive compulsive disorders (stall walking, weaving, cribbing) are similar to human OCD. In an experiment on these horses seratonin treatment did in fact fix it....but it's so expensive that it is not a practical solution. That would also quite possibly make it a genetic thing w/ chemical disorders. We have no cribbers. Do have one windsucker. The Miracle Collar also worked well for that.

acharmer · Postby **acharmer** » Sun Jan 09, 2005 11:48 am

sulphurfire wrote:Cribbing is a learned behavior, some horses pick it up also out of boredom. When a horse cribs it is thought to cause the body to produce endorphins which gives the a "high" of sorts. Not all crbbers will crib if turned out, but it is considered an unsoundness.

The cribbing strap (type with the band across the forehead )will definitely prevent a horse from cribbing. This habit is the bane of horsemen, but only because it is fruitless and unbecoming. It bothers the owners more than it bothers the horse. John Henry was a chronic cribber, as were other top peforming Grade 1 winners. On the breeding farm in mares it is viewed as a potential hazard since the "habit" can be learned by the foal. Use of the new type straps will surely prevent cribbing and thus the tutorage of the foals is detered. As to the habit being genetic... that is conjecture. It might just be a penchant of the equine breed to find that quirk by accident which is an avenue that any horse can stumble on.

Michael · Postby **Michael** » Sun Jan 09, 2005 11:56 am

Five time Horse of the Year KELSO was a notorious cribber.

Round Table didn't crib, but unless he wore a cradle would literally peal the skin off his forelegs.

chiggins6 · Postby **chiggins6** » Sun Jan 09, 2005 12:00 pm

I've always thought cribbing and the like had a psych component, and like so many psychiatric disorders is a brain hormone inbalance. I would not be surprised to see some of these reuptake inhibitors improve the OCD behaviours, and yes, they are inherited. If I was a breeder, I would keep that in mind when breeding, I am aftraid.