Cribbing is a repetitive and compulsive behavior in which the horse bites into something solid i.e. fences, stalls, buckets and other objects in their living environment. The horse will grip on to their target with their top incisors, arching their neck and sucking in air often with an audible gulp. These actions are all in pursuit of a head rush which induces a pleasurable high. It is important to remember that although cribbers may damage the objects and surfaces they use to achieve this high, cribbing differs from chewing wood. You can read more about wood chewers here.
Current research indicates that horses crib to relieve stress or physical discomfort. Common reasons for cribbing include the following:
- Boredom
- Stress
- Nervousness
- Excessive energy
- Nutritional deficiencies
Horses that crib can suffer undesirable health effects, with many horses wearing down their top incisors sometimes right to the gum line. This wear can lead to challenges for your horse consuming and properly digesting their food, and may cause abnormal alignment of the upper and lower teeth. Horses who crib are also at a higher risk of colic.
In addition to the physical effects that cribbing has on the body, it is believed that some horses can become addicted to the rush cribbing provides. This can lead to horses seemingly going off their food which can lead to weight loss, malnutrition and overall poor performance.