Cribbing is one of the most prevalent bad barn habits

These bad habits, once referred to as vices, are now understood as stereotypic, compulsive behaviors. As any horse person knows, there is a wide range of undesirable habits your horse can develop, from lazy tendencies under saddle to bad ground manners, but certain behaviors in the barn, such as cribbing, wood-chewing, weaving, kicking and pawing, can prove to be more than just inconvenient.

The survey by Dover and QuitKick included 6,000 customers and about 110,000 horses; 80 percent reported at least one horse at their facility participated in one of the three most common stereotypic behaviors: cribbing, stall-kicking and pawing.

Those numbers surprised even Dover.

“The most interesting thing we learned is that many horse people are aware of [the behaviors] but just sort of accept it … like a dog that doesn’t stop barking,” said Janet Nittmann of Dover Saddlery.

While many owners roll their eyes at the sound of another grunt from their cribber, they don’t realize that stereotypic behaviors can result in damage to facilities and permanent injuries.

Some horsemen have reported that horses appear to learn these behaviors from each other if stabled together, making prevention and correction even more important.

Before trying to change stereotypic behavior in your horse, it’s important to understand the motivations and affects behind each.

Cribbing
Perhaps the most common stereotypic behavior among horses, cribbing or “wind-sucking,” is also one of the most addictive. Horses crib by arching the neck and expanding the esophagus to take in a gulp of air, usually accompanied by a grunting sound. Horses may brace their teeth against a solid object while gulping, but talented cribbers can arch their neck enough to perform the action without using their mouths.

There are different schools of thought as to why horses crib. For some, it may be relief of stress or boredom, while others may be addicted to the natural high created by the sudden rush of oxygen to the brain. Recent research suggests that there is a correlation between cribbing and ulcers, which may mean that some horses with gastrointestinal problems are self-medicating with the extra saliva produced by cribbing. Still more research has suggested that there may be a genetic cause for cribbing.

The open-mouthed chewing motion that sometimes accompanies cribbing can result in damage to buckets, feed tubs, stall doors and produces characteristic arches on fence boards. Many owners believe that the repeated arching of their horses’ necks changes the musculature around the neck and throat, and some even report a change in overall body condition over time.

According to William Hess, DVM, and managing partner at Hess Veterinary Services, LLC in Pennsylvania, there is no scientific evidence to support that commonly reported change in condition, but recent studies have indicated there may be a link between cribbing and a certain type of colic.

Hess cited a 2008 UK study, which found that cribbing increased the likelihood of epiploic foramen entrapment colic, which occurs when the small intestine becomes trapped in a gap in the abdominal cavity called the epiploic foramen. This entrapment immediately cuts off the blood supply to the intestine and requires emergency surgery to repair.

“It’s not to say that a cribbing horse is damned for colic surgery or death, but there is an increased risk,” Hess said. “People are definitely worried by it. There’s such a black cloud over cribbing that at Thoroughbred sales, they announce it as they enter the sales ring.”

Not only that, some boarding facilities refuse to take new horses that are known to crib, citing concerns over property damage and exposure of other clients’ horses to the behavior.

In order to prevent or stop cribbing, it is important to know why your horse has formed the habit. Ask your veterinarian about performing an endoscopy on your cribber to look for stomach ulcers. If any are found, the vet may recommend medication to treat the existing ulcers and/or supplements to discourage new ones from forming.

It may also be beneficial for horses with gastrointestinal issues to spend more time on pasture or hay and to divide grain meals into smaller, more frequent portions.

If no ulcers are detected, it may be more appropriate to treat the behavior. The most common method for doing this is the cribbing strap or collar.

Cribbing straps fit around the throat and typically include a metal piece that allows the horse to breathe, eat and drink but prevents the puffing of the esophagus needed to crib. Since the straps often need to be fitted tightly for the metal piece to sit in the right place, fleece covers are available for the nylon portion of the strap to prevent rubs.

Providing "toys" is one way to help a horse from getting bored.

