Horses and cribbing...

[TMNTCkins]

We had a horse that was a cribber. He would crib on anything and all the time and he was out on ten acres. He was a chronic colicer also due to cripping. Get horse but he was alot of work. We tried evething and nothing worked. He had a really bad colic and passed away.
I would find out the degree of cribbing that this horse has and make a decision then.
Good Luck
Tina

 

[Cara]

Thanks for all of the helpful info, lots to look into IF it's that elusive horse that I get along with.

 

[Cara]

Quote:
I will do, chewing things up is one thing, colic is a whole different ball game. The present owners have said that it didn't matter to them that she was a cribber when they bought her, not entirely sure what they mean by that but i'd assume (but will ask

) that it doesn't affect her health.

 

[CountryMom]

I have seen horses crib on anything and everything with or without a collar. Even saw one hook his top teeth on the top wire of a fence (mind you it was barbed) and go at it. One I know will hook his teeth on a lead rope when standing tied and crib....with a collar on. Then there are other cribbers that don't do a bit of cribbing with a collar on, but take it off and immediately they are looking to go hook their teeth on something and crib.

It is like anything with a horse. There is no perfect horse, so you have to make a decision if you can deal with the issues that the horse has. Some horses have minor things, while others have more major things like cribbing. I do consider it a major thing because of the potiential health issues. Turn out does help a whole bunch, but it isn't always the answer. Like someone said, that it can run in a bloodline and it can also come from being stalled. I personally think it is temperment which is also in a bloodline. If the horse fits you or is a highly trained horse you can compete on, then it may be a future mount for you. If it is a project horse that you would have to really work a lot on or spend a lot with a trainer, I say pass it up and look further.

 

[Cara]

It is not a project. I am looking for something finished, broke, quiet, simple

Lucy is still a work in progress, progress has been made but there is a way to go (we are keeping her). Lorie is coming along but she is a baby and we both need to learn more. My gelding is old (24) and has colicked the past couple of times i've ridden him. Basically i'm at a point where I can buy something nice and agreeable that I can just get on and ride, take to the occasional clinic or local show and not worry about her throwing a fit. I'm trying to find what I should have bought instead of Lucy, an 8-15yr old good broke experienced horse.

I guess ultimately with the cribbing issue it depends upon the extent of the problem and how easily it could be managed.. and whether the horse in question has other qualities that make it worth the trouble.

 

[Cara]

DH has put a spoke in the wheel. He doesn't think I can learn anything from a finished horse, so we're back to square one.

 

[patandchickens]

Quote:
No offense to your DH and not that he cares what I say

but that is SUCH a CROCK

Riding a well-trained horse is incredibly useful and educational, because you can work on improving what you are doing (refine your aids, improve your seat, get 'with' the horse, learn more coordination and subtlety) rather than always being thrown off balance or fighting with the horse.

Why do you think the Spanish Riding School (you know, with the Lipizzaners, in Vienna) keeps their trainees on well-trained school horses for YEARS before they are allowed to sit less-finished horses? That is how they turn out some of the best riders in the world.

Pat

 

[MsPony]

There can be problems, my gelding is an OTTB and at age 18, he no longer has ANY front upper teeth, they are past his gums. He does it from stress & ulcers, which go hand and hand in his sensitive tb self. All I personally have to do is put a collar lightly on him for a day or week (depending on the level of "stress") and he knocks it off. I also treat him for ulcers and gastro-intestinal issues. Btw I got him at 18 years of age lol, I have known him since he was 13 and moved to the same barn as me and my older mare. He was allowed to crib his whole life before us.

Also, there is always something to learn from a finished horse! My older mare, who is now 30 and retired to children, was 23 when I got her. Oh man, did she throw me some good bucks, even last year on her 29th birthday! She was such a learning curve for me, I had to be there with her, and RIDE or else I was left in the dust

Now my above mentioned gelding is "finished", but the complete 180 of the mare, which makes me have to relearn everything over again. Patience was not a virtue in me nor my mares book, but it had better be a virtue according to my gelding, or I WILL get reprimanded.

 

[Skyesrocket]

Riding a well-trained horse is incredibly useful and educational, because you can work on improving what you are doing (refine your aids, improve your seat, get 'with' the horse, learn more coordination and subtlety) rather than always being thrown off balance or fighting with the horse.

I'm with Pat on this. It's so annoying to go for riding lessons and end up on a horse that "still needs miles put on it". I quit lessons a couple of times because of this.
Good Luck in finding the perfect horse for you!​

 

[Akane]

I've learned the most from the retired well trained competition horses my mom bought me when I was in 4-h. I would not be able to train young horses the way I do if it weren't for them. I didn't really need that well trained of horse since I'd been helping to break colts since I was 10 but they taught me a lot. When I started in the horse program at college I chose probably the best trained horse there but he was an arab with a short attention span that no one had addressed in years so I heard the less experienced riders going on about how horrible he was one day. I had to step in and correct them. I'd never been on a horse that reacted so well to seat and leg. Idiots had just ruined him using him as a lesson horse for beginners and it took a little extra to bring his attention back around. I learned far more from that horse about combining legs and reins to keep his attention and collection than anything I learned from the half broke paint they gave me as a project horse later. I ranted about that paint and his stupidity until they let me go back to riding the arab.

It's fun to have a few good horses (not stupid, lazy things) to finish but really until you've ridden something that's completely trained and finished in the discipline your interested in you have no idea how they are suppose to feel. You can't train for something you've never experienced.