Reasons and Effects of Horse Cribbing - Essay Example

? Horses, just like people, can develop bad habits over time. The length of time these habits take to develop, and the severity of them, depends on both the situation and the horse in question. Cribbing is one of those bad habits that horses can develop, and the subject of this essay. Doyle (2003, pp 1) states, regarding cribbing, that ‘it’s reported prevalence is 5.5-10% in the general population.’ What causes cribbing, and how to ultimately prevent it are currently unknown. Stress is a possible factor, although whether it is the only thing that leads to cribbing is subject to examination. Despite how little is known about cribbing, there are preventative methods, as well as treatments. Cribbing is not only harmful to property, but also to an equine’s overall health. When a horse cribs, it is thought that the action releases endorphins. Endorphins are a chemical that releases sensations of pleasure and relaxation from the brain into the body. These endorphins are why cribbing is such an addictive habit, and why it is so difficult to stop a horse from doing it once it has begun. One of the most accepted theories on why a horse will start cribbing is stress. Many equines are kept in stalls for much of their lives, but under natural conditions, the horse is moving almost 90% of the time, constantly grazing and focusing on food. In a stall, the horse is confined and not able to move around and graze. Not being able to roam the way it is naturally designed for, a horse will grow stressed, which then leads to bad habits like cribbing. Cribbing has several negative effects on both property and the health of the equine. Horse teeth are very strong, and are capable of damaging things like wood, leather, plastic, and a number of other things that make up fences and equipment. When a horse cribs, it uses its teeth to grab onto an object, such as a fence. It then arches its neck and forcefully sucks in a lungful of air. This process is repeated again and again. One of the biggest dangers for a horse that cribs are dental problems. Because they are continuously chewing and grabbing hard objects with their teeth, this can have a negative consequence, which may result in chipped, broken, or deformed teeth. Teeth, however, are not the only thing horse owners need to worry about with a horse that cribs. Poor digestion and colic are two of the other problems that are often reported with a cribbing horse. Wickens (2009) said that ‘Gastrointestinal irritation has been implicated in crib-biting (CB) in horses.’ Treating this nasty habit can be both difficult and time consuming. Because cribbing is widely known to be caused by stress, giving your horse ample time in the pasture is one solution that could eliminate the problem altogether. Boredom can also contribute to stress in your horse, and so giving it activities and working with it on a regular basis will curb that boredom. Cadlock (2000-2005) says to ‘provide your horse with a companion, preferably another horse, but goats also often make good companions for horses.’ Other studies state that different types of work (ie, dressage, jumping, cross country, etc.) can lead to cribbing. In one such study, Hausberger (2009) found that ‘Repetitive licking and/or biting of substrates was observed mostly in eventing horses, whereas cribbing and windsucking occurred only in dressage and high school horses.’ For a more ‘hands on’ approach, there are collars available that go around a cribbing horse’s neck. These collars, or straps, are designed to stop the horse from swallowing air. A metal plate that presses into the underside of the animal’s throat makes it difficult to swallow air. As a last resort, surgery can be used to cut the muscles in the horse’s neck to stop the animal from lifting its head up. Prevention is the only true way of being certain that this damaging habit does not take hold. Limiting stall time is the biggest and most helpful way to prevent a cribbing habit. When your horse is able to be a horse, this reduces the animals’ stress. There is then no need for them to react in a negative way toward boredom or anxiety. ‘To date we know of no proof or studies that indicate a horse learns to crib from being around a cribber,’ said Linder (2011). It should be noted that wild and semi wild horses have never been reported to have a cribbing problem. Unbound by walls, they are free to move and travel and eat as much as they need to. Many other bad habits that domesticated horses have are not displayed in the wild, either. Being in a herd situation is a large part of what a horse is. They have survived in herds for thousands of years, and so have evolved to feel safer and more comfortable in a group. Contrary to popular belief, it is not the stallion that dominates. As Langrish (2007, pp 6) says, ‘the herd is usually controlled by the older mares, who will keep in check any high spirits among the younger members of the herd, particularly the colts.’ These older mares also keep the other mares in line, which could lead to the possibility that these ‘matriarchs’ stop bad habits before they can form. Even though there are no true facts associated with why a horse will crib, experiments continuously point toward stress as being the number one factor. Henderson (1972, pp 1) says that, ‘often the animal is internally upset, and not a good feeder whereupon undue thinness a poor body tone become evident.’ From this, it should be widely known that horses kept in stalls for long periods of time are more likely to be negatively impacted. Treatments will not always result in a cure for cribbing, and so preventative methods are the only sure way to keep your horse stress free and healthy. As Hempfling (2001, pp 10) says, ‘the horse is by nature a being of power, beauty, and elegance – all thanks to his pride, his endurance and, above all, his unbelievably precise sense of balance. To maintain this free, spontaneous pride and this precise balance under saddle – maybe even to further it – is that not one of the obligations of riding?’ References 1. Doyle, A. Freeman, D. Archer, D. Proudman, C. Edwards, G. 2003. Cribbing as a Risk Factor for Entrapment of Small Intestine in the Epiploic Foramen. [online] New Orleans: American Association of Equine Practitioners. Available at http://www.ivis.org/proceedings/AAEP/2003/doyle/IVIS.pdf [Accessed 14 March 2011] 2. Ezine Articles, 2011. What is Horse Cribbing. [online] Available at http://ezinearticles.com/?What-Is-Horse-Cribbing&id=496295 [Accessed 14 March 2011] 3. Hausberger, M. Gautier, E. Biquand, V. Lunel, C. Jego, P. 2009. Could Work Be a Source of Behavioural Disorders? A Study in Horses. [e-journal]. 4(10). Available through: PLoS ONE. [Accessed 14 March 201l] 4. Hempfling, Klaus (2001). Dancing With Horses: The Art of Body Language.Vermont: Trafalgar Square Publishing. 5. Henderson, 1970. Anti-Cribbing Device for Horses. Washington: Hnderson, G. Available at http://www.google.ca/patents?hl=en&lr=&vid=USPAT3687112&id=FuI4AAAAEBAJ&oi=fnd&dq=horse+cribbing&printsec=abstract#v=onepage&q=horse%20cribbing&f=false [Accessed 13 March 2011] 6. Langrish, B. Swinny, N. (2007). The Beautiful Horse. Bath: Parragon Publishing. 7. The Ultimate Horse Site, 2000-2005. Cribbing. [online] Available at http://www.ultimatehorsesite.com/info/cribbing.html [Accessed 13 March, 2011] 8. Wickens, C. 2010. Investigation of specific stereotypic behaviors in horses. [online] Michigan State University. Available at: http://gradworks.umi.com/33/64/3364765.html [Accessed 13 March 2011] Read More