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HOOF CARE:
BEWARE OF THESE COMMON PRACTICES
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Volume 15 Issue 1
Hands on
Horses in pasture are less likely to crib
True Cures for
Cribbing
by Barbara Chasteen
C
hewing on wood or sucking air while pulling on a fence or other
object is often seen as a “vice” – or at least annoying and destructive
behavior. Our reaction might be to buckle a restrictive collar around the
horse’s throat, or even to use some form of punishment, such as electric
shocks. This is not a cure, but a cover-up. In fact, such “cures” can damage
a horse’s body, mind, and spirit.
Constricting the ears and throat of the horse with a cribbing collar – even
sheepskin-lined – compresses local cranial, facial and shoulder nerves,
blood vessels, glands, and muscles; restricts TMJ motion; and also creates
bracing in the poll joint, between the skull and the spinal column. A
horse with a braced poll will have a stiff and weakened lower back, and
reduced strength in his hindquarters. Horses who wear cribbing collars
may become depressed and withdrawn.
There exists an idea that horses “learn” cribbing from each other. Expressing
distress through cribbing is a self-destructive practice, a symptom of
significant physical or mental trouble. If one horse in a stable is cribbing,
others may begin to do so because they are living with the same
environmental or health issues. The horses below all lived with many
others, stalled or pastured, none of whom began to crib.
Every Horse’s Story is Different
●● Archer, a highly trained Thoroughbred, lived at an elite stable. He
was cared for by a personal groom and an admiring rider. Nearly
56 • NATURAL HORSE Magazine – VOLUME 15 ISSUE 1
every step he took was directed, and nearly every bite of food, drink
of water, and breath he took was monitored. When not confined to a
box stall, he stood in cross ties with a view of an asphalt alley and
rows of stalls. He wore a cribbing collar anytime he was not working.
One day Archer moved to an open stall with a view of grass, flowers,
people, and horses passing by or working. His cribbing collar was taken
away. His new groom was a serene master horseman who had ten horses
to care for, so Archer belonged to a herd. Most mornings he was turned
out for an hour in a ring where he could move freely and roll. He stood
in cross ties only when being saddled. He was ridden in a relaxed and
good-humored way, by a rider who trusted him to take care of her.
Archer stopped cribbing. Formerly colic-prone and unable to sweat,
he began sweating normally during workouts and had no colic episodes;
he also stopped bolting wildly at sudden sounds. Even with no changes
to his diet, and no other therapies than stress relief, his health was
transformed.
●● Da Capo, a shy, frightened Peruvian Paso with weak legs and flaccid
muscles, was turned out to pasture daily but chose to spend his
days chewing on the wooden supports of the shelter where he hid.
Da Capo was given free choice minerals, probiotics and live plants (for
their enzymes and medicinal benefits); craniosacral therapy and other
bodywork, especially for his poll and TMJ; and exercises to improve
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coordination. His cribbing stopped immediately after he received expert dental work. In
just a few weeks he was strong and sound
enough to enjoy playing in a pasture, happy to
be touched or groomed, and proud to be ridden.
Da Capo before (2a) and after (2b) therapy
●● Rainier was a huge, gentle Dutch Warm
Blood. An elite show horse, he had had
regular dental work and good nutrition but
cribbed whenever he ate - even a quick treat
like a carrot. The behavior continued for
years in spite of many kinds of therapy, daily
grazing, and residing in a “crib-proof” pen.
Eventually a veterinary exam showed that
Rainier was severely anemic, most likely
from internal bleeding due to ulcers. Instead
of acid-suppressing drugs, we gave him
homeopathic remedies and a probiotic designed
to repair gut walls. Rainier also ate soothing
herbs such as slippery elm, marshmallow
root, licorice, parsley, and others as well
as a course of Sangre de Drago, a South
American herb that stops bleeding on
contact. With a healed digestive tract, he stopped
cribbing and never resumed it.
Horses do not
crib because
they are
destructive
or bored.
We may feel that we are providing
a splendid life for our horse – but
we need to examine it from that
horse’s point of view. What constitutes “stress” is different for each
individual, and we may be dealing
with emotional or physical damage
from a previous situation.
Looking for
the Answer
1
Evaluate your horse’s situation
objectively. Is he chewing wood
or eating dirt or manure (all signs of
nutritional imbalance such as trace
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Rainier’s first look at the ocean shows us
the imbalance in his neck muscles due
to years of cribbing (and heavy-handed
riding), which resulted in overdevelopment
of the upper neck and poll muscles and
chronic tension in the muscles at the base
of his neck and shoulders.
mineral deficiency)? Is he pulling on fences, perhaps while rocking or
sucking in air? Is he grabbing at fences, feeders, walls, or people when
fearful or frustrated? Is the cribbing associated with food, or with anxiety
from a certain activity or person?
Consider possible causes:
●● Dental or other pain, especially around the poll and TMJ
●● Ulcer pain or general inflammation in the digestive tract
●● Mineral deficiency
●● A bridle or other tack that squeezes the head or causes the horse to
raise his nose upward
●● Abdominal scar tissue from injuries or surgery
●● A history or suspicion of a head injury
●● Chronic pain in the lower back, often associated with problems in
the poll area
●● Training or living conditions that create emotional stress such as
excess confinement or travel, or consuming rich, quickly-eaten
food just twice a day.
3
Do what it takes to help your horse regain a pain and stress-free
state. This may mean an exam by an equine dentist, trace minerals, a
diet change, a roomier or calmer living space, different work, or recovery
from past or current emotional distress. Do you need to lower your voice,
NATURAL HORSE Magazine – VOLUME 15 ISSUE 1 • 57
breathe, slow and soften your movements, or
turn off the stable radio? Essential oils are great
for balancing horse or human emotions.
Bodywork to remove the physical residues
of cribbing (such as local muscle contractures,
internal scar tissue, or spinal tension) is essential. I’ve found consulting a medical intuitive
or animal communicator to be especially
helpful. Pay attention to what your horse prefers –
it leads to answers.
Mac, who has almost – not quite – stopped cribbing
for good.
4
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58 • NATURAL HORSE Magazine – VOLUME 15 ISSUE 1
Help your horse give up the cribbing
habit by changing his environment. It
always helps to let the horse out to pasture
(that is, on grass; a dirt lot is not a pasture!)
where he has the freedom to move, socialize,
and eat naturally for at least part of his day.
You might also prevent his access to chewable
objects by removing them; use only electric
fencing (not within a small space such as a stall,
which increases stress); and/ or cover chewable
objects with a barrier such as plastic fencing.
About the author:
Barbara Chasteen, BA
Zoology, integrates her
knowledge of equine
anatomy and biomechanics
with a range of bodywork
techniques to restore
healthy posture and
movement in equine
athletes. She has a
special interest in the
wholistic rehabilitation
of ‘hopeless’ cases. A teacher, writer, illustrator,
and equine bodywork specialist, she lives and
rides her horses in Northern California.
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