Nutritional Supplements for Cribbers?

[ZoZo]

I am interested if anyone has been successful at minimizing cribbing with nutrition or supplements. My horse cribs only after eating grain. I have heard that cribbing may be a result of ulcers or stomach pain and am considering an ulcer supplement to see if it helps. Anyone have any luck with this?

[SFrost]

My horse isn't a cribber. However, I do use Smartgut. It has worked wonders on my horse.

[Bogie]

I've done some research on cribbing. Yes, how you feed/amount of turnout can help, but there's also a strong genetic component to cribbing.

Easier just to point you to these articles that I published on my blog:

Cribbing: Presumed Causes (http://www.equineproductsreview.com/?q=content/cribbing-presumed-causes)
Does cribbing cause health problems? (http://www.equineproductsreview.com/?q=content/cribbing-part-ii-does-cribbing-cause-health-problems)
Cribbing Prevention (http://www.equineproductsreview.com/?q=content/cribbing-part-iii-prevention)

Feeding alfalfa (hay, pellets, cubes) both prevents and cures ulcers so that might be a place to start. It's cheaper than supplements, too!

Feeding Alfalfa Beneficial to Ulcer Prone Horses (http://www.equineproductsreview.com/?q=content/feeding-alfalfa-beneficial-ulcer-prone-horses)

[appychik]

My boy always cribbed after eating grain/hay/treats... that all started shortly after being diagnosed with a torn CCL and being stuck on stall rest for months at a time.

He finally has stopped cribbing since being moved to a new boarding situation, where he's out 24/7.

We do think that he may have had some ulcers or other stomach/intestinal issues as he was on a lot of bute at the same time the cribbing started. I did try a variety of supps... AniGest was one, also OTC Prilosec and Maloxx... not sure if they did anything at all.

Anyways, my guy always did better (least in his stall) if he had hay in front of him at all times. He still tried cribbing when outside, but usually stopped when yelled at.

Supposedly alfalfa is good for ulcers, and is definitely easy to try... but alfalfa isn't for all horses. You could always try treating with Ulcergard.

[ZoZo]

Thanks for the feedback. Bogie, the articles are helpful. It sounds like I am doing everything right according to what I've read & researched.

My horse lives outside 24/7 with other horses and since this arrangement his cribbing has almost stopped. I had him in a smaller paddock when we lived in CA and he cribbed non-stop without a collar which would result in colic. Once I put the collar on he couldn't crib, but then he got terrible rubs. Now with his huge KY pasture he's happier, doesn't wear a collar & cribs less, but I still can't get him to quit after grain or treats. I can deal with the cribbing as a habit, I just want to be sure he's not in pain & since I've never had a cribber or a horse with gastric/ulcer probs I'm just uneducated.

Thanks again!

[equinelaw]

I made up that stuff about ulcers and stomach pain. I then tested it as scientists tend to do. I was wrong. The tests in no way supported my theory. I did not even write my thesis on my results. It was that WRONG. But it does not matter. Although only 2 researchers proposed that theory and one admits she was wrong, it just wont die. Sometimes people post my research results here to support that theory even though it shows it was wrong. No basis in scientific fact whatsoever, but it sounds good. If it were that simple then yes, by now you could just buy a nice feed supplement and cure cribbing. But its been 10 years and nobody is selling it, so???

Animals can be primed for a certain behavior if it produces the same neurotransmitters as another behavior might. Like sex used to always be followed by smoking. Both hit the dopamine button in the brain, so one "reminds" the brain of the other. This is called "priming"

Sweet feeds (those with a sweet taste--not a descriptor of a feed type) can "prime" a horse for a cribbing bout. Most horses that only crib in certain situations only do it after eating grain or treats. Its sort of the last irresistible primer.

Just because your horse cribs does not mean you are doing anything wrong. The easier you make it for him to crib, the more likely he will do it, so a small fenced in area or stall makes it easy to just reach out and gunk. Your horse finds it not worth walking all the way over to the fence to crib, but still thinks its worth the effort to crib after eating. Try using alfalfa cubes as treats. That will eliminate one trigger.

[Auto Be A Storm]

My boy was a horrible cribber and I tried everything in the book and some. I had a cribbing surgery done on him and now he is healthy, happy, putting on weight and more focused in the ring!!! Good luck if you find a sloution!!! Unfortunally mine wasn't caused by ulcers, just a life long bad habot that he picked up when he was 6 months!!!

[Foxtrot's]

There is a grain-free complete pellet marketed here called Equi-care that is good for funny tummies.
Maybe your horse does not need grain at all. Alfalfa is known to buffer the stomach, plus omega 3 and 6 in flax and oil. Lots of good hay (free choice) may be all he needs. Does he get hungry before his meals and then puts out lots of stomach acid at meal times.

[mypaintwattie]

My horse was a constant cribber until a few weeks ago, when I started to treat her for ulcers. I believe all of the research that says that ulcers contribute to cribbing, because since beginning ranitidine and with the addition of alfalfa to her diet she has drastically REDUCED HER CRIBBING!!!!!!!:D For once my horse can make it through a meal without cribbing, and after she eats she naps- when before she would crib, crib, crib!

[equinelaw]

My horse was a constant cribber until a few weeks ago, when I started to treat her for ulcers. I believe all of the research that says that ulcers contribute to cribbing, because since beginning ranitidine and with the addition of alfalfa to her diet she has drastically REDUCED HER CRIBBING!!!!!!!:D For once my horse can make it through a meal without cribbing, and after she eats she naps- when before she would crib, crib, crib!

There is no research that says ulcers cause cribbing. There are just people who are researchers saying that could be something that might be the cause. Research says it does not. The act of cribbing lowers gastric ph. I'd be more inclined to think cribbing causes ulcers, but there is not a very strong correlation to support that.

[animaldoc]

I'm more likely to think that both cribbing and ulcers are manifestations of stress........

[DreamsOfGP]

Have you tried using the stuff called Cribox where he cribs on? I had one dedicated cribber who had to wear a collar inside. I have 2 ponies that are not super dedicated. They only do it after treats/grain. I put the Cribox on the edges of their stalls and they won't touch it. It's the only thing I've found that works other than collars and doesn't wear off as quickly as some of the other products out there now. It can be messy though.