Researchers estimate that 2-10 percent of all horses crib.
This is a relatively unchanging, repetitive pattern of behavior with no apparent goal or function involving grasping an object with the incisors, flexing the muscles on the underside of the neck, and drawing air into the upper esophagus, said veterinarian Stacey Oke.
While some undesirable aspects of cribbing are obvious, other effects might be less clear. Horses that crib might be at an increased risk of suffering certain types of colic.
There are multiple theories as to its cause of cribbing which some researchers call a coping mechanism.
This hypothesis suggests that stereotypic behaviors develop as a way for horses to cope with stress. Examples of such conditions include physical confinement and social isolation or problems with diet and feed management.
In these situations, cribbing might provide a means of self-soothing, and this behavior allows a horse to decrease their stress level.
However, the coping theory remains hotly debated. Data generated by leading researchers found no difference between horses with oral or motor stereotypic behaviors and those without.
Researchers collected blood samples from horses that were not cribbing and during or immediately after cribbing. They found serum selenium levels to be significantly lower in cribbers than non-cribbing controls, and those values were lowest while cribbing.
Other researchers theorize that horses exhibiting stereotypic behaviors have brain dysfunctions.
The rationale is that animals affected by stereotypes are supposed to be cognitively less flexible compared to healthy controls due to sensitization of a specific part of a brain area instrumental to learning.
A handful of other theories about why horses crib, but it’s likely caused by more than one factor. The cause could potentially involve any combination of genetics differences in physiological mechanisms, and management factors such housing/socialization, as well as diet.
Concerns associated with cribbing include dental abnormalities and wear, gastric ulcers, weight loss/poor condition, and poor performance.
Colic is another major concern associated with cribbing horses.
After years of speculating that colic occurs more frequently in horses that crib, researchers have finally provided consistent data confirming this association. Cribbers are 12 times more likely to suffer recurrent colic than non-cribbers.
Colic prevalence in the general horse population ranges from 3.5 to 10.6 cases per 100 horse years.
Cribbing is one of the top risk factors for recurrent colic, along with diet change, dental problems, and farm density.
Cribbing could simply be a way for horses to deal with chronic, low-grade abdominal pain. If their abdomen hurts, then horses might crib.
Regardless of the underlying link, cribbing can be detrimental to an affected horse’s health.
Owners must also consider the dental and surface damage caused when the incisors grasp onto an object, the veterinary costs incurred if a horse colics, and the welfare implications associated with cribbing.
Veterinarians and manufacturers have devised multiple treatment strategies to prevent cribbing.
Most focus on preventing incisor grasping and include electrifying surfaces; applying unpleasant-tasting products to surfaces; physically preventing grasping via muzzles; preventing the horse from flexing his neck, using metal or leather collars;
Surgically placing gingival rings in the oral cavity; surgically transecting the neck muscles used during cribbing; and administering drugs used to treat anxiety disorders in humans.
If cribbing is a coping strategy, it is better not to prevent horses from crib-biting but instead improve their welfare.
Potentially, one could say that higher stress is also one of the causes of colic and that improving welfare could decrease stress and indirectly reduce colic.
One must carefully consider all sides of the issue when deciding whether or not to treat and, if so, which strategy would be best suited for the animal in question.
The driving factors behind cribbers and the links between those behaviors and colic remain unclear. Whatever the link, cribbing not only causes physical damage to a horse owner’s property but also has health implications, including the increased risk of colic.
Although options exist to stop cribbing, welfare concerns complicate the issue, which can make it challenging for veterinarians, researchers, and behaviorists to definitively recommend their use for fear of negatively impacting a cribber’s quality of life.
This can be done by improving the captive environment, mimicking nature, increasing feeding time, or giving horses some kind of control over their environment.
This should be done for all horses to prevent the development of cribbers, as well as to improve the welfare of horses that do not crib but are housed in the same environment as cribbers.
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