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Location: Tenn. | My husband and I just purchased a 3 year old stud. He has a good set of papers and a phenomenal disposition. He rides like a 10 year old, and honestly we haven't been able to find many holes in him.
He has been at our place for approximately 3 days and when I put him up in the stall this afternoon I noticed he was biting down on his feed bucket and sucking air (cribbing).
We train a lot of horses from the gentleman we purchased him from, and he has made it clear that if we are not happy with him to bring him back no questions asked...
My question is, could this be a sign of ulcers or something else going on?? I am just sick over it. We had a horse about 5 years ago that cribbed and after we sold him we swore we would never own another. |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 534
Location: Ohio girl moved to PA | normally ulcers are caused from cribbing but not always. IMO, the horses ive come across that crib always did it because they were bored in their stall, or they learned it from another cribber. My gf had a horse that would crib no matter what, it didnt cause any extra problems like ulcers, he got out 24/7 and was only in at grain time and he would do it while he ate. Dont call me crazy but, she called a equine physic somewhere down in texas and this lady told her that he was just addicted to cribbing. So she gave up on trying to fix it. He was always perfectly happy and sound! good barrel horse too! |
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  Neat Freak
Posts: 11216
  
Location: Wonderful Wyoming | ulcers and bordom but I honesty think only 1% ever quit sucking air/cribbing even after the ulcers are fixed. I have a mare that does it, she is 5 this year and has ruined her front teeth. She eats well and we keep them maintained but I'm just not going to worry about her doing it. She'll get a new home when she gets to the point she can't graze in pasture. |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 364
| Nobody wants their horse to start cribbing. I have one that I raised who started cribbing later in life. 6 or 7 I think. He has plenty of turnout time, socializing, and always has food in front of him. This horse has no reason to crib so it's a mystery why he even started. He's a really nice horse and he looks like a million bucks. He doesn't wear a collar and is ulcer-free. Nancy Hunter's Fuzz was a cribber. Shane Hanchey's Reata is a cribber. Both are great horses who have won a lot of money. I've realized its just something I deal with but I don't let it bother me at all! People have commented to me, "oh, wow, that guy is a cribber.." like its some catchy disease. My respond is, "yeah, he's a cribber.. so what?!" |
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 The Worst Seller Ever
Posts: 4138
Location: Oklahoma | My main horse is a cribber and started later in life. Pretty sure he learned it from his neighbor in the barn and he has a touch of ADD, so he has to have something to do now. It does get worse when he worries about something, usually when it is time to go to the vet.
I don't feel it affects him. It is very annoying, but now he is turned out and only does it at feeding time or when he is up for a long time.
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 Expert
Posts: 1482
Location: on my horse | I have one that has been cribbing for about ten years, I make sure he doesn't have much in his pen he can get his teeth on and turn him out as much as I can. It's true, it can turn into an addiction for some, and some studies show that it increases the risk of colic which is actually why I just keep stuff out of his pen and line the top of the fence with a strand of hot wire. He's fine, still has great teeth, they just have a little worn off lip on the edges from when I didn't realize he was using his TREE to crib  |
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Expert
Posts: 1956
Location: Ky | The best horse I've ever owned, and still own him today, is a cribber. He was 7 years old when I bought him and it came with him. I've had him 20 years now.
If I had a choice he would not be a cribber. But I would never turn him away because of it. When we were competing people tried to buy him from me many times per year and offered some stupid money for him. They all knew he cribbed.
Just had to live with it. |
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