Wood chewing
Commonly confused with cribbing, wood chewing causes far more damage to structures and is not associated with the gulp of air and characteristic grunt of cribbing.

Obviously, wood chewing damages fences and stalls more quickly than cribbing, resulting in costly repairs and replacement.

As with many unusual diet preferences, it is believed that wood-chewing is a sign of a nutritional deficiency. If that is the case, adding a vitamin and mineral supplement to your horse’s grain ration may fill in gaps in his diet, reducing his craving. If a supplement doesn’t help, there are several foul-tasting, non-toxic sprays commercially available for application to wooden surfaces to discourage chewing.

While these sprays work well for stall interiors, they are not terribly practical for horses that chew fence boards.

“The sprays work, but if you’ve got one that just continually chews, you’ve got to spray the whole fence,” said Mildred Steakelin of Brumfield Hay and Grain in central Kentucky. Steakelin reports that many customers with wood chewers turn to electric fencing to eliminate the behavior.

Stall kicking
One of the more violent – and dangerous – stereotypic behaviors is stall kicking, in which horses strike out at the stall door or walls. This may be in response to other horses or people outside the stall, or may appear to be done at random. As with many stereotypic behaviors, the cause is often boredom and stress.

Unlike wood chewing, stall kicking can have serious long-term effects on the horse as well as the barn. Kicking is frequently a cause of soft-tissue injuries such as ligament and tendon strains, which can take months to recover from and often prove to be career ending. Stall kicking also increases the risk of getting a foot caught under or in a stall wall.

Hess reports that stall kicking can also result in the fracture of the small bones in the hoof, which are usually inoperable.

Owner Eva Pratl has experienced the results of stall kicking firsthand. She purchased her otherwise wonderful 10-year-old gelding three years ago and has spent much of that time trying to keep him sound after stall kicking rendered him lame from an inflamed suspensory ligament and foot problems. His lameness became so severe that she consulted an equine podiatrist to fit the horse with corrective shoes.

"He told us that I can do everything, but if this horse doesn't stop kicking, he'll never be sound," she said.

Pratl estimates she has spent “at least” $10,000 since the horse’s purchase on stall padding, shoes, and vet and farrier bills as a direct result of his kicking habit.

Unlike cribbing and wood chewing, which may be treated by simple equipment devices or nutritional changes, there is no easy fix to stall kicking. Owners may purchase hobbles, which restrict movement of the back legs, or kick-chains, which make unpleasant noise when the horse kicks out, but these devices come at risk of further injury to a distressed horse or innocent bystander. Steakelin says she typically does not recommend either device to most customers.

A new system called QuitKick may be useful in discouraging some horses with this dangerous habit. The QuitKick apparatus is composed of sensors that can be placed on the stall door or on walls that detect the firm shaking that occurs when the structures are kicked. Upon receiving the signal, QuitKick squirts a jet of water over or through the stall door at the horse.

As tempting as it is to wave your arms at a stall-kicking horse, Andrew Dewson, managing director of QuitKick USA, believes that the secret to QuitKick’s success is the fact it is a response your horse won’t associate with you. Dewson maintains that QuitKick has proven 100 percent effective because the kicker won’t be tempted to resume his behavior when you leave the barn.

Eval Pratl echoes this experience with reprimanding her horse.

“If you stand in the stall with him, he’ll stop,” Pratl said. “But you can’t stand in the stall all the time.”

Pratl has tried every other product and treatment available, including kick chains, modified hobbles and stall matts and has recently ordered QuitKick as a last resort.

Dewson has not found a problem with the device failing to discourage horses that love water.

"I've had people tell me, 'But that won't work; My horse likes water.' I like beer, but I wouldn't want it squirted in my face," he said with a chuckle.

Stall weaving and walking
Another stereotypic behavior that can have drastic effects on legs and feet is stall weaving. Weavers stand in a certain place in their stall, often in front of the door or facing a corner, and shift their weight from front foot to front foot. The motion can include small steps with the front feet spread apart or may be more subtle. Weavers can become particularly absorbed in their behavior and may ignore activity outside their stall in favor of feeding their habit.

