Page 1017 - The Veterinary Care of the Horse
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Figure 22.1 Crib-biting and wind-sucking
Causes
These behaviours are associated with:
• high grain and concentrate diets
• little turnout onto pasture
• restricted access to forage.
The above management practices lead to increased gastric acidity and the development of
gastric ulcers. The acid is continually produced in the stomach whether the horse eats or not.
A horse with restricted forage that has long periods without any food may produce
insufficient alkaline saliva to buffer the acid. It may be that crib-biting increases saliva flow
and decreases the discomfort caused by gastric ulceration, but this has not been proven.
Regular suckling by foals reduces the gastric acidity. Foals often start to crib shortly after
weaning. The removal of the opportunity to suckle together with the introduction of high-
