Posted 2008-02-02 8:00 AM (#75867) Subject: I was not told he was a "Cribber"
Member
Posts: 24
Location: Idaho
I bought a horse off the internet and asked lots of questions, Never asked if he was a cribber. It was a surprise for my husband for his birthday. I thought he was just what I was looking for. He's an AQHA Palamino 12 yr. gelding. He didn't start cribbing, or wind sucking for a few days. Now he does it every day. Shouldn't I have been told about this before I bought the horse?
Posted 2008-02-02 8:27 AM (#75869 - in reply to #75867) Subject: RE: I was not told he was a "Cribber"
Veteran
Posts: 294 Location: Fort Worth, Tx
a cribber will generally crib every moment that he is bored, so if he did not do it until a few days after you bought him, it is altogether possible that he did not do it at his former home. Are you keeping him stalled? Maybe he was out in pasture at his last home...there could be any number of things. Did you ask the former owner if he had any vices? Cribbing, as well as weaving, kicking, etc, would be included under this, so if the owner said "no" and you can prove that he did crib previously, you would have an arguement to adjust the price you paid. However, you could probably not prove it. I would contact the former owner and see what kind of turnout, toys, feed etc they were using and consider changing what you are doing to minimize his cribbing.
Posted 2008-02-02 11:07 AM (#75877 - in reply to #75867) Subject: RE: I was not told he was a "Cribber"
Elite Veteran
Posts: 1069 Location: MI.
Is it mild or severe? Either way, I think you should've been told. It's a vice which can contribute to weight issues. You might want to get a cribbing collar and watch out for your other horses simulating it.
Posted 2008-02-02 11:15 AM (#75879 - in reply to #75877) Subject: RE: I was not told he was a "Cribber"
Member
Posts: 24
Location: Idaho
He seems to only do it when he is eating. Im trying mineral oil before he eats to see if its a stomach issue. Ive seperated him from all the other horses and he has room to trot or run around
Posted 2008-02-02 8:01 PM (#75907 - in reply to #75892) Subject: RE: I was not told he was a "Cribber"
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 368 Location: Georgia
I know this is not the ideal solution, but if you like the horse and this is the only habit you "despise"..try a "miracle collar" or any other cribbing collar. Most moderate cribbers are stopped with theses devices. If he is just a chewer and not a true wind sucker, I don't think this will help. The collars do help most true wind sucking horses.
Posted 2008-02-02 9:16 PM (#75910 - in reply to #75867) Subject: RE: I was not told he was a "Cribber"
Veteran
Posts: 250 Location: AL
I have a cribber ,but was told up front about the situation. He was just a perfect fit for my daughter so I took the chance on dealing with the cribbing. He wears the miracle cribbing collar 24/7. I take it off when I ride, give him a bath etc.... In the past we did have a few episodes of colic with this horse and he did take awhile to get the weight on that he needed, but now he is pleasantly plump and as long as he has his collar on-no cribbing.
Don't know if I would want another one that cribs, but if it is the horse that does what I need it to do, then I might.
Posted 2008-02-02 10:23 PM (#75915 - in reply to #75867) Subject: RE: I was not told he was a "Cribber"
Member
Posts: 29
I used to have a cribbing mare. Never had a problem with her caused by cribbing but it was annoying. No other horse picked up the vice from her. I tried all kinds of suggestions to stop her including the miracle collar and nothing worked. When she was in the stall she cribbed a lot, when she was in the pasture she cribbed very little.
Posted 2008-02-03 12:24 PM (#75939 - in reply to #75867) Subject: RE: I was not told he was a "Cribber"
Veteran
Posts: 238 Location: West Coast
Horses that crib, often have ulcers. Since he didn't start cribbing right away, you might want to talk to your vet about ulcers and putting the horse in ulcer medication. It's possible that moving to a new place or change in feed (if you changed his feed), has stressed him.
Posted 2008-02-03 6:25 PM (#75969 - in reply to #75867) Subject: RE: I was not told he was a "Cribber"
Expert
Posts: 1205 Location: Arkansas
We have a 25 year old gelding who lives with others in a 100 acres 24/7. When they come up to feed, some go into stalls, and others eat out side. He gets a good feed of equine senior out of a fence mounted bucket in a pipe corral. He cribs at that time. After all are through eating they get back out in the large area to graze or eat hay. No more cribbing. He has been here for some years, he was a cribber before he came. No one here has picked up the habit, and he holds weight and has never colicked. So it is not an issue here, we like him wonderfully well otherwise. There is timber etc where they are turned out, so I do not keep a collar on him. If your new horse is reacting to stress in his new enviroment I would keep an eye on him, if he is a cribber anyway, I would leave him out or keep a collar on him if he is stalled. I would not let it be in the way of having a horse that suited my needs otherwise. It would have probably been appropriate for the seller to have told you when you asked about habits and vices, if this behavior is the norm for him.
Posted 2008-02-03 10:10 PM (#75992 - in reply to #75867) Subject: RE: I was not told he was a "Cribber"
Regular
Posts: 97 Location: Middle Tennessee
I have owned a wonderful mare for 7 years now who is a cribber. I also have never had any weight or colic issues. The strange thing with her is that when I bought her as a two year old, she didn't crib, as a three year old I sent her to a trainers and she started cribbing within a week and has never stopped.