Stall walking and weaving are similar behaviors, but stall walkers tend to circle their stall or take several steps back and forth across the space.

These types of repeated motion can wear down and chip hoof walls or grind on shoes, and may ultimately place strain on ligaments and tendons as the horse leans from one direction to the other.

Weaving and walking are particularly difficult behaviors to stop. Often, it is best to identify and address their cause. As with other undesirable stall behaviors, they may be a symptom of a high-energy diet and inadequate grazing time. Breaking grain meals into smaller portions can reduce excess energy that may leave your horse tapping his toes.

For some, the source of stress comes from being inside and not munching on forage. Horses are designed to be free to move and grazing constantly, so particularly sensitive ones may feel anxiety from being in a stall, particularly if there is not hay constantly available. Offering free choice hay in hay nets or bags may slow your horse’s consumption and also prove mentally stimulating. If your horse cannot be on pasture or hay constantly, you could put him in a dry lot to give him the freedom of movement without the added body fat.

Weavers and walkers may also be comforted by the proximity of a companion. Consider placing a window in your horse’s stall or installing bars at the top of shared walls so he can see other horses outside or friends in neighboring stalls. Adding a metal mesh stall door or a stall guard to the horse’s door allows him to feel closer to people and animals in the barn aisle and reduces the feeling of confinement.

Adding another animal friend to your horse’s life may also reduce stress. Goats, sheep, mini horses and donkeys, chickens, guineas, cats and dogs have all been known to provide harmonious companionship inside or out. Remember, when mixing species, make sure your horse and his friend are properly vaccinated and wormed to prevent transmission of diseases or parasites.

Pawing
Another common behavior in stabled horses is pawing. Horses may paw for a variety of reasons, including as a normal tool while scraping out grain or leaves from under snow or dust. For some, it is an expression of impatience and attention-seeking, especially for those on cross-ties or in a wash stall if they become bored while their caretaker is occupied. For others however, it becomes a compulsive behavior in which the horse constantly strikes and scrapes at the stall door, ultimately wearing hooves, pulling off shoes and damaging feet.

While discipline can be effective in the wash stall or the cross-ties, other changes may be necessary for a horse who paws in the stall. Tightening or adjusting the stall door may eliminate the desired noise your horse is using to get your attention and remove his reward. Otherwise, the QuitKick system is also designed to eliminate pawing that shakes stall doors.

Boredom busters
Providing your horse with toys is a great way to avoid the boredom that can often be the root of stereotypic behavior. Fortunately, Nittmann reports that there is an ever-increasing number of stall toys to choose from.

“There are more and more issues with horses. … we try prevention rather than cure,” Nittmann said.

The world of horse toys has now expanded to occupy a whole page in Dover’s recent print catalog.

Rubber balls in all shapes and sizes are available for horses to chew, push and kick, many of which include handles that also make them easy to pick up. For horses that are not enticed by plain toys, the same type of toys are available scented and flavored. Other rolling toys also dispense treats as they are pushed around a stall or field.

Some hanging, edible toys can also provide entertainment for a horse indoors. Himalayan salt blocks are meant to be especially tasty, and hanging them from a rafter can provide a challenge to interested horses. Some treat dispensers or grain-covered balls are also available for similar stimulation. For the more easily amused horse, try hanging an old, brightly colored plastic jug from bailing twine.

Still other stall toys have spinning, lickable elements and are bolted to a stall wall. Some include treats or flavored mineral blocks, while others provide textured plastic elements for added interest.

Nittmann notes that some customers are hesitant to spend the money on a toy or new training aid because they don’t realize how costly the alternative can be.

Careful observation
"These are much more serious problems than people give them credit for; they're much more widespread than people realize they are," Dewson said.

In the end, nothing can replace careful observation of your horse to learn what drives his stereotypic behavior. Consult with your veterinarian to learn about the impact of your horse’s habits, and additional steps you can take to discourage them. Most importantly, don’t assume that stable vices are just an annoyance to be tolerated.