CRIBBERS: PROBABLY JUST AS SMART AS OTHER HORSES

A new study from Switzerland challenges the notion that horses who crib are less capable of learning than are their peers.

Cribbing is classified as a stereotypy---a repetitive pattern of behavior with no apparent goal or purpose. A cribbing horse repeatedly grasps a solid object with his teeth, pulls back and gulps air, often emitting a distinctive grunting sound. Cribbing has been linked to frustration and stress associated with restrictive environments, but once established as a habit, cribbing often continues even when a horse’s management changes.

Prior research has suggested that horses who crib are less