Mark & Denise Espoy

If it looks as though Trigger is trying to eat his way out of the stall, it's not because he needs bigger tastier meals. "Cribbing," a nervous habit developed by some horses, can cause significant damage both to the horse's teeth and to his surroundings. Cribbing, also called crib-biting or wind-sucking, is when a horse latches onto surfaces with its teeth and arches its neck, retracting its larynz and pulling backward. "This is different from wood-chewing, where horses chew wood without arching and contraction of the neck," says Dr. Peter Rakestraw a veterinarian at the College of Veterinary Medicine at Texas A&M University. "Cribbing occurs in approximately 2 to 5 percent of the horse population." It is difficult to predict which horses will develop this behavior. However, the learning association has not been proven. One theory is that the repetitive behavior is due to environmental and management stress,Rakestraw adds. He says that stabled horses are more likely to become cribbers than horses that spend more time at pasture. "Cribbing is considered to be 'unsound' in horses as it causes a horse's teeth to wear down abnormally," explains Rakestraw "There are theories that speculate as to whether cribbing indicates a nutritional deficiency or may cause a higher incidence of colic. Historically, it has been thought that cribbing is associated with swallowing air, called'aerophagia.' The air swallowing was then thought to cause gas colic. "But more recent evidence has shown that swallowing is not a feature of cribbing. The noise is from air rushing into the upper part of the esophagus, but since the horse does not swallow, little air reaches the stomach." Rakestraw says there are several approaches to prevent cribbing. The first is to allow your horse more time at pasture. Sometimes this diversion from routine can be enough to break the habit. If you are unable to put the horse to pasture, you may try a cribbing strap or collar, which is typically made of leather and has a metal piece that conforms to the horse's neck muscles when relaxed. The shape of the metal discourages muscle contraction in the neck and may be effective.However, as soon as the cribbing strap is taken off the horse, it is more likely to resume cribbing, Rakestraw adds. There are also a variety of sprays available that may deter cribbing by coating surfaces on which the horse cribs with a bitter tast. There is little information as to the actual effectiveness of cribbing straps and sprays, but Rakestraw recommends trying these simple, inexpensive methods before surgery. When all else fails, some horse owners opt for a proedure called the "modified Forseel technique." "This is a surgical proedure that can correct cribbing by removing a portion of a nerve and certain muscles that allow the neck to bend and the larynx to contract. It generally costs around $1,200 and requires hospitalization for up to four day," said Rakestraw. "About 60 percent of these patients stop cribbing completely after surgery, while about 25 percent are helped significantly." Rakestraw says it is important to remember that all stabled, bored or nervous hores do not become cribbers. If your horse does begin this unhealthy and destructive habit, discuss treatment options with your veterinarian. A solution just might improve the longevity of Trigger's chompers, not to mention your stalls.

By Jacqueline Espoy Equine Science major at CSU The winters in Pagosa can get very cold not only for you, but also for your horses and livestock. During late fall and early winter, horses as well as livestock start growing their thick winter coat to protect themselves from the harsh weather. These animals will also increase their heat production through enhancing their metabolic rate, increasing their feed intake to increase fiber digestion; they will also shiver, and decrease their activity. Horses and livestock will decrease their heat loss via 'vasoconstriction,' preventing movement of blood to the exterior of their bodies, so the blood won't get cooled by the cold weather next to the hair and skin. Piloerection (goose bumps) also occur to increase their hair length. These animals will also seek shelter and change their posture, such as putting their rear ends to the wind, staying close together, etc. Here are some cold weather management tips to help your help your horse or livestock to stay a little bit warmer this year. 1. Provide shelter (natural or man-made) 2. Feed higher energy feeds, but not necessarily grain. Forage such as hay or alfalfa is better in the diet because it has a higher feed heat index. The more their digestive track is working the more heat it produces, so if it takes them longer to eat forages and they can eat quite a bit more of it their digestive track will be working more; that is what I mean by increase fiber digestion at the beginning of this article'the more fiber they digest the more heat they produce. 3. Assure that the animals have adequate water availability; water is just as important in winter as it is in the summer. Don't rely on them eating snow: most horses and cattle won't. 4. Check the horse's body conditioning, because winter hair coats can be deceiving. The way to do this is to feel the ribs, you should be able to push slightly yet firmly to feel the ribs, and they should be at least moderately fleshy. 5. Make sure your horse has a good cool down after riding and try to dry off most of the sweat. Keeping your animals safe and warm is a necessity in cold weather ' ask your veterinarian for more tips on ensuring the welfare of your equine friends.