How to Keep a Horse from Cribbing
Prevent boredom., Try a cribbing collar., Use an anti-cribbing feed supplement., Try making it impossible for your horse to crib by tying stiff brushes (brush side up) on your horse's usual cribbing areas., As feeding forage ad lib is not always...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Prevent boredom.
Cribbing is often associated with boredom, so consider turning your horse out more with some other playful horses.
Or, make his stall more interesting with some stall toys or constant access to quality forage.
However, if your horse has been cribbing for a while, he may prefer to crib than play or eat. -
Step 2: Try a cribbing collar.
These can be purchased at your local tack store, and are attached tightly around your horse's upper neck.
They prevent your horse from breathing in very deeply, so he can no longer get the effect he seeks when he cribs.
When he finds that there is no way to get high, he will stop chewing.
However, he will never be cured, so he has to wear this collar whenever he is in his stall or turned out (if he cribs during turn-out).
Be sure to remove the collar he is exercising, though, or he could potentially suffocate. , These are quite simple: just scoop the right amount onto his feed once or twice a day.
You might still want to use these in conjunction with another method, though, to guarantee success. , They can't crib on something that isn't solid, and the bristles will give them a little reminder poke when they try to crib anyway.
You could also try painting anti-chew treatment on the cribbed surfaces, or lining the surfaces with metal, as some horses find the metal uncomfortable to bite. , Due to the way they have evolved, horses have a psychological need to chew almost constantly, but they should not be chewing on something that isn't edible. ,, But don't try this with everything, as where their stall is might not be the problem. -
Step 3: Use an anti-cribbing feed supplement.
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Step 4: Try making it impossible for your horse to crib by tying stiff brushes (brush side up) on your horse's usual cribbing areas.
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Step 5: As feeding forage ad lib is not always possible
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Step 6: try putting their hay into a hay net with really small holes to keep them chewing for longer.
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Step 7: Another option is putting a muzzle on the horse while in the stall (except at meal times)
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Step 8: which will make it virtually impossible for the horse to grab objects to crib on.
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Step 9: If your horse is at the end stall in the aisle
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Step 10: trying moving him/her to a busier spot in the stable to prevent boredom.
Detailed Guide
Cribbing is often associated with boredom, so consider turning your horse out more with some other playful horses.
Or, make his stall more interesting with some stall toys or constant access to quality forage.
However, if your horse has been cribbing for a while, he may prefer to crib than play or eat.
These can be purchased at your local tack store, and are attached tightly around your horse's upper neck.
They prevent your horse from breathing in very deeply, so he can no longer get the effect he seeks when he cribs.
When he finds that there is no way to get high, he will stop chewing.
However, he will never be cured, so he has to wear this collar whenever he is in his stall or turned out (if he cribs during turn-out).
Be sure to remove the collar he is exercising, though, or he could potentially suffocate. , These are quite simple: just scoop the right amount onto his feed once or twice a day.
You might still want to use these in conjunction with another method, though, to guarantee success. , They can't crib on something that isn't solid, and the bristles will give them a little reminder poke when they try to crib anyway.
You could also try painting anti-chew treatment on the cribbed surfaces, or lining the surfaces with metal, as some horses find the metal uncomfortable to bite. , Due to the way they have evolved, horses have a psychological need to chew almost constantly, but they should not be chewing on something that isn't edible. ,, But don't try this with everything, as where their stall is might not be the problem.
About the Author
Sarah Brown
Specializes in breaking down complex organization topics into simple steps.
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