There is a degree of mystery surrounding horse cribbing. Why exactly do they crib? What makes them do it? Experts say that it can be due to genes that renders a horse prone to stress, bad diet, or boredom. Imposing restrictions on the horse's natural inclinations may lead to cribbing, but it does not mean that all horses put under this resort to it. And so it was deduced that it is probably genetic. Since horses are usually fed with feeds that are loaded with components to give them energy, they get restless in their stalls most of the time, and so they turn to cribbing just to get an outlet for all that energy. Wild horses graze and frolic about as much as they please, whereas tame ones, who are usually locked in their stalls, try to keep boredom at bay by cribbing.
So how to treat horse cribbing? Let's check out some of these techniques.
1) Give those wooden areas a taste of some anti-cribbing fluid. The horses would find this change of taste disconcerting, and may put them off cribbing for a while.
2) Take away the temptation. If you can, replace most wooden structures or surfaces with metal once, so as to lessen the allure of cribbing.
3) Put him on a different diet. Instead of giving him feeds that are high in energy, opt for a high fiber, low energy one instead. This would lower his restlessness a few notches.
4) Stick to the schedule. Horses get stressed when their feeding time is erratic. And as you very well know, horses have a tendency to remedy this with cribbing.
5) Keep him busy. Turn him out more often. Install toys in his stall. Allow another horse-or any other animal that would be friendly with horses-to keep him company.
6) Bring on the muzzle. This would effectively limit movement in his mouth, rendering him unable to open it big enough for him to crib on wooden structures.
7) Ring out the doldrums. Studies are now being made on surer methods of curing horses of cribbing by injecting them with antidepressants. Unfortunately, the only drug available now only treats the horse for a short while, wearing off soon enough for the horse to go back to cribbing.
8) Going under the knife. Surgery is a drastic procedure and therefore the last resort of all else fails. Ask your vet how this works and if it is feasible on your horse.
Always remember NOT to take things into your hands and to check with the vet before you do anything to treat your horse of cribbing. It may not be just plain boredom that makes him do it, but, at worst, a serious medical condition.
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment