Would you stall your horse next to a cribber?

[Jim Knopf]

That's the question...would you knowingly stall your horse next to a cribber?

More to the story: horses go out all day, neighbor has cribbing collar on in stall, at night. Would you stall your non-cribbing horse next to that horse or ask to be moved?

[cloudyandcallie]

ASk to be moved. It is not worth the risk. Altho I'm more afraid of paddocking next to a cribber. When Cloudy was young, we boarded intown on dry individual paddocks, and the appendix boarder in next paddock cribbed the tree on fence line over the hot wire. Cloudy started chewing the tree, I asked that he be moved, and all was Ok after the move.

Same cribber was in next stall, but no way to see between stalls, the wall was solid with no gaps so no problem, Cloudy probably thought it was the rats.

At another barn, a yearling colt was placed next to Cloudy and the colt ate the wood on the tiny paddocks attached to the stalls, and Cloudy picked chewing up again. This time Quitt worked, and the colt had to be moved as he chewed thru both sides of his little paddock.

So some horses are impressionable (ok he's a warmblood) and I worried that Cloudy would pick up cribbing, altho all the literature says it is hereditary. We are now at a barn with no cribbers.

Callie, Ottb mare, 3 yrs on the track, never cribbed, altho her stall was on the side of Cloudy away from the appendix cribber. But years later, when she was ill, she was stalled right by a young paint who was left inside 24/7 and who was afraid of everything, and in a dark stall with his window shut, and the paint chewed the wire and the wood and paced. Callie got fed up and kicked out the side of her stall one day. I had to pay. Paint was moved to the other side of the aisle.

So while I understand all the problems with cribbers, I do not want mine stabled where cribbers can be seen and mimicked.

Cribbing doesn't stop. So ask to be moved. Even if horses don't pick it up, it can drive them crazy.

[thatmoody]

I just moved my young horse who is highly suggestible from next to the cribber, but I had to put my old guy there. He hasn't picked it up (he's not in as often anyway and he is much less nervous/curious) but I hate it, and they won't put a collar on him. I just give the old guy plenty of hay and pray. If he shows a single nibble, though, I'll have to figure something else out. The young horse was starting to crib, but I moved him and he hasn't shown any signs of it since.

Keep your fingers crossed for us :P.

[cloudyandcallie]

I just moved my young horse who is highly suggestible from next to the cribber, but I had to put my old guy there. He hasn't picked it up (he's not in as often anyway and he is much less nervous/curious) but I hate it, and they won't put a collar on him. I just give the old guy plenty of hay and pray. If he shows a single nibble, though, I'll have to figure something else out. The young horse was starting to crib, but I moved him and he hasn't shown any signs of it since.

Keep your fingers crossed for us :P.

Move your old guy too! He might react like my old mare and kick out the side of the stall. She didn't hurt herself but she could have. Listen to the cribbing, even with a collar some cannot be controlled, and image listening to that all night.:eek:

[Dance_To_Oblivion]

Nope. Simply because I can not stand cribbing...it is like nails on the chalkboard to me. Yes some horses can be controlled with a collar but then somebody forgets to put it back on, or it needs to be tightened, etc. and then that awful noise starts back up! It makes me twitchy!!

[Paragon]

I have never seen a horse "pick up" cribbing, and we have several cribbers in the barn where I ride. They are not only next door to and across from non-cribbers, but share windows.

As related to me by a German friend who was well acquainted with Georg Theodorescu, even he believed that horses couldn't learn it from one another, and went so far as to say that it was only the very intelligent - and easily bored - ones who did it in the first place. ;)

'Course, I just plain don't have a problem with cribbers.

[tbracefan]

I have had several horses that were and one now that have been cribbers. I have never seen any of my other horses pick up this habit. In my experience this habit has been developed from frustration and or too much stall time. I had one horse that was stalled next to a cribber for 8 years and he never even attempted. I keep a collar on them and provide plenty of turn out and while in their stalls plenty of hay. It has always been a none issue for me. In fact I just bought a mare that cribs. But......... that has been my experience and I am sure there are others that have not had the same.

[Highflyer]

Sure. But then, my current horse weaves :) I've never seen one learn, and it doesn't particularly bother me. In fact, of my last three horses, one stallwalked, one cribbed, and this one weaves. Lucky thing they're always out 24/7, I guess :lol:

[county]

I have a brood mare that cribs shes been here for 16 years with from 5 to 15 other mares year round so far no other mare has started to crib.

[Lieslot]

I had my two stalled next to cribbers and they never picked up on it.
So it wouldn't bother me a bit.
My horses were also turned out in a large group with several cribbers that would down the fenceline in weeks, and again neither one of mine picked up on it.

I personally always thought that you stand more chance ending up with a cribber, when a horse is stalled for long periods of time and becomes bored, rather then a happy entertained horse stalled next to a cribber.
I can see the point where people say the noise of a cribber day and night would drive them nuts. But surely horses go numb to that, just like I have gone numb to the sound of the neighboring bird-shy cannon that goes off twice a minute from early am till pm.

Personally, I wouldn't worry about it for a minute, but if you are concerned, why stick it out. Just move if you have a choice, so you have peace of mind over it. There's enough things we as horse owners constantly have to worry or fret over, so if you can, I'd say just move.

Good luck.

[whaat]

I said I would never own a cribber but have owned two. One was such a bad cribber that he would suck the air if he did not have something to grab ahold to. We have a small barn so all of the horses are pretty much able to see and hear each other. Also each group of turnout buddies has a cribber in it. That being said we have many horses over the years and none of them have ever picked it up from the others. This has included one extremly mouthy horse and a three year old.

[mhtokay]

I think that's a myth that horses teach others to crib. I'm pretty sure that's been proven otherwise. I'm betting more often the case, the same barn may see many cribbers because the horses all have the same aggravating conditions that encourage cribbing.


I have one I call a closet cribber and her sire was. IF I see her crib, it's generally right after grain and if the handy edge presents itself. One of her 4 older foals has cribbed (a little), I'm told, but he was cooped up alot and in heavy training at the time.

[bludejavu]

I have three cribbers in the barn now - have had at least 12 to 14 cribbers in the past - stalled plenty of non-cribbers on either side of them and have never had a single horse pick up the habit that didn't arrive here already cribbing. I also have had several stall walkers, currently have one weaver who weaves both inside and out, and no horses have picked up those habits either. They will, however, teach each other to chew wood - have seen that firsthand.

[FindersKeepers]

I have never known a horse that picked up cribbing from another. Cribbing is a habit that develops out of boredom. If you put a horse that never gets attention next to a cribber, I guess it's possible they could come to the conclussion that it would be a good idea...but

Really, isolating a bored, cribbing horse makes the cribbing worse. I have successfully seen one horse be relieved of the nagging habit by being stabled with a bunch of horses and put into work.

[Crooked Horse]

Some horses may pick up cribbing from another, but it is not the rule by any means.
My mare had a best horsey friend that was a cribber. She was stalled next to her and turned out with her daily from the time she was 20 months old until I moved her to a new facility when she was five years old. She has never cribbed for a moment in her life.

[sid]

Replies not read.

Yes, I would. Wood CHEWING is contagious (learned), cribbing is not. Cribbing in a stressor sign of boredom, typically developing at a young age from too much stall confinement and/or no pasture to graze.

I've had many horses, mostly homebred and babies next to boarded cribbers...not one picked up the habit. Difference was that my youngsters were turned out 18 hrs a day on pasture vs. the boarders horses which may have been OTTB's and/or kept in for the majority of the day when young.

[Chief2]

Ours have been stalled next to or across from cribbers, weavers, kickers and a stall walker. Never picked up the vices.

[Nezzy]

I DID keep my horses next to a cribber for 2 years. a die hard cribber with no collar on and she cribbed while she ate. None of the other horses learned it from her. IMO, they only learn it if they were going to do it anyway.

[Buffyblue]

I owned one cribber and three non-cribbers. They were turned out together every day and stalled next to each other every night for years. He remained the only cribber in the herd. So, yes, I would and I did. No problem!

[pines4equines]

Thirty years ago when we used to board, we would not take cribbers...Now, no boarders and both my horses crib.

Sometimes, the two, who are stalled across from each other, will crib and belch (I call windsucking belching) in unison. I call it Olympic Synchronized Cribbing...The new olympic sport.

[saultgirl]

It's irritating to me, but I would not make a fuss about my horse being stalled next to a cribber. Horses don't learn to crib from watching other horses.

[SLW]

That's the question...would you knowingly stall your horse next to a cribber?

More to the story: horses go out all day, neighbor has cribbing collar on in stall, at night. Would you stall your non-cribbing horse next to that horse or ask to be moved?

Having my horse stalled part time or full time beside a cribber would not bother me in the least. When I have owned cribbers my non-cribbing horses did not pick up the habit.

Good luck.

[thatmoody]

Move your old guy too! He might react like my old mare and kick out the side of the stall. She didn't hurt herself but she could have. Listen to the cribbing, even with a collar some cannot be controlled, and image listening to that all night.:eek:

Luckily they're on different turnout schedules, so he'll only be in there with him during the evening feeding, thank goodness. Honestly, I'm not over-fond of that horse anyway, and this doesn't help. He also shakes his feed bucket.

[thatmoody]

Well, the young horse had never cribbed before, and started to after this horse moved in, but then he's one of those that's always into EVERYTHING. Let him out to graze while you clean his stall, and he's back in the barn pulling off everyone's leadrope and playing with their stall gates trying to get them to join him.

He's on a good work schedule and gets turnout, thank goodness, because otherwise he'd be a real pain.

[CosmosMariner]

I would stall next to a cribber.
Horses do not pick it up from one another.
Plenty of reseach has gone into this. Do a search on this topic.

[jeta]

Currently stalled next to a horse that cribs and weaves...Quite frankly the weaving is more annoying than the cribbing to me....He cribs and chews mostly in TO and is literally eating the fence, but he is in individual TO away from my guy's group as he doesn't play well with others....

Never occured to me to ask to be moved as they seem to get along just fine...There is a full wall between them so they don't really interact and are only near each other at night anyway....

[equinelaw]

I did the research and I would not be bothered. It doesn't spred. If you are bothered by cribbing its best for your mental health to not see it:)

[saddleup]

My cribber and my non-cribber have lived next to each other for 12 years. The cribber still cribs, and the non-cribber still doesn't. So, yes, I would stall a horse next to a cribber.

[Showbizz]

Yes.

[JenRose]

When I was boarding, my gelding was next to a cribber for 8+ years. The cribber moved to a new barn and a weaver moved in. My guy never picked up on either bad habit. :)

[Janet]

I would have no objection to haveing any of my horses stabled next to a cribber.

I DO have one cribber, and it has never affected any of the other horses stabled next to, or turned out with, him.

[myrna]

It's not a disease.Horses either crib or they don't.They don't "catch" it from another horse.

[Deloris - New York]

We have a cribber here and yes my horse (show horse) is next to him. Actually facing each other, if that makes sense. Mine is at the last stall at the end of barn. Don't believe this is a "learned" vice as many think. Usually caused from something, like ulcers or lack of hay and boredom. Usually happens at an early age and once they begin, well, then they continue.

I have a boarder that made the comment to me that she can't believe that I allow that horse to crib and it makes her mad that her mare is next to him. I just laugh and say if that were my only problem. She (boarder) got over it and we still put collar on the other fellow at night in stall but sometimes I walk in barn and hear that god awful noise and somehow he still manages to crib.

I think it bothers me more than the other horses. So yes, I would stall next to a cribber but yes it annoys me. But talk to the BO and see if maybe you can work something out.

[ExJumper]

My gelding was stalled next to a cribber for 2 years. He never cribbed and still doesn't.

[kipster]

Yes, I would stall my horse next to a cribber.
I have stalled my horse next to a weaver and a cribber. He has not picked up either vice. The weaving and cribbing are vices - they are not contagious.

[texang73]

It's not a disease.Horses either crib or they don't.They don't "catch" it from another horse.

That's true, but I would *not* stall next to one just because it annoys the heck out of me!

[Donnalynn]

Am really glad to hear that so many horses have not learned to crib from other horses.

While that's good for them, the veeeery simple truth is that they can and do. All the research in the world isn't going to help you if yours happens to be one that can and does. And there is no "test" that will tell. Same stressful conditions will have some horses acting out and others not.

So, while not in the current fashion, I will not expose my horses to the risk.

We'll hear from a lot of people who say cribbing doesn't matter. And it doesn't - to them. There are however a lot of people to whom it matters very much and there are barns which don't accept them at all.

Your horses, your call, but since you wanted to hear from all of us, here's my two cents.

[jetsmom]

Jet has been stabled next to cribbers (at 2 different barns) since he was 3. He's 10 now. He's never picked up cribbing, nor have the horses on the other side of the cribbers.

I think if you are seeing many horses crib in one barn it is most likely due to their horse management practices (ie feed/turnout/stalls/stress).


So yes, I will stable next to cribbers.

[Phaxxton]

While I've heard anecdotes to the contrary, I've never seen a horse learn cribbing from another horse. One of my horses shares an in/out with a cribber currently. (Both stalls open into a paddock - one horse is out all day, one out all night.) The other horse cribs horribly and does not wear a collar. He even cribs on my horse's stall door. My horse has yet to even lick the wood, let alone start cribbing.

My other horse has also been stabled with cribbers and wood chewers (and currently one that weaves) and has never picked up on the vices.

[Quinn]

For what it's worth, mine did!!! Perhaps he was predisposed to it. I'll never know BUT what I do know is that within a very short period of time, he did become a bonafide cribber. He was a yearling at the time and was moved when I insisted on it but the habit was well set at that point. Scottie was born with a large cleft palate and as such could not wear a collar. He was euthanized at 20 and I will never again have a cribber next to one of mine.

http://community.webshots.com/user/ballyduff

[Kaeleer]

I recently got a cribber into my yard. I promptly put him next to my own horse, who would become so incensed by the revolting "gulping" noise coming from the stable next to him that he'd fly at the cribber over the half-wall, teeth bared. Worked a treat.

The horse has now settled down beautifully, put on weight and his cribbing is limited to feed times. He consumes more hay than any other horse in the yard, and his windsucking muscles have almost gone away.

Cribbing is not contagious, but it is annoying. I have very open stables, they can all see each other at all times. Nobody else crib-bites.

[Rebmik]

Have to TOTALLY disagree with anyone that says cribbing CANNOT be picked up by other horses.
Depends on that other horse!
My 5 yo Shire (mentally 2 1/2) - brought him back to barn a year ago went out at first with a 25+ yo mare...I live at barn/apt an the horses are around me 24/7. I physically saw him stand there, look at her and put his big mouth on the board...only did it when he was next to her...no longer together and no more tastin' the fence!...
like most horse things...depends on the horse!

[ponyjumper4]

Have not read all the replies.

I had a cribber and have another one in my barn. No big deal. However, I would not put a young horse (2 or under) near one as they may try to mimic--I have seen this happen on multiple occasions. An older horse typically would not pick it up just because another one around them is.

[hayabusagirl]

I own a cribber and had boarded him with many other horses and none of them"learned" to crib The past 3 years I have had him at home w/ 2 other horses. Usually he has his miracle collar on but I do give him breaks from it once in a while and the other 2 had never picked up this habit. I too had said I would never get a cribber( I was told he was cribbing a little[no such thing] when I picked him up right off the track). This horse is such a great boy that I can not imagine my life w/o him. Yes cribbing is obnoxious and sometimes dangerous( wood splinters/gas colic) but it is manageable. It is a myth that they "catch it". OTTBs are prone to it due to lack of turnout/boredom. Please do not let cribbing deter you from a great horse.