Prevention of crib-biting: a review.

This study examines the various methods used to prevent crib-biting, a common oral stereotype in horses, their effectiveness and consequences, and emphasizes the need for understanding the reasons why horses crib-bite to prevent its emergence.

Understanding the Problem: Crib-Biting in Horses

Crib-biting is a common oral stereotype, a repetitive behaviour that horses exhibit. With detrimental effects on horses’ health and appearance, owners often attempt to prevent this behaviour, but find it challenging due to the resourcefulness of horses in performing this action.

Review of Prevention Measures

The research paper discusses an array of methods attempted to curb this behavioural issue:

• Actions to prevent horses from grasping objects, a part of the crib-biting process.
• Interventions to interfere with air-engulfing, another essential aspect of crib-biting.
• Introducing punishment for the horse when they attempt to grasp objects or exhibit neck-flexion, behaviours associated with crib-biting.

Alternative Approaches

The paper also examines different approaches used to tackle crib-biting:

• Use of surgery to physically prevent the horse from being able to crib-bite.
• Acupuncture treatment for managing the horse’s behaviour.
• Administration of pharmaceuticals to control the urge to crib-bite.
• Operant feeding methods to manipulate the horse’s feeding behaviour and discourage crib-biting.
• Environmental enrichment to provide a stimulating environment for the horse, reducing the tendency to crib-bite.

Ineffectiveness of Remedial Strategies

Despite myriad methodologies, a universally effective remedy for crib-biting remains elusive. The paper suggests that these methods have been less effective due to insufficient understanding of why horses crib-bite.

Recommended Direction for Future Research

The study concludes with the recommendation that future research should focus on understanding the reasons behind horses’ crib-biting behaviour. By doing so, it may be possible to prevent the emergence of crib-biting behaviours or mitigate its frequency more effectively, rather than focusing on trying to halt the behaviour once it has already become a habit. This approach could potentially save time, resources, and reduce the stress on both the horses and their owners.