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Latest research says that cribbing is a genetic trait.  I have no 
intention of going back through my magazines to find where the research 
was conducted, so for those of you who demand proof look it up for 
yourself.  If the dam cribs and the sire doesn't the baby has a 60% 
chance of inheriting the behavior.  If the sire cribs but dam doesn't 
the baby has a 40% chance of inheriting the behavior.  If both dam and 
sire crib the baby will crib 100% of the time.  There is a rare 
occurrence of a baby from non-cribbing parents that is weaned too early 
 picking up the habit if the baby buddies up with a cribber.  Note that 
it is a rare occurrence.

Vices such as weaving, wood chewing, stall walking or pacing are 
learned behaviors usually associated with boredom.  Cribbing is not 
among these.

You cannot stop your cribber from cribbing.  All you can do is find 
ways to prevent them from doing it.  Most people find crib collars the 
easiest method for prevention.  But they don't work on all horses (mine 
included).  I find hot wire the easiest way to prevent cribbing.  
Taffy's stall is referred to as Ol' Sparky at my barn.  Every surface 
that she is able to grab hold of has hot wire across it (or down it).  
I prefer hot wire to collars for another reason.  Even with a crib 
collar the horse will still set their teeth and try to crib.  The 
collar makes it impossible for them to open their throat and suck in 
the air.  But their teeth still get the wear from the constant setting 
on hard surfaces.  With hot wire they can't set their teeth into 
anything.

There is no reason to turn down owning a cribber if the horse 
demonstrates all the characteristics that you are looking for.  All it 
means is you have to do a little more work around the barn to crib 
proof the place (this is especially true if crib collars don't work).  
You also need to be aware that cribbing can cause colic (not all horses 
will colic because of cribbing, some do).  It will wear down their 
front teeth.  They will look a little full in the tummy and fart a lot. 
 And they will develop a very muscular neck on the underside.

Some people say they will never own a cribber and yet they have no 
problems owning a horse that paces himself a trench along the fence 
line.  It's a heck of a lot easier to prevent a horse from cribbing 
than it is to stop a horse from pacing back and forth all day and 
night.  Cribbing is still associated with a lot of old wives tales, so 
if someone tells you the other horses in the barn will pick up the 
habit tell them to get and life and walk away.  The genetic 
predisposition must be present before the horse will crib.  Cribbers 
put out on pasture tend to stop cribbing, but will start up again when 
confined to smaller pens and barns.  Some will still crib when out on 
pasture when there's a place to set their teeth that's handy.

Cribbing is not a big deal.  It's easy to control and does not 
interfere with a horse's ability to perform.  The people that make it a 
big deal are the uninformed and lazy.

Regards,

Tori and Taffy (the biggest, baddest, cribbing bitch in the barn - said 
lovingly and with pride)


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