If your horse is stalled, a hot wire on the area where he/she can crib will do wonders. My horse also tends to crib when she's eating, but with the wire up, she doesn't. It was hot for awhile and after being zapped just once, she will not crib in her stall, even though it's turned off now. She only comes in to feed and then it's back out in the pasture. I have tried cribbing collars and they do work, but I had to keep it so tight on her, that I stopped using it. She will also crib in the pasture, but mostly just in the winter time when there is no grass. This horse lives to eat and stays plump year around. In the summer she rarely cribs except when she is fed her morning grain ration.
One more thing. I have had foals and quite a few other horses with her and no one ever picked up the habbit. I think a horse is prone to cribbing or they are not. In my opinion, it is not a learned behavor, but more of a tendency.
Posted 2008-02-04 8:13 PM (#76067 - in reply to #75867) Subject: RE: I was not told he was a "Cribber"
Veteran
Posts: 247 Location: NW
I agree - it could be caused by ulcers. And a horse w/ulcers could be cribbing only at feeding time due to the ulcer pain while eating. There are some great products out there that do wonders for ulcers & ulcer prone horses - I would chk in to that too. Also, I had a gelding that started cribbing when he was about 4 yrs old...when I had to board him for a couple of months. I put a plain, wide flat strap on him & he was fine. He lived to be a very healthy 29 yr old when he developed a tumor & had to be put down, never any colic or weight issues. Then a couple yrs later I learned about the ulcer relation - & think he very possibly did have them.
Posted 2008-02-06 6:09 PM (#76249 - in reply to #75867) Subject: RE: I was not told he was a "Cribber"
Expert
Posts: 1205 Location: Danielsville Georgia
I've had two what I call closet cribbers.In hard training and stalled you'd catch them windsucking sometimes.Usually when things get quiet in late evening.First we heard them.Then watch the silhouette of them in the dark.Both of these horses if turned out even after working or training do not do it.
Posted 2008-02-06 6:21 PM (#76250 - in reply to #75867) Subject: RE: I was not told he was a "Cribber"
Member
Posts: 24
Location: Idaho
Thank you for the hints; after reading these Im guessing that he must have ulsers? Has anyone treated a horse for ulsers? Is it cureable? Where do I get the medication?
He does not crib unless he is eating,
hay or supplement mix he cribs, sucks wind continuously as he eats.
Posted 2008-02-06 8:53 PM (#76266 - in reply to #75867) Subject: RE: I was not told he was a "Cribber"
Veteran
Posts: 153 Location: Grant City, Missouri
I once bought a nice paint gelding who cribbed. Next I bought very nice 18 mo. old gray Impressive bred gelding who soon picked up the habit. I still have the gray. He is 16 and he still cribs. I tried Wonder Collars on both but like a previous poster...I had it so tight that I finally quit! Neither horses ever had a weight problem or colic. It is embarassing when you take them somewhere but they were/are great horses! I wouldn't want a horse that cribs....but it isn't really a problem....er, it hasn't been for me!
Posted 2008-02-07 6:40 AM (#76298 - in reply to #75867) Subject: RE: I was not told he was a "Cribber"
Expert
Posts: 1205 Location: Danielsville Georgia
Before just getting ulcer meds for him try dosing him with Extra strength Malox for 5 days.I put it in a old large wormer syringe and put it down the throat.If he shows improvement there you go.Vet has had me do this a number of times on horses in training.Friend of mine used a remote control shock collar on a stallion of his that cribbed and kept tearing up the auto water bowl in his stall and flooding it.After a number of floodings over a year he put a shock collar on him that you puch the button.Friend said it took about three times.He said old studly does NOT crib on anything anymore.
Posted 2008-02-07 12:11 PM (#76319 - in reply to #75867) Subject: RE: I was not told he was a "Cribber"
Veteran
Posts: 219 Location: Mt. Clemens, MI 48043
We have a horse that is a Cribber. She gets bored and we have a cribbing collar on her. It helps somewhat but not always. When she is outside she does not crib. The vet knows about her cribbing and he has always said that she looks good and is healthy. She has not gotten colic and at this time she is maintening her weight. She does better outside than inside. I have read about Malox but so far we have not used that treatment. Winter is harder on her, than the other seasons. Will be glad when she can go out.
Posted 2008-02-07 12:20 PM (#76321 - in reply to #75867) Subject: RE: I was not told he was a "Cribber"
Veteran
Posts: 219 Location: Mt. Clemens, MI 48043
So when I get the Malox and give it to him for five days in a old wormer syringe. What will happen? Will he just quit? Do have to repeat this every month? Sorry for the questions but I really do not know and I am thinking about trying this for my horse.
Posted 2008-02-07 12:33 PM (#76323 - in reply to #75867) Subject: RE: I was not told he was a "Cribber"
Expert
Posts: 1205 Location: Danielsville Georgia
If he stops cribbing and acts more relaxed then you talk to your vet about ulcer meds and they are given daily.If in 5 days NO DIFFERANCE in horse then a ULCER is not his issue.Keeps YOU from being out of pocket a LOT of money to just SEE if a ulcer is a issue.Ulcer meds are not inexspencive.
Posted 2008-02-07 1:19 PM (#76326 - in reply to #75867) Subject: RE: I was not told he was a "Cribber"
Veteran
Posts: 219 Location: Mt. Clemens, MI 48043
"Thanks" houndog and flyingfarm - it is about time for the deworming anyway so we can try it and see. I am hoping it is from just bordom and not ulcers.
I was not told he was a "Cribber"
It was a surprise for my husband for his birthday. 
I thought he was just what I was looking for. He's an AQHA Palamino 12 yr. gelding. He didn't start cribbing, or wind sucking for a few days. Now he does it every day. Shouldn't I have been told about this before I bought the horse?
